Baby
Cold Symptoms and How to Give Care
by: Leroy
Chan Remember how miserable you felt
when you last had a cold? Can you imagine what
your baby must feel when he experiences a cold
for the first time?
Viruses are responsible for causing colds. Infected
people spread the viruses when they sneeze or
cough nearby healthy people. The virus gets into
the nose and throat where it multiplies.
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?
To learn more about newborns and what you can
expect during your baby's first year visit:
http://www.firstyearbabyadvice.com
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