Baby’s First Cold
Wow! Here we are nine months old and just finally getting around to baby’s first cold. Me? I have been sick since Saturday morning so we’re going on a week-long cold for me at this point. Noah didn’t get a runny nose until very late Tuesday night. It was so sad really, to see usually smiley face all covered in sniffling, drippy snot.
Once I had been sick for a few days and continued of course to nurse him I was prepared and fully armed to care for a potentially sick baby. Ironically, we had been at the doctor on Monday for his nine-month well-baby check-up.
Recent controversy aside, it is usually best to let a cold run its course without the use of symptom-treating over-the-counter medications. Most doctors will recommend for adults, extra rest and sleep, increased fluids (water, hot tea, juice) and Tylenol for a low fever and general malaise.
For babies older than two months you should always contact your pediatrician for the baby’s first cold as the doctor may want to see them to rule out any other illness. But, you should take an occasional temperature to make sure that any fever is low, as that is just the body fighting the germs. Fevers higher than 100 (one hundred degrees Fahrenheit) are cause for more worry and you should visit the doctor.
For babies and toddlers who have a common head cold, the following is suggested:
Saline nose spray, infant Tylenol, the use of a cool mist humidifier, extra fluids (water, breast milk, formula), rest, a warm bath is relaxing and sitting in a steamy bathroom while the shower runs is also good for loosening chest and nasal congestion.
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