How to Treat a Baby's Runny Nose

 breathing comfortably and without prolonged fever or symptoms, we don't even need to know the specific ‘germ’ because it typically does little to change treatment,” she says. 

Cold, Flu, and COVID-19 Symptoms in Babies and Children

While these illnesses can present similarly, there are some key differences between the common cold and the flu:

• Cold symptoms tend to come on gradually, while flu symptoms appear more abruptly
• A fever is usually a sign of the flu and is less common in colds
• Chills, cough, chest discomfort, headache, and weakness are more common with the flu
• Runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, and sneezing are more common with a cold

Ultimately, cold symptoms are typically much milder than those of the flu.

 Similarly, COVID-19 often starts out very similar to a cold, although it can also cause a fever, says Dr. Segura. The CDC states that fever and cough are the most common symptoms of COVID-19 in children, but they may also experience sore throat, runny nose, headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, or gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Dr. Segura adds that if you have cold symptoms and have been around