Fresher flu or damp bedrooms

[Stillsummer]

DS has been with a cough since starting uni; usually He rarely got sick and never lasted more than a a few days. Doctor said he may have picked another cough/cold. Wondering if this is caused by the damps rooms? Any world if advice will be appreciated

Is he in a hall of residence? Was there any indication of damp when he moved in? What evidence is there regarding damp? More likely it’s a cough going round. Doesn’t sound like flu.

Halls; it us an old place; didn’t look that carefully to check if there was damp. Will ask DS

Freshers flu isn't actual flu, it's a nickname for a group of viruses student going to uni pick up due to lots of different people from all over the country being in one place.

Damp enough to cause a cough should be fairly obvious - smell, mould damp feeling walls etc.

A cough can take 3 weeks to clear up.

I work at a university. The first month or so after the students return in September really is rife with coughs and colds going round. Fresher's Flu really is a thing, although it's generally not actually the flu it's just coughs and colds.

Obviously you know your child way better than anyone else but for me I'd also be wondering if now he's at uni he's taken up smoking, vaping and/or cannabis.

Unless there's a particularly good reason to suspect the accommodation is damp it's not what I'd immediately be worried about.

Thank you all. He has been there for nearly 3 weeks; hopefully it will clear soon.

In our house we don’t call a cough flu. There’s a big difference. Sniffles and a cough at uni aren’t unusual - get a flu jab though!