IT’S that time of year when everyone seems to be coughing, sneezing and sniffling.
And with Christmas holidays fast approaching, you might be anxious that your little one doesn’t spend them in bed.
GettyIt can be hard to tell if your child’s cough or temperature is caused by RSV or measles or even pneumonia[/caption]
The pandemic has certainly made us a little more wary at the hint of a runny nose or cough.
But often, whether those symptoms are caused by a cold virus, Covid or measles can be anyone’s guess.
From RSV, to pneumonia and Strep A, here’s how to tell the difference between winter illnesses that could affect your tot.
And when it’s important you get them seen to by a doctor.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
The most recent UKHSA report indicates that “RSV activity remains high
overall” in England, with most children under the age of five most affected.
It added that the number of those people being admitted to the emergency department for acute bronchiolitis also “remained high” for the week leading up to November 30.
RSV is an extremely common virus that most kids will pick up at some point before they’re two, NHS guidance states.
In most cases, the virus will cause mild, cold-like symptoms, such as:
A decrease in appetite
Sneezing
Fever
Wheezing
But babies and children can develop bronchiolitis from RSV.
This is a common chest infection affecting tots under two that causes swelling and irritation and a buildup of mucus in the small airways of the lung and can usually be treated at home.
According to Asthma + Lung UK, mild symptoms of bronchiolits include:
A slightly high temperature – a normal temperature for babies and children tends to be about 36.4C
A dry and persistent raspy cough
Some difficulty feeding
Some difficulty breathing or fast breathing
Noisy breathing – also known as wheezing
Parents should seek medical help for their little ones if their bronchiolitis symptoms get worse and they having difficulty breathing or develop a high temperature.
You should call 999 or go A&E if:
Your child is having difficulty breathing – you may notice grunting noises or their tummy sucking under their ribs
There are pauses when your child breathes
Your child’s skin, tongue or lips are blue
Your child is floppy and will not wake up or stay awake
Strep A
Group A Streptococcus bacteria is commonly found in the skin or in the throat.
Under some circumstances, the bacteria can cause illnesses like scarlet fever and strep throat, impetigo and cellulitis.
Signs of a Strep A infection to know include:
Flu-like symptoms, such as a high temperature, swollen glands or an aching body
Sore throat – common with strep throat or tonsillitis
A rash that feels rough, like sandpaper – common with scarlet fever
Scabs and sores – common with impetigo
Pain and swelling – common with cellulitis
Severe muscle aches
Nausea and vomiting
Most Strep A infections aren’t serious and can be treated with antibiotics – a pharmacist can give you advice on how to ease your little one’s symptoms and when to see a doctor about them.
In rare cases, the bacteria can cause serious conditions known as invasive group A Streptococcus (iGAS) infections.
You should get an urgent GP appointment if:
Your child is unwell and is getting worse
Your child is feeding or eating much less than normal
Your child has fewer wet nappies than usual or is peeing less than usual, or shows other signs of dehydration
Your baby is under three months and has a temperature of 38C, or is three to six months and has a temperature of 39C or higher
your child is very tired or irritable
And take your little one to A&E if they’r having difficulty breathing, pausing when they draw breath or their skin tongue and lips are grey.
The NHS said it can be hard to tell when your little one is seriously unwell, but it urged parents to trust their instincts, as they will have a better idea than anyone of when their child isn’t acting like their usual self.
But if you tot isn’t seriously ill, a Strep A infection can be easily looked after at home.
Recent data shows that nearly 450 people could have been infected with scarlet fever in the week ending November 19.
Measles
Measles yet another illness that’s seen an uptick in recent months.
The Notification of Infectious Diseases report (NOIDS) – which tracks suspected infectious disease cases in England and Wales – showed cases were rising across both countries.
In the week of November 26, 69 cases of measles were recorded , up from 49 the previous week.
The highly infectious illness usually begins with cold-like symptoms, including:
A high temperature
A runny or blocked nose
Sneezing
A cough
Red, sore, watery eyes
Small white spots may appear inside the cheeks and on the back of the lips a few days later. These spots usually last a few days.
A blotchy red rash usually appears a few days after the cold-like symptoms, starting on the face and behind the ears before moving to the rest of the body.
It usually clears in seven to 10 days, but the illness can lead to other serious complications if it spreads to other parts of the body, such as the lungs or brain.
Sheffield was placed on high alert last month after several youngsters were rushed to hospital with the extremely infectious illness.
Meanwhile, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said measles cases were on the rise because parents are not vaccinating their children.
Measles can be prevented with the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) jab, which is offered to children in two doses, when they’re a year old and when they’re three and four months.
You can still ask your GP surgery for the MMR vaccine if your child has missed either of these two doses.
Covid-19
Covid is still making the rounds, though the virus has undergone several mutations in the last four years and its effects are nowhere near as severe.
With cases expected to surge around Christmas, experts have warned of a new “highly transmissible” strain arriving in the UK.
It’s called HV.1 but has been dubbed ‘the grandchild of Omicron’.
Experts have discovered that the bug now affects the upper respiratory tract, which includes the nose and voice box.
This can make it harder to differentiate Covid from a cold and flu.
Dr Erick Eiting, from Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital in New York, US, told NBC News: “It isn’t the same typical symptoms we saw before.
“It’s a lot of congestion, sometimes sneezing, usually a mild sore throat.”
He explained that the sore throat emerges first, followed by a stuffy nose.
The Zoe Covid Symptom Study, which collects data on self-reported symptoms in the UK, said the ten most common symptoms currently are:
A sore throat
A runny nose
A blocked nose
Sneezing
A cough without phlegm
A headache
A cough with phlegm
A hoarse voice
Muscle aches and pains
An altered sense of smell
Pneumonia
Pneumonia can see an uptick in colder months.
It’s an inflammation of the lungs that’s usually caused by an infection, according to the NHS.
Most people will recover within about two to four weeks, but babies and older people might need hospital treatment.
Symptoms can start suddenly after infection, or they may take a few days to develop.
They include:
A cough – you may cough up yellow or green mucus (phlegm)
Shortness of breath
A high temperature
Chest pain
An aching body
Feeling very tired
Loss of appetite
Making wheezing noises when you breathe – babies may also make grunting noises
Feeling confused – this is common in older people
You should get your little one an urgent GP appointment if they’ve had a cough for three weeks or more, if they cough up blood and if they have chest pain that comes and goes or they feel short of breath.
Choking and gasping for air or not being able to wake your baby are red flags that mean you should take them to A&E.
A mystery pneumonia-like illness has seen hospitals in North China teeming with children – and now cases are popping up in Sweden and Switzerland as well as as Denmark and the US .
Called mycoplasma pneumonia, concerns were first raised about the surge in cases in China in late November.