Most common colds are just that – common colds that are not serious.
“Children with colds will have runny or stuffy noses with clear, cloudy, yellow or green discharge, and often fever and sore throat,” said Dr. Gail Demmler, pediatrician and director of the Diagnostic Virology Lab at Texas Children’s. “You may also find a cough, watery eyes and swollen lymph nodes in the neck.”
Generally, if a child has fever, it will last two to three days, Demmler said. A runny nose can last a week to 10 days, and a cold’s cough may last two to three weeks.
“Only about 5 percent to 10 percent of children’s colds develop into a bacterial complication, such as ear or sinus infection,” said Demmler.
But if a child’s cold lasts longer or the symptoms seem more severe, it may become necessary to visit your pediatrician.
Call your doctor now (night or day) if your child:
- Looks or acts very sick.
- Has difficulty breathing not relieved by cleaning out the nose
- Has a fever more than 104°F (40° C)
- Is less than 12 weeks (3 months) old with fever more than 100.4°F (38° C) rectally
Call your doctor within 24 hours (during office hours) if you think your child needs to be seen or if your child has:
- Earache or cloudy discharge from ear canal
- Yellow or green eye discharge
- Sinus pain or pressure around cheekbone or eyes
- Severe sore throat for more than 24 hours
- Fever for more than three days
Call your doctor during office hours if you have other questions or concerns or your child has:
- Fever that returns after going away for more than 24 hours
- A blocked nose that interferes with sleep even after using nasal washes several times
- Yellow scabs around the nasal openings
- Nasal discharge for more than 10 days
