Distinguishing allergy from infection is something I am asked about constantly. The key differences are in the nature, timing, and duration of symptoms. Allergic rhinitis typically produces persistent clear watery discharge, sneezing in runs, nasal itch, and itchy or watery eyes - and it may be seasonal or triggered by specific exposures like dust or pets, without fever. Recurrent infections produce coloured or thick discharge, are often associated with fever, and typically resolve within 10 days before returning. A child who seems to have a continuous cold that never fully resolves, with clear discharge and no fever, almost certainly has allergic rhinitis rather than repeated infections.
Written by Dr. Animesh Debbarma, MBBS, MD (Pediatrics), DAACI (Diploma in Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology), Consultant Paediatrician and Pediatric Allergy Specialist, chandigarh. Phone: 8415036816.
