It is sometimes difficult to tell whether your  child has a cold or allergies. Parents are able to make a diagnosis when they  go the hospital after a lingering cold that wont go away. Symptoms of common cold and allergies overlap but there are some differences.

Differences between a cold and allergies

Common cold is caused by a virus. There are different types of cold viruses and cold may vary in severity.  They are contagious and you can get it when an infected person sneezes, coughs or shake hands with you. After a few weeks, the immune system fights off the infection and you stop having symptoms.

Allergies on the other hand are caused by an overactive immune system. The body mistakes harmless substances such as dust as germs and attacks them. As a result the body releases chemicals such as histamines  just as it does when you are fighting a cold. You begin to have symptoms such as sneezing and coughing.

Unlike colds, allergies are not contagious. However some people inherit the tendency to get them.

 
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