With little noses come little sniffles and with the weather getting more chillier we’re much more susceptible to catching colds – babies especially. This is because their immune systems haven’t developed enough to fight off 100’s of viruses that can cause us to catch infection.
It can be scary for a new mum and one of the more common reasons little ones are taken to the doctors is because they’ve caught a cold. The common cold virus tends to be air born and is spread through coughs and sneezes. It can come from touch, other children at nursery, colleagues at work and it can find itself landing on surfaces that baby may encounter. Surfaces such as chairs and tables. Though the coughs and sneezes in baby are rarely a concern, they can be really tough on both baby and parents.
Your little one may show symptoms such as:
- Runny Nose
- Coughing
- Trouble sleeping
- Reduced Appetite
- Diarrhea and/or vomiting
- Sneezing
Baby will begin to show symptoms about 1-3 days after catching the cold, and should feel better about a week to ten days. Antibiotics will not work, as these are used to treat bacterial infection, not viral. Usually colds don’t need to be treated and there are some things you can do to help your child feel better.
Tips to help your little one feel better:
Room Temperature
Is baby too hot or too cold? Make sure the temperature of the room is at a comfortable level.
Plenty of fluids
Make sure baby keeps hydrated.
Saline drops
Your doctor may be able to provide saline drops to help thin the mucus, enabling baby to breathe better.
Lots of rest
Try and make sure baby is getting lots of zzz’s.
Vix Rub
Vix rub on the soles of baby’s foot- then socks over them and leave them on
Defuse the air
Natural oils to use as a room defuser, such as lavender etc.
