Cold or Allergies? How to Tell This Spring

Pediatric Providers Team
Mar 9
2 min read

Allergies can have many names, like seasonal allergies or hay fever. In the spring, they are very common.

Common spring allergy triggers include pollen from trees, flowers, grass, weeds, and mold in the air.

Areas like Baltimore and Washington, DC are ranked among the top 100 Allergy Capitals in 2025. This means many children and adults feel allergy symptoms here.

Symptoms of Seasonal Allergies

Common Symptoms
- Runny or Stuffy Nose
- Sneezing
- Dry Throat
- Itchy, runny eyes
- Sneezing
More severe signs
- Fatigue, poor concentration
- Increased ear and sinus infections
- Asthma exacerbations
- Behavior changes in a child as a result of poor sleep and discomfort
- Rashes

Cold or Allergies: How Can You Tell?

Some allergy symptoms can look like a cold. But colds often include symptoms that allergies do not.

Cold symptoms may include:

Fever
Sore throat
Muscle aches
Yellow or green mucus
Wet or chest cough

If your child has these symptoms, they likely have a cold. If your child has a fever that lasts more than 3–5 days or is not getting better, please bring them into the office for a checkup.

Managing Seasonal Allergies

Helpful daily habits:
- Wash hands and face after coming inside from playing outdoors
- Take a bath or shower each night
- Change clothes after playing outside
- Dry clothes in the dryer to remove pollen
- Stay indoors when pollen counts are high
- Keep windows closed and use an air purifier if possible
Medications:
- Newer allergy medicines like Zyrtec, Claritin, Allegra, or Xyzal work well and cause less sleepiness
- These medicines are available over the counter and are safe for children ages 2 and up
- For children under 2, talk with your provider first
- Saline nose spray can help clean the nose
- Allergy eye drops can help itchy or red eyes
- Talk to your provider before using steroid nose sprays