With reports like that of the Fujian flu virus sweeping across Europe and the US, parents today need to be more alert. Although the terms "cold" and "flu" are sometimes used interchangeably, it's vital that we understand the difference.| SYMPTOMS | COLD | FLU |
| Fever | Rare | Characteristic, high (102-104F); lasts 3-4 days |
| Headache | Rare | Prominent |
| General aches, pains | Slight | Common, often severe |
| Fatigue, weakness | Quite mild | Can last 2-3 weeks |
| Extreme exhaustion | Never | Early and prominent |
| Stuffy nose | Common | Sometimes |
| Sneezing | Common | Sometimes |
| Chest discomfort, cough | Mild to moderate hacking cough | Common, can become severe |
| Complications | Sinus congestion or earache | Bronchitis, pneumonia; can be life-threatening |
From The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, USA
Did You Know?
* Like the common cold, the flu or influenza is caused by a virus. Thus antibiotics don't work against it.
* There are many antiviral medications that can be used to treat the flu and may help your child to get better a few days faster. But in general, they're only effective if started within one or two days of the onset of your child's symptoms.
* Although symptoms are usually mild to moderate in most people, they can be more severe in the elderly or very young children, even causing deaths each year (mostly in the elderly).
* You can get the flu if you're around someone with the flu and he coughs or sneezes, and the germs enter your body through your mouth or nose. You can also get it if you touch something, such as a doorknob or faucet, that has been touched and contaminated by someone with the flu, and then touch your own mouth or nose.
* Washing your hands with any kind of soap gets rid of germs, as the soap and water washes them off your hands, even if it isn't killing them.
* When sneezing or coughing, covering your nose and mouth with your elbow instead of your hand can help prevent spreading the flu to others -- as can washing your hands after blowing your nose.
Did You Know?* Like the common cold, the flu or influenza is caused by a virus. Thus antibiotics don't work against it.
* There are many antiviral medications that can be used to treat the flu and may help your child to get better a few days faster. But in general, they're only effective if started within one or two days of the onset of your child's symptoms.
* Although symptoms are usually mild to moderate in most people, they can be more severe in the elderly or very young children, even causing deaths each year (mostly in the elderly).
* You can get the flu if you're around someone with the flu and he coughs or sneezes, and the germs enter your body through your mouth or nose. You can also get it if you touch something, such as a doorknob or faucet, that has been touched and contaminated by someone with the flu, and then touch your own mouth or nose.
* Washing your hands with any kind of soap gets rid of germs, as the soap and water washes them off your hands, even if it isn't killing them.* When sneezing or coughing, covering your nose and mouth with your elbow instead of your hand can help prevent spreading the flu to others -- as can washing your hands after blowing your nose.
