How to differentiate between a cold, which is a common disease, and a number of diseases that have the same symptoms? Parents are reminded that there are three diseases that are most easily confused with colds, so don’t be careless. Chickenpox: Usually children will first have a fever, weakness and no appetite, which is somewhat similar to a cold. Afterwards, blisters will appear on the body and last for a few days, scabbing off and taking about 10 days to 3 weeks to disappear. Such blisters are very itchy and can leave scars if scratched. Chickenpox is very uncomfortable, usually accompanied by a high fever, and may appear in the child’s mouth and throat. It is important to keep your child at home and take painkillers and fruit. Measles: Measles also has symptoms similar to the flu, such as fever, runny nose, and malaise, and usually occurs in children between the ages of 1 and 4. Within a few days, a child will have red spots on the cheeks with a white or blue center, which later spread throughout the body. When you have measles, medications do not help much and you have to wait for the disease to heal on its own, but be sure to take your child to the doctor and consult with him or her at all times about various conditions. Measles does not have a high mortality rate, but it is dangerous and you should try to get vaccinated. Mumps: Low fever, headache, swelling of both cheeks, difficulty or pain when chewing, feeling unusually harsh from lights or sunlight. The symptoms of mumps are not particularly noticeable, and about 1/3 of people don’t even realize they have it, but statistics show that 1 in 5,000 children will suffer from deafness or brain disease due to mumps. The virus is airborne, so children should be kept at home, given painkillers and fruit, and wait for the disease to heal itself; antibacterial medications have little effect on mumps. If you feel the disease has progressed, you will need to see a doctor.