COMMON COLD(BABIES)

One of the saddest things for a new parent is watching their baby suffer through his first cold. Your baby will be uncomfortable, snuffling, and probably will have trouble feeding. 

It's hard to watch, but there's a lot you can do to alleviate the discomfort. And you can be assured that it's called the common cold for a reason, and it's usually not serious. Experts estimate that your baby will get between eight and 10 colds in his first two years alone. That's a lot of tissues and long nights. 

What causes colds? 

Colds are upper respiratory tract infections caused by one of many different viruses. They're most commonly spread when someone with a cold sneezes or coughs and unleashes a cold virus into the air to be inhaled by someone else. They can also commonly be transmitted through hand-to-hand contact, so always wash your hands after blowing your nose. Babies tend to get a lot of colds because they're born with immune systems which function at about 60% of capacity. 

How do colds affect babies? 

Few things are more frustrating than a baby with a cold. A sick baby will probably have a fever (up to 101 degrees F / 38 degrees C), cough, reddened eyes, a sore throat, earache, and runny nose. Your child may also be irritable and lose his appetite. Babies under six months old can't breathe through their noses when they're all stuffed up, so they have trouble breathing and eating. 

Children aren't usually developmentally ready to blow their own noses until about the age of four, so you'll have to help younger children clear the mucus. If the cold persists and is not treated properly, it can lead to more serious bacterial infections like pneumonia, bronchitis, flu or ear infections. If your baby has been sleeping through the night, you'll be reminded of those first few weeks of life. He'll probably wake up several times during the night due to his discomfort and difficulty breathing. Expect to be up with your baby, comforting him and wiping his nose. 

How long do colds generally last? 

Symptoms generally abate after three to 10 days, though in very young babies they may last up to two weeks. Most babies who have some exposure to older children will experience six to 10 colds during their first year; it may seem as if his nose is runny all winter long. If your child goes to a daycare center or a play school, he can experience as many as 12 colds per year! 

Can I help prevent my child from getting colds? 

Breastfeeding is one of the best ways to protect your baby's health, since as long as he's breastfeeding, he's getting your antibodies and your natural immunities. This isn't a foolproof way to protect your baby's health, but when breastfed babies do become ill, their cold symptoms are generally mild. 

You can also try to protect your child by keeping him away from those who are ill and by asking all sick family members to wash their hands thoroughly before handling your baby or his things. 

If you or your spouse smoke, give it up, and refrain from taking your baby to areas where someone has been smoking. Children who live with cigarette smokers have more colds and their colds last longer than their peers who aren't exposed to smoke.

When should I consult the doctor? 

Do so at the first sign of illness if your child is less than three months old. In an older baby, call your doctor if a cold persists for more than three days; if your child's temperature climbs above 102 degrees F / 39 degrees C; or if he has an earache, breathing problems, wheezing, a persistent cough, or a persistent, thick, green mucus running from his nose. 

How do I treat a cold? 

There's little you can do except ride it out. Help your child get plenty of rest and if he has been weaned offer liquids (increase the amount of vitamin C-rich fruit juices). If he's feverish, you can give him paracetamol suspension under a doctor's direction. Don't give him any cold remedies without consulting your doctor. In children under one year of age, over-the-counter cold medications often do more harm than good, and cough medicines have been shown to be no better than a non-medicated syrup for easing symptoms. 

Nonetheless, there are some remedies to ease his discomfort: 

• If your baby is congested, elevate the head of the mattress with an old towel or two. Sleeping at an incline may help relieve your baby's postnasal drip. (Do not use pillows to prop your baby up -- they can pose a suffocation hazard -- or pillows under the mattress.) 

• Because babies are too young to blow their noses, the best way to help them breathe more easily is to wipe their noses. You can also apply petroleum jelly to the outside of your baby's nostrils to reduce irritation. If your child is having trouble breastfeeding with a stuffy nose, you may like to ask your paediatrician to prescribe saline drops to apply to each nostril 15 minutes before a feed. Some parents then use a suction bulb to clear the nose of salt water and mucus. 

However, you can also prepare saline water at home by adding a pinch of salt in about 30 ml of boiled cooled water. Make the solution in a clean bowl and keep it well covered. Saline water drops do not have any side effects and can be easily used several times a day. 

• Try a cool mist vaporiser to moisten the air. Or take your baby into the bathroom with you, turn on the hot water or shower, close the door, and sit in the steamy room for about 15 minutes. Remember to change your baby into dry clothes after the steam bath. 

• If your child has a stuffy nose without any other symptoms, check his nostrils for foreign objects. You never know: even little ones are capable of putting things up there. 

• Add a couple of drops of menthol, eucalyptus or pine oil to a vaporizer to relieve nasal congestion in babies older than six months. 

Colds are a fact of life. Once you've survived your baby's first one, you'll know what to expect with the next.