How To Help A Newborn With A Cold

When To Call The Doctor

You don’t need to call a doctor for a cold if your baby is over 3 months old. In younger infants, make the call when symptoms start — especially if your baby has a fever. Cold-like symptoms might actually signal a more serious illness, such as pneumonia or an ear infection. Youâll feel better if you check on it.

No matter what your child’s age, call the doctor if you notice any of these more serious symptoms:

• Fever of 102 F or higher
• Trouble breathing

How To Prevent Baby’s Colds

Unfortunately theres no way to entirely protect your little one from cold viruses. The number one way to prevent a cold is to wash your babys hands regularly, especially after diaper changes.

Cant get to a sink? Hand-sanitizing gels or wipes will do in a pinch, though theyre not as effective as soap and water in washing away germs.

Other helpful strategies: Try to keep your baby away from anyone with a cold when possible. Use a disinfectant solution to clean surfaces that may be contaminated with cold germs. While breastfeeding can reduce susceptibility to colds, its not foolproof.

Colds And Flu In Babies And Children

4-minute read

Colds and flu symptoms can be very similar to the symptoms of COVID-19. Even if your symptoms are mild, get tested for COVID-19 immediately use the colds and flu Symptom Checker if you’re not sure what to do. You can also learn more here about COVID-19 and parenting.

Very young children may have had little or no previous contact with the viruses that cause colds and flu, so they will have low resistance to infection. It is useful to know that children can get sick much more quickly than adults.

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How To Prevent Your Child From Catching A Cold

Although it might not be possible to prevent a cold but here are a few things that you can do to build immunity in your kids:

• Vaccination Get your child all the mandatory vaccines on time. Try not to miss any dates as mentioned on the Vaccination chart.
• Maintain hygiene Encourage your child to wash hands before and after meals, after potty and after playing. Set an example by doing it yourself.

Image Source: webmd.com

• Avoid Sharing cups and glasses Yes, we know Sharing is Caring and we teach that to kids all the time but not when youre also spreading germs around. Prevent your child from sharing cups, glasses and spoons with family members. You never know who is carrying germs!
• Cover your mouth while sneezing Teach your child to cover his mouth while coughing and put a hand over his nose while sneezing to avoid germs from spreading.
• Garlic for breastfeeding mothers If youre nursing, add garlic to your diet so that your milk helps to boost your childs immunity and keeps infections at bay.e twice daily to your child
• Avoid sharing towels/ hanky Youre not showing love to your child by letting him use your towel. Let your child use his own towel while wiping hands.
• Healthy Diet Give your child a healthy diet with all the essential nutrients so that his body becomes resistant to germs and infections. Avoid junk food as far as possible.

Hope mommies found these home remedies for cold and cough is useful. What is your go-to home remedy? Share below!!

Products & Tips To Help A Baby With A Cold

There are some great ways to make your poor kiddo feel better when they have a cold. Here are the top suggestions from medical practitioners and seasoned parents. Most moms on our Facebook thread also suggested having all of this stuff on hand so youre not running to CVS at 3 am. You can also check out our rundown of the medication that is great to have at the ready when you have a baby.

Cool mist humidifier

Get yourself a cool mist humidifier to help relieve congestion, scratchy throats, and thin out the general goop in your babys head. The water that reaches your baby is the same temperature in a cool mist and a warm mist humidifier except there is a high burn risk with the warm mist version so you may as well go the safer route. Ideally, get an ultrasonic humidifier because it vibrates at a frequency that creates a mist that easily dissipates into the air, rather than droplets that fall to the ground. Place it on a flat, water-safe surface at least 3 feet off the floor.

Can I add essential oils to my humidifier?

Nope. Most good humidifiers come with a clear tank so you can see how much water is left and/or if youre growing sea monkeys in there. Essential oils damage the tank and can cause it to crack. Theres also some debate on whether certain essential oils are safe to use around babies, so do your research before you jack the room full of essential oils in a separate diffuser too.

Snot Suckers

Saline Spray

TIP:

Steam

Extra love and cuddles

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Unblock Your Babys Stuffy Nose

Imagine having a cold and not being able to blow your nose. Thats how your baby feels. Until toddlers are around two years old they cant clear their noses properly. So, they need your help!

A gentle saltwater mist which can be sprayed up babys nose is a must. It cleanses excessive mucous in the nasal passages and it will also encourage your baby to sneeze and expel more mucous. Weve been using Hydrasense Ultra Gentle Mist for babies.

Have you heard of the Nose Frida Snot Sucker? Its a unique nasal aspirator that forms a seal on the outside of your babys nostril as compared to a traditional aspirator that enters your babys nostril . Often when our little guy cant sleep and I can hear that he has a stuffy nose, I use the Nose Frida and then he peacefully drifts off. He doesnt love it but it works!

When To Get Medical Advice

• Fever

• Symptoms get worse or new symptoms develop

• Nasal discharge persists for more than 10 to 14 days

• Fast breathing. In a newborn up to 6 weeks old: more than 60 breaths per minute. In a child 6 weeks to 2 years old: more than 45 breaths per minute.

• Your child is eating or drinking less or seems to be having trouble with feedings

• Your child is peeing less than normal.

• Your child pulls at or touches his or her ear often, or seems to be in pain

• Your child is not acting normal or appears very tired

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Causes Of Colds In Newborns

Another name for a common cold is a viral, upper respiratory infection. They arent caused by bacterial infections and dont respond to antibiotics.

Your babys pediatrician may take a blood test, urine test, or an eye or skin swab to determine if your babys illness is viral or bacterial. Bacterial infections sometimes develop as complications from viral infections. They can also cause illnesses, such as:

• pneumonia
• sore throat
• ear infections

Colds in newborns arent unusual. The viruses which cause them can live in the air and on hard surfaces for short periods of time. That makes it possible for transmission to occur with or without direct contact to someone whos sick.

Babies who are around older children may be more likely to get colds. But even a trip to the pediatricians office, a cuddle with a loving adult, or a stroll to the store can expose your baby to germs.

Breastfed babies have more immunity than babies exclusively fed formula. This is because breastfeeding supplies antibodies, white blood cells, and enzymes to your baby. These agents safeguard them from infection.

Breastfed babies have all, or part, of their mothers immunity to the illnesses she has had or been exposed to. This doesnt, however, mean breastfed babies are completely immune from colds.

How To Prevent The Common Cold

Colds are caused by viruses that are spread when an infected person sneezes, coughs or touches their nose. Another person then breathes in the virus through the air or touches the infected persons hand or a contaminated surface and catches the virus.

Here are a few tips to help prevent your baby from getting a cold:

• Keep your newborn away from sick people: If your baby is under three months old, avoid having sick visitors or going to public places where people might be sick.
• Teach your older kids to sneeze or cough into a tissue: If they do it into their hands, they can spread the virus. Youll want to have tissues readily available in all common rooms in the house during cold season. After blowing their nose, your kids should then throw the tissue out right away.
• Wash your hands: Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use an organic alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Teach your children to do the same, especially before touching the baby.

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Tips For Treating Baby’s Cold

Check with your pediatrician before giving your sniffling baby any medication, as babies should never be given adult cold medicine and most other cough and cold medications for children aren’t safe or effective either. To help relieve baby’s cold symptoms, especially during the germ-packed winter months, try these tips:

• Monitor mucus. A stuffed-up nose can be uncomfortable for your baby, making it difficult for her to breathe and for both of you to sleep. Use a suction bulb to gently extract the excess mucus. Over-the-counter saline nose drops can soften mucus before suctioning.
• Heighten humidity.Use a cool-mist humidifier in your baby’s room. Moist air can reduce congestion and make breathing easier.
• Apply moisturizing ointment. A light dab of petroleum jelly under your baby’s nose can help prevent red skin, chapping, and soreness.
• Fight back with fluids. Increase your baby’s fluid intake to replace those lost through fever or runny nose especially warm ones . Feed your baby plenty of nutritious foods, too, including those rich in vitamin C. If your baby isnt eating solids yet, keep up breastfeeding or bottles.
• Know which medications are safe to give and when. Acetaminophen is safe for babies ages 2 months and older, while ibuprofen is safe for babies 6 months and up. Always check with your doctor first before giving your child medications.

Warm Bath Or Steam Shower

Run a hot shower, close the door to the bathroom, and let baby breathe in the steam. The warm steam will help loosen and expel hardened or thick mucus. Alternatively, place baby in a warm bath. If your baby has a cold or the flu, add immune-boosting and anti-viral herbs to the water. Try:

• Thyme, an anti-viral that helps expel congestion, especially from the lungs and chest.
• English ivy, studies show this plantan ingredient in some childrens natural cough medicinehelp treat pediatric cough in 96 percent of cases.
• Lavender and chamomile, which are calming and soothing to help baby sleep.
• Epsom salts, which provide magnesium for better muscle function and detox. Studies like this one and this one have shown its an effective muscle relaxer and helps improve breathing.

To make an herb bath, put 1 tablespoon of the dried herb in a tea ball, soak in hot water, and put in bath water. Repeat up to six times per day.

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Give An Older Baby A Little Honey

If your child is over a year old, a spoonful of this can calm a nighttime cough. One study found that sick kids coughed less and slept better after a teaspoon and a half of the golden stuff at bedtime. But you shouldnt give them honey if they arent 1 yet. Its not recommended for younger babies because it may lead to a dangerous illness called botulism in infants.

Is It Really A Cold

It is such a helpless feeling for a new parent to see their baby with a runny nose, red rimmed eyes and a cough. While newborns routinely experience nasal congestion, a cold is different. With a cold the babys nose will run and have clear to colored mucous, and they will typically cough, just like all of us with a cold.

A baby over the age of 2 months may run a bit of a fever with their cold. A fever is defined as a temperature over 100.4 degrees. I am old school and still do rectal temperatures. I just dont think the temporal and ear thermometers are accurate in little ones. The fever should not last more than a day or two and should respond to the appropriate dose of acetaminophen for your childs weight.

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When To Take Your Baby To A Doctor For The Cold

While colds typically go away on their own, a baby may need to visit the pediatrician if unusual symptoms develop. According to Nichols, parents should seek medical care if:

• A baby younger than 2 months has a fever over 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit.
• The baby is older and has a fever of over 101 degrees Fahrenheit.
• A cough worsens after day 10.
• The baby is vomiting to the point they’re urinating less, which could cause dangerous nutrient deficiencies.

And if your baby isn’t exhibiting these warning signs but you’re still worried, call your pediatrician. You can also learn how to help prevent illness in your child by checking out our article “How to prevent cold and flu in children in the winter.“

When Should I Call My Doctor

Babies under 3 months of age can find it hard to breathe through a stuffed-up nose, which can make feeding difficult. Call your doctor to make an appointment or take your baby to an emergency department if your baby:

• is having trouble breathing,
• is not eating or is vomiting, or
• .

Some respiratory viruses that cause colds in older children and adults may cause more serious illness in babies and toddlers. These illnesses include croup , pneumonia , bronchiolitis , or sore eyes, sore throat and neck gland swelling. Children with these conditions need to be seen by a doctor.

Children of all ages should see a doctor if the cold seems to be causing more serious problems. Call your doctor or take your child to an emergency department if you notice your child:

• is breathing rapidly or seems to be working hard to breathe,
• has blue lips,
• is coughing so badly that they are choking or vomiting,
• wakes in the morning with one or both eyes stuck shut with dried yellow pus,
• is much sleepier than usual, doesnt want to feed or play, or is very fussy and cannot be comforted, or
• has thick or coloured discharge from the nose for more than 10 to 14 days.

Call your doctor if your child shows any sign of a , which can be caused by a cold.

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