As any parent can tell you, having a sick child is definitely not a barrel of monkeys. When that child is a baby, it can be extremely stressful and frustrating. Think about it: A baby cannot speak and tell you where it hurts or what is bothering them, and they must rely on mom and dad to figure out how to help them feel better. Babies are more susceptible to catching colds because their immune system is not as developed or mature as an adult's.
Baby cold relief is aimed at helping the baby feel comfortable and preventing the cold from getting worse and turning into an infection. Since the majority of colds are virus based, there are not that many medicines that work effectively to make colds go away any faster, while some medications can help relieve and lessen the degree of the symptoms. Generally, a baby with a cold will have common symptoms like runny nose with clear, gray or yellowish-green nasal mucus, a slight temperature and a possible cough. However, when your baby has a cold, it is always better to consult the pediatrician with respect to over-the counter medicines and proper dosage.
What to Look for
Cold relief for your baby will begin with simple steps like keeping him hydrated. This can be accomplished with breast milk or formula when the baby is 4 months and younger. A baby older than 4 months can have a little water, while babies 6 months and older can have juices added in for hydration. Also, baby cold relief will benefit greatly from encouraging lots of rest, which may be difficult to carry out when he feels so miserable.
In order to help your baby feel more comfortable, the nasal mucus has to be dealt with. Useful cold relief for nasal mucus can be found with saline (salt water) nose drops and a rubber bulb syringe aspirator. Use the saline to loosen up the mucus and the aspirator to suction the nose. Also, humidifiers and cool vapor mists work wonders for baby cold relief, as well as using vapor bath products that can be added into your baby's bath water.
Fever reduction can be accomplished with over-the-counter children's fever-reducing medicines, but make sure they are aspirin-free. If the pediatrician also recommends other cold-relief medicines, it is important to check and see if the medicine also contains fever reducer because you do not want to double medicate the fever.
Common Pitfalls
With any baby cold relief, it may take time for it to actually work. There are several well-known, over-the-counter cold-relief medicines that have become household names. However, these household names usually come at an extra cost, while store-brand baby cold relief medications contain the same ingredients at a lower cost and are equally effective.
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