It's difficult to tell if your toddler has the flu, just a cold, or another viral illness, because the symptoms are very similar between all of them. The flu is caused by the influenza virus, which is a specific airborne bug, and it's usually limited to the winter months. If your child gets sick during flu season, (October to February,) there are a few signs that indicate it is the flu.
Sudden Fever
If your child has the flu, you'll probably find that she gets a sudden onset of fever: one day she's fine, and the next she's looking or feeling sick, with a high temperature. Usually the fever is at least 101 degrees Fahrenheit, or 38.3 degrees Celsius.
Aches Then Respiratory
With the flu, fever and aches come first. Watch for signs of headaches, dizziness or muscle aches, accompanied by fatigue and the chills. After you notice those symptoms in your toddler, he'll probably come down with respiratory symptoms like a runny nose and a dry cough; these are usually more severe than with a cold. However, if your child gets the respiratory symptoms first, and is congested and coughing for a few days before fever sets in, then chances are it's a cold rather than the flu.
Digestive Upset
When your toddler has the flu, you may find that he isn't eating as much as usual, because his appetite is diminished. There's also a chance of diarrhea, vomiting or abdominal pain. To make eating even more difficult, he may have a sore throat and swollen glands. This increases the likelihood that he'll be irritable and feel weaker than normal.
Duration and Severity
While the flu comes on suddenly, it also leaves pretty quickly. After five days, most of the symptoms, including the fever, have usually disappeared. However, weakness and a cough can continue for another week or two. While it seems like an illness that comes and goes so fast might not be much to worry about -- and certainly the flu rarely requires medical intervention -- influenza in young children and infants can lead to more serious complications, such as pneumonia.
Keep an eye on developing symptoms and consult your child's doctor if you're not sure whether you should seek medical treatment. If your child has another illness or chronic medical condition, the flu increases her chance of becoming sick enough to need hospitalization. Children younger than 2 years old are also more likely to end up in the hospital with an episode of the flu than older kids are. Sometimes an antiviral medicine may be prescribed if a child is very sick, but it needs to be given within 48 hours of the flu's onset, or it doesn't do any good.
