If your baby seems to have the sniffles and a runny nose, but still seems active and interested in playing, it’s probably just a cold. The common cold is a viral infection of the nose and throat and babies are especially susceptible to it.
Colds are caused by many different airborne viruses from infected people’s sneezes and coughs. A growing child may have up to seven bouts of colds annually. Some of the symptoms may include a fever, runny nose, loss of appetite, red eyes, and sometimes, irritability and restlessness due to a stuffy nose.
Treatments
Your baby’s cold will normally go away on its own, but here are a few things you can do to manage the discomfort and help baby feel better:
- Ensure that your little one gets plenty of rest.
- Keeping baby hydrated may help control the fever. Nurse more often and if a baby is on formula milk or solid, ensure that he or she gets enough water too.
- Your baby cannot blow his or her nose, so you’ll have to see to it and help wipe that nose often.
- If feeding is difficult because of a stuffy nose, nasal saline drops can help unblock the airways. Apply the drops to each nostril 15 minutes before feeding.
- Apply some vapour rub on your child’s chest to help ease breathing.
- Breathing in steam can help loosen blocked airways and relieve that cough. Try sitting in a steamy bathroom for a few minutes while holding your baby.
- Breastfeed more often, as it passes your antibodies to your baby which helps build immunity.
- You can also protect your baby by keeping him or her away from anyone with a cough or cold or request that they wash their hands before holding your baby.
When to see a doctor
Your baby’s immune system will need time to mature and if your baby has a cold with no related complications, it should resolve on its own within ten to 14 days. If your baby is younger than two or three months, call the doctor early because common colds can develop into secondary problems such as croup or pneumonia.
If your baby is below 3-month-old — visit a doctor if:
- Baby has a fever above 38 degrees Celsius
- There are signs of dehydration
- There is yellow or greenish eye discharge
- There is thick and green nasal discharge for several days
- Baby is unusually irritable
- Baby has a persistent cough and trouble breathing
Get immediate medical help if your child refuses to accept fluids, coughs hard enough to induce vomiting, coughs blood-tinged sputum, or is bluish around the lips and mouth.
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