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As if parenting wasn’t hard enough, COVID-19 has made the “sick kid questions” even more confusing: Is it just a cold or something else? Can I send my child to school? When should I call their healthcare provider?

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“Every child runs a gauntlet of infections during the first five years of their life,” says pediatric infectious disease specialist Frank Esper, MD. “Navigating childhood illnesses can be challenging for parents.”

RSV, flu and COVID-19 are respiratory viruses. These viruses affect your respiratory system — the network of tissues and organs that help you breathe. “Cough, runny nose and fever are common to all respiratory viruses,” says Dr. Esper. “When I see a child with these symptoms, I usually rely on a laboratory test to make an accurate diagnosis.”

But there are some subtle differences between RSV, flu and COVID-19.

RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, is a virus nearly all children get by age 2. In addition to a cough, runny nose and fever, a unique symptom of RSV is wheezing. A wheeze sounds like a whistle or rattle when your child breathes.

Most children recover from RSV on their own, but sometimes, it can lead to severe illnesses such as:

RSV can infect people of any age but is most serious for young children and older adults. Hospitals admit nearly 60,000 children under age 5 for RSV every year.

A distinctive sign of the flu is a very high fever. Along with other respiratory symptoms, the flu often causes high fevers of 103 or 104 degrees Fahrenheit (39.44 or 40 degrees Celsius). People usually feel miserable, more so than with other viruses, says Dr. Esper. This can include nausea and vomiting as well, which, though not unique to the flu, is also often worse than with other viruses.

Children under age 5, and especially under age 2, are at higher risk of complications from the flu. These include:

Each year, between 7,000 and 26,000 children develop symptoms serious enough to require hospitalization.

The signs of COVID-19 are similar to flu and RSV. But unlike the other viruses, COVID-19 can have a serious effect on body systems outside the lungs. “Flu can do this too, but the symptoms usually go away once the virus leaves your lungs,” states Dr. Esper. “COVID can cause long-term effects, such as brain fog.”  

Several symptoms you may think are unique to COVID-19 are actually common among respiratory viruses. For example:

Providers often use disease surveillance systems to help make diagnoses. Surveillance shows the circulation patterns of respiratory viruses across the U.S. and over time. This information can be a clue when evaluating patients. If the surveillance system shows that a certain disease is circulating a lot in your area, that can help guide your provider toward a diagnosis.  

The circulation of respiratory illnesses is often seasonal, though COVID-19 has changed this. For example, before the pandemic, RSV peaked in the winter. “If we saw a baby with a wheeze in the winter, it was likely RSV,” says Dr. Esper. “But in 2021, RSV peaked in July. This was shortly after things started opening back up.”

The flu season is also off its usual schedule in 2022 and has gone on longer than normal. “Usually, flu peaks between December and February and is over by April. This year, it is going strong into May,” says Dr. Esper. “We hope the circulation patterns of these viruses will return to a more predictable pattern.”

Want to know what viruses are circulating in your area? Check out the national surveillance programs for flu, COVID-19 and other viruses.

If your child has a runny nose, cough and fever — the telltale signs of a respiratory virus — a COVID-19 test is a good first step. Knowing if your child has COVID-19 can help you protect other family members and prevent the spread outside of your household.

Many clinics use a triple test that can detect flu, RSV and COVID-19. Dr. Esper predicts parents may soon have triple tests for home use as well.

“Before the pandemic, home tests for respiratory viruses were not available,” he says. “Now, pharmacy shelves are stocked with COVID antigen tests. It won’t be long before home tests include flu and RSV.”

Home testing for flu and RSV has many benefits:

Coinfection — when you have multiple viruses at once — is common in children. In any childcare or preschool room, you’ll find children sick with a range of viruses. “When they’re all coughing, it’s not surprising that a child can catch two or even three viruses at the same time,” notes Dr. Esper. “We saw coinfections before the pandemic, and we’re seeing them now with RSV, flu and COVID-19.”

However, Dr. Esper hasn’t seen any evidence that having more than one virus leads to worse symptoms or outcomes. Providers treat infections the same way, whether there are one or three.

One thing COVID-19 taught people is how to prevent viral illnesses. COVID-19 prevention strategies were also very effective at preventing flu and RSV.

In addition to wearing a mask and physical distancing, these steps can reduce your risk of respiratory infections:

Additionally, it’s also helpful to keep your child home if they’re sick. This minimizes the risk of spreading illness to other children at school.

Children usually recover from respiratory viruses on their own with rest and fluids. Dr. Esper recommends reaching out to your child’s healthcare provider if they have:

If your child has a high fever and you suspect it’s the flu, get in touch with their provider right away. Early treatment with Tamiflu within the first two days of symptoms can help your child get better faster.  

Also check with your provider sooner if your child has any underlying health conditions, such as:

Respiratory infections are common in childhood. While you can take steps to reduce your child’s risk, you can’t avoid them entirely. If your child is sick, keep them home to reduce the spread of infection to others in your community. As they recover, your child will develop immunity that will help protect them from future infections.

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy

Wondering whether its RSV, COVID-19 or the flu? Learn how to tell the difference, or if it could be more than one infection at a time.