Does my child have COVID-19 or the stomach flu?

Is your child complaining of stomach pain? You might have dismissed tummy pain as a stomach bug in the past, but now you’re wondering: Does my child have COVID-19? After all, the coronavirus can cause gastrointestinal (GI) problems such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Stomach flu signs and symptoms

According to the National Library of Medicine, the stomach flu is another name for “gastroenteritis,” which is an inflammation of the digestive tract’s lining.

Pathogens that can cause gastroenteritis include viruses (most commonly norovirus), bacteria, and parasites. It is usually spread through drinking contaminated water, eating contaminated food (food poisoning), or coming into contact with an infected person or their faeces.

Whatever the cause, the main symptoms of the stomach flu are tummy pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and headaches -and yes, most of those symptoms can be confused with the coronavirus. Many parents are unsure whether their child has the stomach flu or COVID-19.

COVID-19 gastrointestinal symptoms

COVID-19 can cause various symptoms, including sore throat, fever, congestion, headache, and fatigue. However, symptoms can also include diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.

While there may be some similarities between COVID-19 symptoms and stomach flu symptoms, the symptoms of COVID-19 are generally more extensive. COVID in children can cause flu-like symptoms like fatigue and joint pain, as well as respiratory and GI problems. On the other hand, children with the stomach flu usually only have gastrointestinal symptoms (though muscle aches, headache, and low-grade fever can also occur.)

Food aversions or loss of appetite may result from the stomach flu, whereas COVID-19 can alter taste. 

Your child’s appetite may remain unchanged with COVID-19; however, they may report not tasting their food, milk, or juice or saying that their food or drink ‘tastes funny’.

With COVID-19, fever and respiratory symptoms are more common

The presence of fever is another way to distinguish COVID from stomach flu. Many stomach viruses cause vomiting and diarrhoea, and a few cause fever, but COVID is much more likely to cause fever than others.

Respiratory symptoms are uncommon in stomach flu. COVID-19 is a more likely cause of vomiting or diarrhoea if your child is also congested or coughing. However, your child could also have another illness with those symptoms, such as influenza.) Strep throat, which can cause sore throat and vomiting, is another possibility.

COVID may cause diarrhoea first. With COVID-19, diarrhoea frequently precedes respiratory symptoms; therefore, if your child has diarrhoea, keep an eye out for new signs of illness in the coming days.

Should your child be tested for COVID-19?

Because symptoms overlap so much, it’s difficult to tell if your child has COVID-19 or a stomach virus simply by observing them. It’s important to remember that taking a COVID test is the only way to truly confirm whether it’s COVID-19 or the stomach flu.

However, not every case of vomiting or diarrhoea necessitates a trip to the doctor. Consider when your child’s symptoms began and whether you can link them to something they ate. For example, if your entire family enjoyed a meal together and began feeling ill with GI symptoms a few hours later, you could suffer from the stomach flu. However, if your child is exhibiting GI symptoms and you cannot determine the cause, a COVID-19 test is recommended.