My 8 yr old sister has a runny nose, chills, fever of 100.0, and coughing. should we jut give her tylenol (acetaminophen)? does she just have a cold or is it the flu?

Virus: She likely has a viral cold. Her fever is low. Can try some tylenol (acetaminophen) and contact her doctor if symptoms worsen.

Sure and viral: Tylenol (acetaminophen) is fine for symptomatic relief of aches and fever with a viral infection. Motrin will work a little better at pain relief and lasts 6 to 8 hours as opposed to tylenol (acetaminophen) which lasts 4 hours. She has either a cold or a fever it sounds like. The low grade fever is more suggestive of a typical viral cold, usually influenza will yield high fevers, shaking chills, headaches, and eye pain.