How to spot differences between Strep A, RSV, measles and Covid in your child
Christmas is coming… but as we know, this time of year isn’t all fun and games.
The sniffles, nasty colds, throat-shredding coughs and endless sneezing are all back on the cards for you and your kids. The office is riddled with disease and our children’s classrooms even more so - and unfortunately it’s not always as harmless as a simple cold.
This time of year is also when Strep A, RSV, Covid, Pneumonia and measles begin to spike. But with very similar symptoms between them, it can often be hard to tell which one your child is suffering.
If you suspect one of these diseases it's important to get it checked out by a GP. So here’s a full explanation of what to expect between the illnesses, and how to tell the difference.
Ah, our old friend Covid, what a pleasure it is to see you again. Not. The disease which riddled the entire world and led to millions of deaths worldwide has gone through multiple mutations since it last emerged in the UK in early 2020.
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But thankfully the effects of Covid are far less severe than it once was, thanks both to the mutations and high rates of vaccination in the UK. Despite this, experts have warned of a new and “highly transmissible” strain of Covid entering the UK which has been dubbed the “grandchild of Omicron ”, HV.1.
The new strain particularly affects the upper respiratory tract including the nose and voice box, meaning it may be more difficult to distinguish between Covid and a common cold.
"It isn’t the same typical symptoms we saw before. It’s a lot of congestion, sometimes sneezing, usually a mild sore throat,” Dr Erick Eiting, from Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital in New York told NBC News. A sore throat will emerge before a stuffy nose
The Zoe Covid Symptom Study, collecting data on self-reported symptoms said the 10 current most common symptoms are the following:
A sore throat
A runny nose
A blocked nose
Sneezing
A cough without phlegm
A headache
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A cough with phlegm
A hoarse voice
Muscle aches and pains
An altered sense of smell
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
RSV activity is “high overall” in England according to a UKHSA report, and it is children under five who are most affected by the illness. It is extremely common and most kids will come down with RSV before their two according to the NHS. Symptoms will typically be mild, including:
A runny nose
A decrease in appetite
Coughing
Sneezing
Fever
Wheezing
But babies and children can develop bronchiolitis from RSV.
RSV can also lead to bronchiolitis which is typically a slightly worse illness than RSV, causing swelling, irritation and a buildup of mucus in the airways in the lungs. It is still fairly mild however, and can be treated at home. Symptoms include:
A slightly high temperature – a normal temperature for babies and children tends to be about 36.4C
A dry and persistent raspy cough
Some difficulty feeding
Some difficulty breathing or fast breathing
Noisy breathing - also known as wheezing
Parents should seek medical help for their little ones if their bronchiolitis symptoms get worse and they have difficulty breathing or develop a high temperature.
If your child’s symptoms get worse you should go straight to A&E. These symptoms include:
Your child is having difficulty breathing – you may notice grunting noises or their tummy sucking under their ribs
There are pauses when your child breathes
Your child's skin, tongue or lips are blue
Your child is floppy and will not wake up or stay awake
Strep A
Group A Streptococcus bacteria, found in the throat or on the skin, is known to cause a number of fairly common infections. These include scarlet fever and strep throat, impetigo and cellulitis, the Sun reported. A Strep A infection will typically show the following symptoms:
Flu-like symptoms, such as a high temperature, swollen glands or an aching body
Sore throat - common with strep throat or tonsillitis
A rash that feels rough, like sandpaper - common with scarlet fever
Scabs and sores - common with impetigo
Pain and swelling - common with cellulitis
Severe muscle aches
Nausea and vomiting
Infections usually aren’t serious and are treatable with antibiotics. But in more serious cases Strap A can result in more serious conditions including invasive group A Streptococcus (iGAS) infections. If you the following things happen you should get a GP appointment:
Your child is unwell and is getting worse
Your child is feeding or eating much less than normal
Your child has fewer wet nappies than usual or is peeing less than usual, or shows other signs of dehydration
Your baby is under three months and has a temperature of 38C, or is three to six months and has a temperature of 39C or higher
Your child is very tired or irritable
Your child is having difficulty breathing, pausing when they draw breath or their skin tongue and lips are grey.
The NHS urges parents to trust their instincts for when your child is seriously ill, as it isn’t always easy to tell. A parent can best see if a child isn’t acting their usual self.
Measles
Measles has seen a small uptick in cases in recent months. Notification of Infectious Diseases report (NOIDS), tracking infectious disease in England and Wales, found cases rising in both countries. Initial symptoms include:
A high temperature
A runny or blocked nose
Sneezing
A cough
Red, sore, watery eyes
Small white spots may appear inside the cheeks and on the back of the lips a few days later. These spots usually last a few days.
A few days after the cold symptoms you may see a blotchy red rash beginning on the face and moving down the body. Measles usually passes in seven to 10 days but it can lead to serious complications if it spreads to parts of the body such as lungs or your brain.
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said measles cases are rising as less parents are vaccinating their children with the MMR injection, offered to young babies in two doses. You can ask your GP for the MMR if your child has missed either dose.
Pneumonia
Pneumonia typically sees an uptick as it gets cooler. It presents as an inflammation of the lungs usually caused by an infection, the NHS says. Many will recover from Pneumonia in two to four weeks but babies or elderly people could require hospital treatment. Symptoms include:
A cough – you may cough up yellow or green mucus (phlegm)
Shortness of breath
A high temperature
Chest pain
An aching body
Feeling very tired
Loss of appetite
Making wheezing noises when you breathe – babies may also make grunting noises
Feeling confused – this is common in older people
If your child has a cough for over three weeks, coughs up blood, or has chest pain which comes and goes, you should seek an urgent GP appointment. Other serious symptoms such as gasping for air or not being able to wake your baby up are other signs to take your kid to A&E.
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