Quiz: Is It a Cold or Allergies?

If your child has already experienced his first cold, you’ll know the signs by heart: sneezes, snot, and stuffiness, sometimes topped off with a runny nose and a fever. But can you tell when it’s just another case of the sniffles—or if it’s something more? What many people dismiss as a cold may actually be seasonal or environmental allergies. Left untreated, allergies can cause more serious conditions like sinusitis—constant, painful inflammation of the sinus cavities.

Do you know how to find out the difference? We asked pediatric allergists Paul Lindner, MD, of the Allergy & Asthma Center of Stamford, Connecticut and William Anderson, MD, of the Asthma & Allergy Center in Bellingham, Washington, to weigh in. Take this 10-question quiz to help figure out what’s bugging your child.