Common Symptoms in Children for COVID, Colds, and the Flu

If your child is feeling unwell, it can be difficult to figure out what might be causing it. Many common viruses today share similar symptoms, but there are some key differences that can help guide you to a possible cause.

Parent giving checking their sick child for a temperature

COVID-19, the common cold, and influenza (flu) are viral infections that spread easily among people, especially children. The severity of the symptoms can also point to a potential cause; for example, the common cold tends to be less severe than COVID or the flu.1

Knowing the symptoms of each can help you get the care your child needs. Here, we’ll identify common symptoms of COVID-19, the common cold, and the flu.

Common COVID Symptoms in Children

COVID-19 is an upper respiratory illness that looks similar to other viral infections. While they are generally the same, COVID symptoms tend to be milder in children than in adults.2

Common COVID symptoms in kids include:2,3

  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Cough
  • Sore throat
  • Shortness of breath
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Headache
  • Extreme fatigue
  • Runny or stuffy nose
  • Nausea or vomiting

When comparing the flu versus COVID in kids, many of the symptoms overlap. Talk to your child’s doctor about getting tested for both viruses if they’re sick.2

Common Flu Symptoms in Children

The flu is caused by one of three types of viruses, known as influenza types A, B, and C. Like COVID, the flu mainly impacts the lungs, but symptoms can affect the whole body. Most of the time, children who get the flu are sick for one week or less.1

Some common flu symptoms in kids include:1,4

  • Fever, which can reach between 103° and 105° F
  • Headaches
  • Body aches
  • Cough that can become severe
  • Sore throat
  • Runny or stuffy nose
  • Tiredness

In some cases, children may also have gastrointestinal symptoms like vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea. Flu symptoms tend to resolve after around one week, but tiredness can last up to one month.4

Common Cold Symptoms in Children

Every year, millions of people in the United States get a cold (upper respiratory infection), and this is no exception for children. In fact, the common cold leads to the most missed school days every year.5

While uncomfortable, cold symptoms tend to be milder than flu or COVID symptoms. Common kids’ cold symptoms include:5,6

  • Runny or stuffy nose
  • Watery eyes
  • Sneezing
  • Congestion
  • Scratchy or sore throat
  • Headache
  • Chills
  • Low-grade fever between 99.6° to 100.3° F
  • Fatigue
  • Body aches

Common Symptoms of COVID-19, Flu, and the Common Cold

Need a quick chart that lists common symptoms? Here, we’ve provided a table of the most common symptoms of COVID-19, the flu, and the common cold. While it is important to know the symptoms of these illnesses, please reach out to your child’s doctor if they begin experiencing any of these symptoms again, or if you have any questions or concerns.1-6

Symptoms

Headache

COVID-19
FLU
COMMON COLD
Sometimes
Common
Rare

Fever/Chills

COVID-19
FLU
COMMON COLD
Common
Common, fever can be high
Rare, fever can be low-grade

Cough

COVID-19
FLU
COMMON COLD
Common
Sometimes, can range from mild to moderate
Common

Runny/Stuffy nose

COVID-19
FLU
COMMON COLD
Common
Sometimes
Common

Sore throat

COVID-19
FLU
COMMON COLD
Common
Common
Common

Body aches

COVID-19
FLU
COMMON COLD
Sometimes
Common
Sometimes

Fatigue/Exhaustion

COVID-19
FLU
COMMON COLD
Common
Common
Sometimes

Nausea/Vomiting/Diarrhea

COVID-19
FLU
COMMON COLD
Sometimes
Sometimes
Rare

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References

1. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Influenza (Flu) in Children. Accessed from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/influenza/influenza-flu-in-children

2. Johns Hopkins Medicine. COVID in Babies and Kids: Symptoms and Prevention. June 22, 2022. Accessed from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/coronavirus-in-babies-and-children

3. Yasuhara J, et al. Clinical characteristics of COVID-19 in children: A systematic review. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2020;55(10):2565-2575. Accessed from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ppul.24991

4. Kumar, V. Influenza in Children. Indian J Pediatr. 2017;84(2):139-143. Accessed from: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12098-016-2232-x

5. Stanford Medicine. Common Cold in Children. Accessed from: https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=upper-respiratory-infection-uri-or-common-cold-90-P02966

6. Troullos E, Baird L, Jayawardena S. Common Cold Symptoms in Children: Results of an Internet-Based Surveillance Program. J Med Internet Res. 2014;16(6):e144. Accessed from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4090373/