Navigation Home About KAK Shop Our Merchants Jen's Blog Links Local Links Contact Us  The Kaboodle Shopping      Maternity Clothes Guide      Neat Baby Gear         Bumbo Baby Sitter         BebePod Seat         Diaper Bags         Space Saver High Chair      Baby Clothes      Baby Items      Baby Furniture      Oh Baby!      Home      Trying to Conceive      Infertility      Health Insurance      Maternity Insurance      Baby Shower for Multiples      Baby Gift Baskets      Pregnancy Calendar      Are Ultrasounds Safe?      What is a Doula?      Nutrition While Pregnant      Foods to Avoid      Breastfeeding      Pumping Breast Milk           Bringing Home Baby      After Baby      Why is my Baby Crying?       Baby Teething I      Baby Teething II      Baby Massage      Intro to Solid Foods I      Intro to Solid Foods II	Healthier Living Which is it -- Cold or Allergy? It's December -- runny noses are rampant. What is causing those noses to run, that cough to persist? Is it allergies or just a cold? This Fall has been very mild so far. The frost that we count on every year is taking longer than usual to kill everything off like it usually does. Adults and children everywhere are suffering, but how can you tell the difference between colds and allergies? The Big Problem The problem with colds and allergies is that the symptoms are so similar, sometimes it's hard to know whether you should be treating a cold or allergies. There are differences, however, that distinguish the two. Achoo!...The Cold Why is it a cold? For one thing, a cold is an infection. It's caught by contact with another person and is pretty easily spread. The symptoms of a cold are continuous and last from about 7 to 10 days. Most symptoms are typical: runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat, mucous discharge begins as clear and then changes to a yellowish color, coughing, sore and aching muscles, and fever. Contact Your Doctor If: * Your child's symptoms are severe or continue past 7 to 10 days. * Your child has a fever over 102 degrees for more than two days. * The sore throat lasts for more than two days. * Nagging cough keeps your child awake. * Your child develops a severe headache, stiff neck, or rash.  Ugh...The Allergies An allergy differs from a cold because it is a reaction to an irritant. To most people these irritants are harmless, but to someone with an allergy to a particular irritant, an allergic reaction is triggered. When an irritant comes in contact with your child's nasal membranes, your child begins to defend itself and fight the irritant, hence the typical symptoms of itchy runny nose, itchy, watery eyes, and sneezing. Sometimes the reaction is immediate, but sometimes it can be delayed. If symptoms of an allergy seem to occur about the same time every year and the symptoms last for a few weeks, there's probably a good chance that your child has allergies. Is There Any Relief? It is possible to get some relief from allergies. The best thing you can do is to keep your child away from the irritants that cause the allergic reaction. * Remove weeds and wild grasses from your yard. * If your child has a ragweed allergy, keep away from all members of the ragweed family (this includes marigolds, chrysanthemums, asters, bachelor's buttons, calendulas, cosmoses, dahlias, daisies, dandelions, sunflowers, zinnias, and goldenrod). * Children who have severe reactions should try to stay indoors as much as possible. Also, it helps to air-condition your home, making sure to keep doors and windows closed. * Try keeping car windows closed and use the air-conditioner. * Limit outdoor activities as much as possible, especially during the really bad weeks where the pollen count is very high. * Consult your doctor for a medication that can relieve some of the allergy symptoms your child may be experiencing.     Contact Your Doctor If: * Fever Occurs. * Child has problems breathing. Child has problems breathing. Child has problems breathing. * Symptoms continue even though you have taken all the necessary precautions and your child is uncomfortable. Symptoms continue even though you have taken all the necessary precautions and your child is uncomfortable. Symptoms continue even though you have taken all the necessary precautions and your child is uncomfortable. For some facts and statistics on allergies and asthma, Click Here.	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