Making Sense of Coughs, Fevers & Wheezes This Winter

If you’ve found yourself Googling symptoms at 3am or standing in the GP’s office thinking, is this just a cold or something more? — you’re not alone.

As a mum of two and a paediatric nurse consultant, I know how overwhelming winter can feel. Every sniffle, every wheeze, every spike in temperature comes with a flood of questions. Especially when cold, flu, RSV and COVID-19 all seem to blend into one endless stream of “something’s going around.”

The truth is: most of the time, you won’t be able to tell exactly what your child has just by looking. But you can feel confident knowing the key signs to watch for, and when it's time to rest, seek help, or stay home.

Colds, flu, RSV, COVID-19 and even pneumonia are all respiratory illnesses—they affect the nose, throat, airways, and lungs. And because they share so many symptoms—like coughs, runny noses, and fever—it’s easy to feel confused or unsure about what you're dealing with.

While many of these illnesses are mild, some can become serious—especially in babies, toddlers, and children with underlying conditions.

1. The Common Cold

Colds are the most common—and usually the mildest—viral infections in kids. They come on slowly and are often more annoying than alarming.

Typical symptoms:– Runny or stuffy nose– Sneezing– Mild cough– fever or none at all– Still eating, playing, and mostly sleeping okay

What helps: Plenty of rest, hydration, and comfort. There’s no need for antibiotics, and most children recover within a week. If a cold lingers or worsens—especially if breathing or feeding becomes difficult—get them checked.

2. Influenza (The Flu)

Flu can hit fast, and it can hit hard. There are also variants of the Flu.

Typical symptoms:– Sudden high fever– Chills, body aches, or headache– Dry cough– Sore throat– Fatigue and loss of appetite– Cranky, clingy or unusually tired

What helps: Rest, fluids, and close monitoring. If caught early, some children may be eligible for antivirals. The flu vaccine can help reduce the risk of serious illness and hospitalisation in young children.

3. RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus)

RSV is one of the most common viruses in babies and toddlers. In many kids, it causes a cold. But in younger infants, RSV can lead to bronchiolitis.

So, What is Bronchiolitis?

Bronchiolitis is a lower respiratory tract infection where the small airways (called bronchioles) become inflamed and filled with mucus. It usually affects babies under 12 months, but can impact children under 2. RSV is a common culprit of causing Bronchiolitis and can make breathing harder for little ones.

Signs of bronchiolitis:– Wheezing or crackly breathing– Fast or shallow breaths– Cough with lots of congestion– Difficulty feeding– Tummy sucking in with each breath– Irritability or sleepiness– Pauses in breathing (in very young babies)

What helps: There’s no specific treatment for bronchiolitis—antibiotics don’t work. Supportive care at home includes rest, fluids, and some parents report using a humidifier has been helpful. However, if your child is struggling to breathe, not feeding well, or seems unusually tired or floppy, they may need hospital care for oxygen or hydration.

4. COVID-19 in Kids

COVID-19 is still circulating, and while many children experience only mild symptoms, it can present differently depending on the child and their immune response.

Typical symptoms:– Fever– Dry cough– Sore throat– Fatigue or low energy– Headache– Tummy upset (nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting)– Loss of smell or taste (older kids)

What helps: Most children recover at home with rest and fluids. Testing may still be recommended depending on your location or if there's been a known exposure. Always monitor for breathing changes, dehydration, or ongoing fatigue.

5. Pneumonia

Pneumonia is an infection that causes inflammation in the lungs. It can develop as a complication of a viral illness such as the flu, RSV, or COVID-19—or it can be caused by bacteria as a primary infection.

Viral vs Bacterial Pneumonia

• Viral pneumonia is more common in younger children and tends to develop gradually. It often follows RSV, influenza, or COVID-19. The symptoms can overlap with bronchiolitis, especially in babies.

• Bacterial pneumonia, on the other hand, tends to come on more suddenly and severely. It’s caused by certain bacteria, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, or Mycoplasma pneumoniae. This type of pneumonia requires antibiotics to clear the infection—without treatment, it can lead to complications like lung abscesses or even sepsis in severe cases.

  
  

  Signs to watch for: – Sudden or ongoing high fever– Fast or difficult breathing (including tummy breathing or flaring nostrils)– Cough that worsens or becomes wet and chesty– Pain in the chest or tummy (especially during coughing or deep breathing)– Pale, mottled or bluish skin (due to low oxygen)– Lethargy or being unusually sleepy or irritable– Refusing food or drink, fewer wet nappies

  Some children may not appear dramatically unwell but still have pneumonia—especially if it’s affecting only part of the lung (sometimes called "walking pneumonia"). In these cases, the main symptoms may just be fatigue and a lingering cough with fever.

  What helps: - Pneumonia needs medical review. Your GP may listen to your child’s chest, check oxygen levels, or refer for a chest X-ray.

  • Bacterial pneumonia is treated with antibiotics.

  • Viral pneumonia won’t respond to antibiotics, but your child may still need supportive care such as IV fluids, rest, or in some cases, oxygen in hospital.

  Children under 12 months, and those with asthma, heart conditions, or compromised immunity are more likely to need hospital care.

When Should I Worry?

Call your GP or visit ED if your child:– Is breathing faster than usual or using extra muscles to breathe (e.g. tummy pulling in)– Has blue lips or mottled/pale skin– Is refusing fluids or feeding poorly– Is unusually drowsy, floppy or hard to wake– Has a fever that isn’t responding to medication– Is under 12 weeks old and unwell. If your child is under 12 weeks/3 months of age and presents with fever present to ED.

Building Confidence, Not Fear: The Sick Sense Approach

You don’t need to know the exact virus every time—but you can learn to recognise when your child needs rest, when to keep a closer eye, and when to seek medical help. That’s exactly what we teach in The Sick Sense workshops.

I walk parents through my trusted A–G checklist—a simple system to assess your child’s condition without panic or guesswork. It’s the same framework I’ve used as a paediatric nurse and as a mum of two, and it’s designed to give you calm, clear direction in moments that usually feel overwhelming.

Because while respiratory illnesses are a normal part of childhood, they don’t have to be a source of constant fear. With the right knowledge, you can respond with confidence.

✅ Let them rest

✅ Keep them hydrated

✅ Trust your Sick Sense

✅ And use the tools you’ve been taught

You’re not in this alone—and you were never expected to just “figure it out.”

Want to feel more confident this winter? Come join one of my workshops or shop for the A–G Sick Sense checklist to keep on hand.