It feels like that time of year is here again, doesn't it? The moment we all start spending more time cooped up inside, and suddenly every little cough from the other room makes your ears perk up. It’s just inevitable, I guess, especially with the little ones. I feel like my life lately has been a cycle of checking foreheads, hunting for that one bottle of kids' Tylenol that isn't sold out, and stocking up on anything that promises to soothe a cough.
It's all just a jumble of what my doctor calls "respiratory tract infections." Basically, anything that messes with their little lungs, airways, sinuses, or throat. And yeah, they seem to hit hardest in the winter when we're all breathing the same recycled air. It really does help to have some idea of what's going around and what to look for, you know? Just so you don't feel completely in the dark. With everything that’s been going around, just trying to figure out what you're dealing with feels like half the battle.
For one thing, it's kind of wild that they're all super contagious viruses. Covid is from that SARS-CoV-2 virus, RSV is... well, it's the respiratory syncytial virus, and the flu comes from influenza. I used to think you could only get one thing at a time, but I read that it's actually possible to be sick with more than one virus at once. I mean, how confusing is that? To make things a little less overwhelming, I found this really helpful chart from GoodRX Health that I've been using as a quick reference. I'll pop it in here for you.
*https://www.goodrx.com/conditions/covid,,-19/covid-vs-flu-vs-rsv
Something I always have to remind myself is that kids just get hit harder by this stuff. Their immune systems are still a work in progress until they're like, 7 or 8. So what might be a simple cold for us can be a much bigger deal for them. And of course, if you're ever worried—especially about things like trouble breathing, or if they're not drinking anything, or the symptoms just seem to be getting worse—it’s always, always best to just call the doctor.
No matter how much we do, how many times we wash hands or wipe down surfaces, our kids are going to get sick. It’s impossible to keep them in a bubble. But knowing what their symptoms might be pointing to... well, it just makes me feel a little more prepared when I have to make that call or decide if it’s time to seek some real medical advice.
It’s a strange comfort, just being a little more informed. Makes the worry just a tiny bit smaller.
