What Are The Symptoms?

When your baby has a cold, there will be a number of
symptoms. He will be sneezing and have a runny nose. He may
have a sore throat and it may be difficult for him to
swallow. His glands may become swollen.

He may not feel like eating much and he could become
irritable. A cough may develop. He may get a slight fever or
have a body temperature of 101 to 102 degrees Fahrenheit.

When to Seek Medical Advice

If your baby is three months old or less and has cold like
symptoms, you should contact a pediatrician immediately.
Cold like symptoms in a baby three months old or less are
misleading and could lead to a serious ailment.

On the other hand, if your child is more than three months
old you should contact a doctor if you notice that he is
breathing loudly and his nostrils expand out with each
breath. His nails or lips are becoming blue. His mucus is
thick, runny and green. He has a cough that hasn’t gone a
way for more than a week. His ears ache. His temperature is
more than 102 degrees Fahrenheit. He has become more drowsy
or grouchy.

How to Care For Your Baby

Medical experts tell us there is no cure for the common
cold. However, there are ways to alleviate the miserable
symptoms your baby undergoes. 

Make sure he gets plenty of rest and extra fluids. If he has
a fever, give him acetaminophen or if he’s older that six
months he may take ibuprofen (but don’t give it to your baby
if he is dehydrated or continuously vomiting).

If your child has a cough and is under three years old,
don’t give him a cough suppressing medicine unless it was
prescribed by a pediatrician. Coughing rids the lower
respiratory tract of mucus.

If your baby has nasal congestion, you can use a rubber
suction bulb to draw out the mucus from his nostrils. If the
mucus is too thick, you can apply saline nose drops to
soften the mucus before extracting with the bulb. A
humidifier can also be used in the baby’s room to help
liquefy the nasal secretions.

Concluding Thoughts

The best way for your baby to avoid a cold is to not have
him near people who are infected. But if your baby gets a
cold, the best thing you can do is make it comfortable for
him. Soon his cold symptoms will disappear and he’ll be back
to health, that is, until the next episode. But by now
you’ll be ready for that, won’t you?