Is it a cold or is it the flu?

Colds and flu are both caused by viruses and can cause symptoms such as coughing and sore throat. A cold is a minor infection of the nose and throat.

The flu, however, is usually more severe with higher fevers and the addition of aches and pains.

Remember, your child must be fever free for 24 hours without fever reducing medications (Tylenol, Advil, etc) before he or she can return to school.

COLD	SYMPTOM	FLU
Rare, low fever if any	Fever and chills	Common, can be high (102-104) and last 3-4 days
Rare	Headache	Common
Mild if any	Fatigue and weakness	Can last up to 2-3 weeks
Never	Extreme exhaustion	Early and prominent
Common	Runny or stuffy nose	Sometimes
Common	Sore throat	Sometimes
Mild to moderate hacking cough	Chest discomfort and cough	Common, can be severe
Common	Sneezing	Sometimes
Rare	General aches and pain	Common, can be severe

• Remember to wash your hands often! Keep your hands away from your nose, eyes and mouth.
• Try not to touch people or their things when they have a cold or the flu.
• Get regular exercise and eat well.
• Get adequate rest.
• Drink plenty of fluids like water, juice and clear soups.
• Talk to your doctor about getting a flu shot.

As a reminder, Grayson County Health Department will be holding an H1N1 immunization clinic for VAISD students and staff THIS Thursday, January 21.

For more information, contact your school nurse.