How to distinguish influenza from ARVI in a child?

Often the children's organism is faced with various infections. Therefore, mothers want to know the peculiarities of the course of various ailments, in order to understand how to act in the situation that has happened. Many people have the question of how to distinguish influenza from ARVI in a child, because it is known that children are often infected with viral infections.

What is ARVI and the flu?

Colds during life do not bypass a single person. If a doctor diagnoses ARVI, then you need to understand that this is not the name of a particular disease. This term refers to all those respiratory tract infections that are of a viral nature, the same applies to the flu. But it is often considered as a separate disease. You can name the main differences of simple SARS from influenza in children:

• in the latter case, the condition worsens rapidly, while in normal viral infections the symptoms increase gradually;
• with the flu on the restoration of immunity can go away from 2 weeks;
• also after this illness for some time, there may be problems with pressure, dizziness.

The most accurate diagnosis can be made after laboratory tests.

Signs of influenza and ARVI in children

In order to take the necessary measures in time, you should know how to distinguish these diseases. Influenza is fraught with complications, so it is important to quickly diagnose it. These diseases are similar in their manifestations, differ mainly in their severity. You should carefully compare the main symptoms of SARS, which are so often called colds, and flu.

In the latter case, the temperature within 2 hours becomes higher than 38 ° C. The thermometer reaches 39 ° C and even higher. The heat in this case gets lost badly, and this state can last several days. In acute respiratory viral infections, the temperature usually does not exceed 38.5 ° C and normalizes within 2-3 days.

With a cold, a child complains of a malaise, quickly becomes tired. The flu is also characterized by severe headache, redness of the eyes and weakness in the body. But with his cough does not appear from the beginning of the disease, while the cold he accompanies from the first day. However, it is important to consider that with swine flu a strong cough with chest pain is one of the first symptoms. Runny nose is a faithful companion of ARVI, kids sneeze. For the flu, such signs are not characteristic. The nose in patients lays not so much and passes this symptom for 2 days already. A severe runny nose can occur if the child has chronic nasopharyngeal diseases.

Also, the difference in symptoms of influenza and SARS in children is the presence or, conversely, the absence of gastrointestinal disorders. With a cold, vomiting and loose stools are extremely rare. Influenza in a child may have intestinal disorders, and for swine flu, they are a hallmark.

With usual viral infections, you can often notice an increase in lymph nodes, the red throat has a loose structure, a plaque on the mucous membranes is possible. For the flu, such signs are not characteristic. In this case, the throat can blush and swell, but it does not become friable.

Treatment of diseases

All appointments should be made by a pediatrician, he will select the drugs, if necessary. For example, to fight the flu can be recommended "Tamiflu", "Relenza".

Tactics of treatment of illnesses are not particularly different. All patients are recommended to drink more, rest. Mom should often do wet cleaning, air. In the diet of the baby must necessarily be fruits, sour-milk products, fish, preferably a rabbit, a turkey. If necessary, give antipyretic drugs, cough and coryza.

Neither one nor the other disease should not be treated with antibiotics, because to take such drugs should be indications, which are determined by the doctor.