There are many reasons for a baby getting a cold but one of the mail reasons is that their immune system is immature and that makes the baby more vulnerable to illnesses. However, over time your child will develop immunity to several of the more than 200 different viruses that are causing the common colds. Just think of the many colds that you yourself have had in your lifetime. To become immune your baby will have to get all of those – and sometime more than once – cold viruses.
While you baby gets older he or she will likely be exploring everything which includes touching and licking everything, so it is no wonder that he or she will pick up several viruses including cold viruses. By touching things and putting his or her fingers into the mouth, nose or eyes, the virus will get its chance to infect.
During the fall and winter months you baby will probably get sick more often because of the cold air and the drying out of the nasal membranes due to the indoor heating. All of which makes it easier for a cold virus to get a foothold. Your baby will also spend more time indoor during the cold weather and by being around other people viruses can spread more easily from one person to another.
It is to be expected that a child will have an average of six to ten colds per year and if your child is in a daycare, school or similar institution the number of colds can reach twelve per year. To compare an average adult human being will get between two to four colds per year.
So how can you tell if it is a cold and not the flu or an allergy?
This part can be very tricky because if your baby has a cold his or her nose will be running with clear mucus that might thicken and change color to grey, yellow or green in a week’s time. Your baby might even have a low-grade fever and cough.
If your baby has a fever you need to pay attention when the fever comes down. If the eating habits and the playing habits are restored (or almost restored), then is most likely a cold. If the fever drops and your child is still acting ill it might be more serious than a simple cold. The flu or another illness will most likely have an abrupt onset and can be accompanied by vomiting and diarrhea. If congestion or coughing shows up before a fever, it will however be more likely that your baby suffers from a cold.
Watery eyes that itch and a running nose are hallmarks of an allergic reaction and so is any repeated sneezing attacks or an itching skin that lasts for more than a week. If it is an allergic reaction the mucus coming from your baby’s nose will continue to run clear instead of turning think and colored as is normal for children having a cold. Besides that it is not normal for allergies to cause a fever and they are also more likely in the seasons of spring, summer or early fall.
Should I treat the cold with baby cold meds?
Unfortunately no medicine can make a virus go away any faster but meds can help you baby feel better. By making sure that your baby gets plenty of rest and liquids you can prevent the infection from getting worse. If you baby is less than four months old the liquid should be breast milk or a substitute hereof. Babies between four and six months can drink some water and above six months old your baby can start drinking fruit juice.
Most babies and children younger than four years old can’t blow their own nose and you can therefore use these three tips to help your baby’s congestion:
1.
Place a couple of towels between the head of the mattress and the crib springs to elevate your baby’s head. By sleeping at a light incline it can help relieve the postnasal drip, but make sure not to overdo the elevation. Some babies are restless sleepers and if your baby is like that he or she might end up facing the wrong direction and thereby having the feet higher than the head which will result in defeating the whole purpose of the elevation. Don’t ever use pillows or similar to prop up your child as they result could be that your baby would suffocate. Secondly you should never place anything beneath the legs of the crib because that could easily make it unstable. If you have a car seat you could have your baby snooze in it at a semi-upright position.
2.
If possible you should moisten the air in your baby’s room with either a humidifier or a cool-mist vaporizer. A simpler approach could be to take your baby into the bathroom with you and turn on the hot water. The close the door and sit still in the steamy room for about 15 minutes – the same effect can be accomplished by a hot bath.
3.
Squeeze salt water (saline) drops into your baby’s nostrils by tipping his or her head back. This will loosen up the mucus. After a few minutes you can suck out the liquid and mucus by using a rubber bulb syringe. This tactic can also be used prior to a feeding (about 15 minutes before) if you are having trouble nursing because your baby has a stuffed nose. After that your baby will be able to both breath and suck simultaneously. A way to reduce irritation around your baby’s nostrils can be to apply a little petroleum jelly besides and underneath the nostrils. Unless your have a clearance from your doctor don’t ever use nasal sprays on your baby. The effect could be a rebound and might cause the congestion to get even worse.
Is over-the-counter baby cold meds okay?
Whenever treating your baby’s cold it is always advisable to ask your doctor before you start anything. For babies less than six months old, most doctors would normally not recommend any over-the-counter baby cold medicine. After turning six months the medicine can be used but again most doctors will recommend that you save them for a time where you baby really needs them. This can be times such as nighttime where the symptoms may be keeping but you and your baby from getting the much needed rest. The baby cold meds will not shorten the cold or prevent any further complications (sinus infections or ear infections) but the can keep the cold symptoms at a reasonable level.
If you baby has the fever you might ask your doctor for what is called ibuprofen or acetaminophen for infants. Don’t think that you can just use an aspirin for your baby as it can make him or her more susceptible to Reye’s syndrome which is a potential fatal disease (even tough it is quite rare). If you are using over-the-counter baby cold meds to reduce fever be sure to check the remedies to avoid giving your baby and double dose.
Using natural or alternative treatments for cold symptoms?
Something that may help your baby feel less congested is to add a few drops or eucalyptus, pine oil or menthol to the bathwater or to a vaporizer. These oils can be bought at most health food stores for a fair price. A lukewarm solution of chamomile tea can also be soothing if your baby is more than six months old.
Caution: Don’t ever use the Chinese herb called Ma Huang (an herbal decongestant) – also known as ephedra or ephedrine. The FDA states that the potency can vary widely and it has been linked to bad reactions in adults. Among these affect are irregular heartbeat, seizures, high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes. Never give your baby any kind of medicine, conventional or otherwise before consulting with your doctor first.
Do you need a doctor – and when?
For children younger than three months old it is advisable to see the doctor at the first sign of illness. This applies especially if your baby has a high fever or is coughing. For babies between three to six months old the temperature of the fever can be a little higher without you being alarmed but also consult with your doctor when in doubt.
If you notice any of the following you should always call you doctor to ask for advice:
- The cough is getting worse and the breathing starts wheezing or your baby is gasping. This can be signs of pneumonia or RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) which is a common but serious respiratory illness in babies less than one year old.
- If you baby cries when feeding him or her or your baby starts rubbing the ears this can be a sign of an infection in the ear.
- If five to seven days go by and the condition isn’t starting to improve or if the symptoms of the cold last for more than fourteen days.
Can I prevent the number of baby colds?
It is impossible to prevent every cold but you do have a few options to minimize the number by reducing your baby’s exposure and to strengthen the defenses. To start with make sure that anyone touching the baby has washed their hands recently – this is especially applicable for newborn babies. Secondly try to keep you baby far away from sick people (both other babies as well as adults).
Daycare babies get far more colds than babies kept at home simply because they are more exposed to other kids and, hence, more germs. It is a good thing to make sure that your childcare provides is conscientious about washing hands often. This also applies to you as well and especially after you has changed diapers or prepared food.
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I mentioned the artist Jamie above and the reason for that is that she creates beautiful ceramic baby name plates on her site BonnyBabies.com. Jamie has featured in both the Parent Magazine and in the Wall Street Journal.
Ceramic plates are not the only plates available out there. A ceramic plate has the disadvantage that it can easily break if it falls to the ground. So if you decide to go for a ceramic baby name plate you have to make sure that you are careful with it.
