My little one has been coughing and sneezing a lot. Cold or Allergies?

If your child catches more than his or her share of colds or gets colds that linger beyond the usual week or two, he or she could have allergies. Colds and allergies share many of the same symptoms, including:

A runny or stuffy nose
Sneezing
Coughing
Fatigue
Sore throat

How can you tell the difference between the two? Colds sometimes trigger aches, pains, and fever. Allergies never cause those symptoms, but they usually trigger itchy eyes, mouth, and throat.

Here's another difference: Cold symptoms come on gradually and disappear within several days to a week. But allergy symptoms start almost right after a child is exposed, and symptoms can linger all year.

There's no cure for either the common cold or allergies, but there are treatments that can help relieve symptoms. Before trying any at-home remedy, however, talk with your child's doctor. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently recommended that over-the-counter cough and cold medicines not be given to children younger than age 2.