Allergies or upper respiratory infection?

Question

My 6 year old daughter started out last Thursday with a 102 temp. She didn't feel well until Sunday. Friday and Saturday the temp was around 100. Sunday she felt much better but then Monday she woke up with a cough.

She does have a bit of a runny nose and the cough is very loose. She coughs all through the night for the most part. I have given her cough medicine, put Vick's on her chest and had the vaporizer in her room, but still the coughing wakes her up several times a night.

She happened to have a cold when school started last year and my brother thinks it could possibly be allergies. To me, it seems she just has an infection like many others right now.

I didn't think with allergies you would cough so much. She did just start the first grade so she is very run down right now as well. First time going to school all day every day.

Last year when she had a cold at this time it only lasted about 2 weeks.

Do you cough and carry a temp of 102.5 if it's allergies?

Answer 1

The rule of thumb is

Start with fever over 101 then it drops or changes is

1  started with a virus in sinus

2 then moved to chest ,and continued coughing has irritated,caused   3 more coughing, or may be postnasal drip.

4 call DOC day 5

5 tell Doc she's nauseated can mean strep

FYI ...  Vicks can CAUSE irritation ,I don't know why they keep putting it in kids stuff it offers temporary nasal symptom relief.It makes my whole family cough worse,i found out the hard way.

When you go tell them if your daughter goes into coughing often after start of cold ,it can mean allergies or mild asthma.

They can give her something to ease her chest(stop the vicks it's for nasal congestion and short term)if for only at night at least.

Wash bedding and child before next bedtime,leave vaporizer.She may need an expectorate,along with cough syrup.You will have to buy it over the counter they don't put it in the others anymore.You may ask Doc if they know an over the counter with suppressant for night time.

Keep track of how she does with pets or in other environments too tell Doc.You may be able to identify any allergens, and avoid them and more than week long colds ;)

Good luck!

Answer 2

This is a tough one to figure out; generally, allergy symptoms don't include a fever.  However, it she has some asthma (the rattling in her chest), she may have built up some fluid and this could cause a fever.   She needs to see an allergist to determine if she has some asthma going on.