A member asked:
How can i tell if my baby has cold or if it is allergies?
6 doctor answers • 15 doctors weighed in
Dr. Anatoly Belilovskyanswered
Pediatrics 37 years experience
A "cold"...: ... Is a viral infection. Allergic noses drip and itch, viral noses have a more "gooey" mucus. Cough and fever are more likely with a viral infection; tearing eyes are more likely with an allergy.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Arthur Torreanswered
Pediatric Allergy and Asthma 53 years experience
Fever or aches: Both colds and allergies can give you a runny/stuffy nose and coughing, but if there are aches or a fever it's a cold (though not all colds will cause fever and aches). Colds tend to last less than 7 to 10 days, allergies can last weeks to months - or if it's an acute exposure to something your allergic to, it may only last minutes.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Douglas Tzanetosanswered
Allergy and Immunology 21 years experience
Length of symptoms: This can be difficult to tell. Allergies can resemble colds. However, some clues are length of symptoms (cold typically last 7 to 14 days). Whether symptoms correlate with allergen exposure is another clue. Also, allergies do not cause fevers. Unfortunately the color of mucus discharge is not a reliable predictor. Skin or blood allergy testing can be helpful to make this determination.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Boyan Hadjievanswered
Internal Medicine 23 years experience
Fever or No fever: Nasal and ocular allergies feel just like a cold--stuffy, runny noses, scratchy or itchy throats, sneezing, itchy eyes, but usually no fever, and little fatigue (some people say they feel "foggy" and tired, but not fatigued). Viral infections, aka "colds" are usually accompanied by fever or increased temperature, sweating, congestion, runny nose, sore throats, etc.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Andrew Murphyanswered
Allergy and Immunology 31 years experience
Difficult: A lot of the symptoms of colds and allergies overlap however fever and other being sick help to distinguish the two. In addition colds last for a week to ten days whereas allergy would be more persistent
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. John Chiuanswered
Allergy and Immunology 59 years experience
Good question: Some time it is hard to tell. In general, when your child has a cold, someone else in the family often has one. A cold is often associated with a low-grade fever but allergy is not. You may also notice fatigue as well as joint or muscle ache with a cold but not with allergy. Hay fever may respond to antihistamine but a cold does not.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Similar questions
Canada
A 23-year-old female asked:
How can you tell the difference between a cold and allergies?
3 doctor answers • 7 doctors weighed in
Dr. John Chiuanswered
Allergy and Immunology 59 years experience
Sometimes difficult: but except in very severe cases of allergy, people don't lose appetite with allergy which is also not associated with a fever. Allergy may also be seasonal. Cold is more common when school starts and in the winter, allergy in the warmer months. Cold is not relieved by antihistamine which does reduce allergic symptoms. Hope these points are helpful.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Last updated Oct 23, 2017
People also asked
Connect with a U.S. board-certified doctor by text or video anytime, anywhere.
$44 video appointments with $19/month membership*
*Billed $57 every 3 months. Cancel anytime.
Disclaimer:
Content on HealthTap (including answers) should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and interactions on HealthTap do not create a doctor-patient relationship. Never disregard or delay professional medical advice in person because of anything on HealthTap. Call your doctor or 911 if you think you may have a medical emergency.
