Can a newborn catch a cold? Signs of a cold in a baby, symptoms and safe treatment. Signs of a cold in newborns

The birth of a child is a joyful event for many parents. But still, along with joy often comes excitement and fear for the baby. After all, it is important that nothing threatens his life and health, so during this period it is worth paying increased attention to his health.

Even a simple cold in an infant can provoke the development of severe complications and problems that can become life-threatening. It is important to know how this disease manifests itself, its characteristics, causes and methods of treatment.

Signs

Colds in newborns are common. This is due to the fact that after birth, thermoregulation works quite poorly in babies. A sharp change in temperature for the body of infants is a strong stress that causes hypothermia of the body. As a result, this leads to the appearance of many colds.

The symptoms of a cold vary. Its severity may depend on the following factors:

child's age;
from the presence of concomitant diseases;
prematurity at birth;
on immune system indicators.

A cold in an infant is often accompanied by the following symptoms:

the appearance of a runny nose with a mucous structure. For some babies it can be severe and sometimes even debilitating;
severe nasal congestion. Due to the fact that a large amount of mucus accumulates in the nasal passages, the child’s nasal breathing functions are impaired. From the outside, this manifestation can be easily seen - the child begins to breathe heavily through his mouth;
formation of redness in the throat area. The baby's entire throat becomes bright red. This occurs due to the development of an inflammatory process that causes difficulty swallowing. Redness in children can be observed throughout the entire period of acute cold;
cough. It usually occurs along with a runny nose, but may appear after 1-2 days. At first it is dry. Later, when infection occurs, it becomes moist with sputum production;
increase in body temperature. This symptom indicates the development of an inflammatory process in the body. At the height of the disease, the baby’s temperature can reach 38-39 degrees;
the appearance of diarrhea. This symptom occurs with SARS or with another viral infection.

How to treat viral and bacterial colds

A cold in a one-month-old baby can be viral or bacterial in nature. The disease can be caused by different types of pathogens, so before you start treating it, you should consult your doctor. Therapeutic therapy must be carried out correctly, it is important not to harm the child's body.

Antibiotics are recommended for use in the presence of a bacterial cold, these drugs do not affect viruses. If the cold is of a viral nature, then antiviral drugs are prescribed. The doctor can prescribe suppositories, syrups, drops, tablets.

How to treat a cold in an infant if the disease is of a viral origin? Usually in these cases drugs containing interferon are prescribed. But they should be used in the presence of severe symptoms and conditions:

elevated temperature, which reaches the mark on thermometers of 39 degrees;
a state of chills and fever, provided that it lasts for a child for more than 3 days;
if the child falls ill again;
habitual use of drugs under the strict supervision of a pediatrician.

If the child does not have the above factors, then he should not be given antiviral drugs. It is better to let his body fight the disease on its own.

Treatment for fever

With the development of an infectious process in the baby's body, an increase in body temperature occurs. This is considered a normal defensive reaction. The most dangerous readings on thermometers are 37.8-38.5 or more. In these situations, you must immediately call an ambulance.

How to treat a cold in a baby if he has a fever? During therapy, the following rules should be observed:

It is recommended to give an infant a cold as much fluid as possible;
if the child is bottle-fed, then it is recommended to give him warm water;
children who are breastfed should be applied to the breast once every 10 minutes, but on condition that they are not sleeping;
at high temperatures, it is recommended to give the child an antipyretic drug. The medicine must contain ibuprofen or paracetamol. It is advisable to have two forms of remedy in the form of syrup and rectal suppositories in the home first aid kit;
Under no circumstances should you rub a baby with a solution of water and vinegar. It contains harmful components that can be absorbed through the skin and enter the general bloodstream. This can negatively affect the baby's health.

What to do if you have a runny nose

How to treat a baby for a cold if he has a runny nose? Drops are considered the most suitable medicine, but only a doctor should prescribe them.

If your child has a severe runny nose, you can use the following remedies:

To ease breathing, it is recommended to use vasodilator drops. Children over the age of 1 month can use drugs based on xylometazoline, oxymetazoline, they should be in child doses;
during viral rhinitis, when mucus is separated from the nose without pus with a transparent structure, saline solution and ready-made medications with sea salt are prescribed;
if you have a runny nose with thick discharge, it is recommended to use drops with iodine or silver;
If there are crusts in the cavity of the spout, then they should be removed with a cotton swab, which is pre-moistened in vegetable oil.

What to do when you cough

Many parents often have a question: how to treat a baby for a cold if it is accompanied by a severe cough? Treatment can be complicated by the fact that many drugs have strict age restrictions. For example, common expectorants containing acetylcysteine, ambroxol, carbocysteine are not recommended for use in children under 2 years of age.

Many common syrups that contain plant substances can only be used for children over 6 months of age. If a cold is detected in a baby at 5-6 months, then treatment can be prescribed by a doctor and strictly according to indications.

A cold in a 2-month-old baby with a severe cough can be treated with rubbing; you can also attach special patches with essential oils to clothes. It is imperative to provide your child with plenty of fluids.

But in any case, treatment should be prescribed by a pediatrician. The baby is first examined and the cause of the cold is determined. The specialist will be able to select the most suitable drugs and prescribe the optimal doses.

Parents often confuse colds in children of the first year of life with teething: many of the symptoms are similar.

Failure to do so in a timely manner can lead to serious health problems for the baby, including pneumonia.

It is important to know the signs of a cold in an infant in order to call a pediatrician in time, begin treatment, and avoid serious complications.

A change in behavior during a developing cold is a characteristic symptom that a young mother needs to pay attention to.

With SARS, it becomes overly irritable, often naughty, crying, or, conversely, for most of the day it shows apathy and lethargy against the background of dehydration and a deficiency of nutrients.

Some babies sleep longer than usual or wake up at night, but unscheduled feedings do not soothe the baby.

If an active child has changed behavior dramatically during the day, you need to check for other signs of a cold.

When detecting mucous discharge from the nose, high fever, sneezing, shortness of breath, you need to call a doctor or contact an ambulance if the thermometer rises above 38 degrees, the baby's well-being quickly deteriorates.

Whims

A cold prevents the baby from fully receiving and assimilating mother's milk: a clogged nose, sneezing create problems during feeding.

A hungry baby worries, screams against the background of a lack of food and breathing problems, does not fall asleep for a long time.

Cold babies are often naughty, irritated for no reason, attempts to calm a crying child do not always end in success. A cold in most cases develops over several hours: a sharp change in the behavior of the crumbs, causeless crying should alert parents.

It is difficult to maintain peace of mind and a friendly atmosphere in the family if the child cries for hours, is naughty, refuses to eat, cannot breathe through his nose, suffers from. Parents should avoid exposure to crumbs of double stress: babies feel the bad mood of adults, get even more nervous, which worsens the course of the disease.

Sleep problems

Insomnia is one of the signs of a cold in young children.

Causes: mucous mass in the nasal passages, poor saturation due to problems during feeding (it is difficult for the baby to breathe, the process of breast sucking is disturbed).

The baby wakes up several times at night, cries, and is capricious.

Motion sickness helps for a while, sneezing, coughing and a clogged nose do not allow the baby to get a good night's sleep. An exhausted baby falls asleep for a short time, after the next awakening, all problems reappear.

Nasal discharge

In the initial stage of a cold, the mucus is liquid, as the disease progresses, the color and nature of the mass changes.

The body fights viruses and microbes, the mucus becomes thicker, crusts form in the nasal passages.

In the middle of the disease, thick, greenish-brown, it is difficult to completely remove the dried mass. It is difficult for the baby to breathe, the baby refuses to eat, there is strong crying, whims, irritability.

To treat the nasal passages of a baby, it is useful to use sea water to soften and moisturize irritated areas. Cotton swabs must be used very carefully: the nasal passages of infants are shorter than those of adults and it is easy to damage delicate tissues. The best option is to roll the turundas from a bandage, moisten them with a composition based on sea water (Humer, Marimer), carefully treat the dried mucous membranes, and remove the crusts.

It is important to use a humidifier to help keep your nasal passages from drying out less when your baby has a cold.

Sneezing

Children under one year old cannot blow their nose on their own, dried crusts irritate the mucous membranes, and the baby sneezes. During the physiological process, particles of liquid or thick secretion are removed from the nasal passages.

During viral infections, pathogens irritate the delicate mucous membranes of the nasal passages. The negative influence of dangerous pathogens, the impact of waste from pathogenic microbes provokes a specific reaction of the body. A characteristic sign of a cold in an infant is sneezing several times in a row.

Voice change

Hoarseness, cough, rougher tones when crying and “humming” are characteristic signs of a cold.

All the symptoms are related to each other: against the background of nasal congestion, hunger and the inability to be completely satisfied, the baby cries often and loudly, irritation of the delicate mucous membrane of the throat occurs, and the voice changes.

Another negative factor is the prolonged penetration of mucous secretions from the nose into the throat area.

The baby does not know how to blow his nose, the discharge constantly flows down. An additional danger is that a mucous mass with microbes or viruses, pus also penetrates into the ear canal, and inflammation of the middle ear develops, which makes the cold worse.

Temperature

In most cases, a feverish state in a child with a cold develops sharply, the thermometer rises to -38 degrees. Many mothers panic if the temperature readings deviate from the norm, but the reaction must be correct: several options for the course of the disease must be taken into account.

Important nuances:

a moderate increase in temperature (no more than 38 degrees) is a good sign indicating the body’s resistance to bacterial or viral infection;
if there are all the signs of a cold, but the baby is lethargic, the temperature is normal or low, then the immune defense is weakened, which negatively affects the course of the disease and the recovery process;
in a serious condition, the baby may overheat, dehydration develops, convulsions appear, the child breathes frequently, and his health worsens.

Nutrition

Exhaustion is one of the negative consequences of colds in children.

It is difficult for a baby to receive breast milk; the baby often refuses feedings.

Often, against the background of a high temperature, a baby will belch like a fountain or vomit profusely after feeding.

When receiving complementary foods, the child also refuses many types of food, which can lead to dangerous consequences.

What to do if, due to problems with nasal breathing, the baby does not want to actively suck? Doctors advise putting the baby to the breast, but reducing the portion: the baby will receive as much milk as the body can absorb in case of poor health, failure of the immune and digestive systems. Be sure to give your baby extra food to prevent dehydration, especially in case of bowel dysfunction, which often develops against a background of high temperature.

To increase appetite, children receiving complementary foods need foods rich in vitamins. Vegetable and fruit purees are a suitable option for replenishing nutritional deficiencies.

The baby should receive at least half the normal amount of breast milk to prevent severe malnutrition.

In children of the first year of life, the immune defense is quite weak; microbes and viruses often attack the tiny body. Colds are often transmitted to a baby from a sick mother. It is important to know the specific signs that indicate the development of a cold in infants in order to contact a pediatrician for help in time.

The common cold refers to those types of diseases, the development of which occurs with a strong hypothermia of the body or a decrease in its protective functions. Experts say that the course of a cold in infants has its own nuances and this is due to some features of age.

In the treatment of infants, the use of many drugs is not allowed, and also at this age, children do not yet have the skills of gargling. It is important for a young mother to know the signs of a baby in order to contact a specialist in time and prevent the progression of the disease.

It is probably unlikely to meet a child who has never had a cold. It is this disease that causes the most questions in mothers, and especially the signs of this pathology and how to treat it in infancy.

Many parents associate the appearance with teething in their child, and do not take any measures to eliminate it. This situation can be quite dangerous, since most often the cause of a cold is the penetration of a certain infection into the child’s body and the absence of an effective one can result in the development of severe complications.

It is for this reason that you should refrain from making independent diagnoses for an infant and, at the first signs of illness, seek help from specialists.

It is important for a young mother to know the signs by which a cold can be distinguished from normal teething:

the child has increased salivation
the baby tries to put any object into his mouth
a careful examination of the gums reveals their soreness and swelling
baby sleeps restlessly at night

Most often, the development of a cold in a child’s body occurs very quickly and unexpectedly. This manifests itself in the fact that in the evening the child can feel great and not cause any concern to the parents, but in the morning he can wake up sneezing.

Often the virus penetrates simultaneously into the ears, throat and nose, which is the reason for the simultaneous development of such symptoms. In addition, with some colds, characteristic symptoms are accompanied by vomiting and stool disorders.

At the initial stage of development of a cold, an infant may experience increased irritability and a slight runny nose. As the disease progresses, the nasal cavity gradually darkens and becomes thicker. In addition, a cold is often accompanied by the appearance of a cold, the duration of which may vary.

Symptoms of the disease

A cold in a child is accompanied by the appearance of certain symptoms, among which the most common are:

the infant becomes too lethargic or, conversely, very excitable
Mom notices frequent whims on the part of the child
There may be problems with sleep, and the baby begins to sleep much more than usual
there is the appearance of mucous discharge from the nose, frequent sneezing and
may change and his hoarseness appears
body lifting occurs frequently
possible refusal to eat, which is accompanied by severe crying

If such signs appear, you should definitely show the child to a specialist who will conduct an examination and make a final diagnosis.

Cold treatment

An increase in temperature in an infant is a peculiar reaction of the body to a decrease in immunity.

Experts say that the higher the baby’s body temperature rises, the more actively the body produces such a special substance as interferon. This substance is the main weapon in the fight against viruses that infect the child’s body.

If the temperature rises above 38 degrees in a child under three months old, this is a dangerous signal and you should seek help from a pediatrician as soon as possible. This is due to the fact that any medications intended for reduction at this age can provoke the development of an unpredictable reaction. In such a situation, a specialist can provide assistance to the baby if necessary and prevent the development of severe complications.

After the age of three months, it is recommended to take antipyretic drugs when the temperature rises above 38.5 degrees, and be sure to call a pediatrician.

If the child's head is tilted too far, the risk of suffocation increases, so it is recommended to place a pillow under his head. In addition, it is important to monitor the condition of the air in the room, that is, it should be moderately humid.
When the body temperature rises above 38 degrees, you can rub the child’s body with a light vinegar solution, which is prepared as follows: add 10 ml of vinegar to one liter of warm water. In addition, some experts recommend in this case to cleanse the child’s intestines, that is, give an enema.
Often, colds in infants are accompanied by the appearance of and, which cause a lot of anxiety for both the child and his mother. In such a situation, it is recommended to rub the baby’s body with special balms that contain eucalyptus oil.
When a child has a cold, you can take medicinal baths with the addition of herbal preparations. After such a bath, the baby should be well wrapped and put to rest.
If your child has a severe cold, you can apply special ones with vegetable oil. First, slightly warm it up, saturate the fabric with it and apply it to the body. The top of the compress is covered with polyethylene and wrapped in a warm scarf or towel. You can apply such warming compresses to your child several times during the day.
Treatment of cough, which often occurs with a cold, at this age can be done with the help of various. However, it is important to know that cough can be both dry and wet, so it is necessary to select a drug taking into account this feature.

Treatment of colds, which is accompanied by taking medications, should only be carried out under the supervision of a doctor.

Video about how to treat ARVI in infants and children over 1 year old.

Breast milk is considered the best immunostimulant in childhood, as it can improve the baby’s immunity.
During an epidemic of respiratory diseases, it is recommended to avoid places with large crowds of people
Be sure to ventilate the room in which the child is located
If a close family member is sick, be sure to wear a gauze bandage and not get close to the child
Be sure to walk with your child every day in the fresh air
carry out various hardening procedures
You should dress your child only according to the weather
A good prevention against this is to rinse the child’s nose with a solution of sea salt or Salin

Of course, it is best to prevent any disease than to waste time and money on it later. A cold in infants can have various symptoms, however, its treatment should only be carried out by a specialist.

Causes of colds in babies

Colds, as a rule, are most likely to develop in those babies whose immunity is significantly reduced. The baby gets sick in the presence of certain factors that favor the development of inflammation of a cold nature:

in case of failure of the functionality of the digestive tract;
with a series of negative emotional outbursts;
in the presence of chronic ailments during the period of exacerbation.

How not to confuse it with the flu?

Cold symptoms do not appear as quickly as signs of influenza, and can reveal themselves only after a couple of days from the moment of illness.

In the form of nasal congestion and runny nose. Basically, these are the very first signs of a cold, while the flu is characterized only by frequently repeated sneezing and slight nasal congestion.
In the form of a sharp/dry cough syndrome that accompanies a runny nose. Typically, the flu does not immediately manifest itself as a cough, but only on the second day after other manifestations of a flu-like nature.
In the form of a high temperature, which does not rise as much as when infected with the flu, but can still reach 38 and a half degrees.
In the form of redness of the throat, which does not recede until the cold is completely cured, whereas when affected by the flu, only the back wall of the throat suffers from redness and swelling in the throat.
In the form of a decrease in temperature, which is not at all typical for the flu, but indicates a severe depletion of the child’s body.
In the form of abnormal stool (diarrhea), which indicates the occurrence of ARVI.
In the form of vomiting, when a child can react in a similar way to a sharp increase in body temperature.

Signs of a cold in a newborn

You can independently determine whether a child is developing a cold by the following symptoms:

the baby's breathing may become faster or slower;
the child refuses to eat;
increased sweating is observed;
the baby becomes lethargic;
there is an increase in excitability;
the baby’s cheeks become very pink/pale;
the baby is worried to the point of screaming in his sleep;
the skin becomes pale;
eyes become cloudy.

Symptoms and measures to treat them

If the throat of a newborn is red, it is not recommended to use medications to treat this area, especially in the form of a spray, which can spasm the upper respiratory tract. Treatment of the diseased area is allowed with a cotton swab soaked in Iodinol. Chlorophyllipt oil has proven itself well in a 1 to 1 ratio with sunflower oil. The oil mixture is used directly on the throat or by dropping into the nostrils to allow the oil to flow down the throat. Giving the baby a spoonful of chamomile infusion after each feeding also helps treat redness in the throat.
In case of intoxication due to a viral infection, the baby should be given water (chilled, boiled) when feeding formulas. If the baby is fed naturally, then it is advisable to put the baby to the breast frequently. Thus, the mother will pass on to her child the ability to recover in the form of antibodies, which her body produces against colds.
When a small child has a cough, treatment should often begin with a runny nose so that the cough goes away on its own. In the treatment of cough, crumbs can be helped by using herbal preparations in the form of syrups (Gedelix, Dr. IOM). When dosing the drug, you should rely on the instructions for use of the drug.
With a very liquid runny nose, infants are recommended to wash their nasal passages with saline solutions based on sea water. Self-prepared products for these purposes are not suitable for crumbs, as they can dry out the delicate shell in the nostril. If the runny nose is prolonged and the discharge from the nose of the child is thick and viscous, it is allowed to use freshly squeezed carrot / beet juice (2k / up to 5 times per day). You can order in a pharmacy the production of drops of protargol 1%, which effectively cope with thick nasal discharge. It is also shown to help the baby in cleaning the nose mechanically, which consists in sucking the nozzles with a douching pear or cotton turundas, if the discharge is viscous.

Temperature

Up to thirty-eight degrees, the temperature in a small child is not dangerous and, on the contrary, helps the body fight the virus. When the baby begins to lower the temperature immediately, as soon as its indicators exceeded thirty-seven degrees, the recovery lasts longer. After all, the body is deprived of the ability to produce antibodies to the virus. A doctor will be called if the thermometer registers more than 38 degrees when measuring the baby’s body temperature. It is dangerous for an infant to reduce fever on their own using medications, as they can cause a positive allergic reaction. However, in emergency cases, when medical help is not immediately available, you can help your baby by using an antipyretic drug for newborns. In extreme cases, the use of Paracetamol is allowed, which is still undesirable to give to children in the first month of life.

For a two-month-old child, a single dose of this drug is calculated according to body weight: 15 milligrams per kilogram of weight. It is recommended to dissolve the tablet in water. As a rule, it begins to act within thirty minutes and restrains the rise in temperature for up to four hours. Duration of use is no more than three days.

Other methods for adults are also not suitable for reducing a baby’s fever: Aspirin, rubbing with vodka/alcohol or vinegar added to water, which can lead to poisoning when they penetrate the baby’s skin or a burn to the mucous membrane when the baby inhales the vapors of these medicinal mixtures. To avoid sudden changes in temperature and the development of seizures, you can alleviate the child’s condition by wiping the skin with wet wipes, which should be moistened in plain water without additives. Of course, the water must be warm.

Cold medications for infants

Immunomodulators of plant origin, such as Immunoflazid, Imupret, are often used to treat infants with colds of a viral nature. However, these drugs often cause allergic reactions in babies.

To avoid harm to the child’s body, doctors often advise using homeopathy in treatment, where active substances are contained in very small quantities. But it should be remembered that the therapeutic effect of their use can be very weak. We are talking about taking Ergoferon, Anaferon during the development of ARVI.

In addition to the viral etiology of the cold, there is also a bacterial etiology, which will require more serious therapy using antibiotics. In most cases, when prescribing treatment, the choice is Ceftriaxone, Ofloxacin, Amoxiclav. This therapy cannot be used for viral colds, so taking these medications on your own is prohibited. Only a doctor can correctly recognize the nature of the lesion and prescribe appropriate medications.

Often a cold is accompanied by a cough, which is required to clear the respiratory tract from the accumulation of mucus. However, the baby cannot yet cough up accumulations of mucus and, for relief, he needs drugs that thin and expectorant. Syrups of plant origin are well suited for this: Herbion, Gedelix, marshmallow, licorice root and others. Drugs Mucosol, Ambroxol, Tussin, and ACC of a synthetic nature can also be prescribed.

Antibiotics and antiviral drugs are completely different types of drugs in terms of their principle of action, but many parents, out of ignorance, confuse them, or do not attach much importance to this, since both pharmacological groups are used to treat similar diseases. But self-medication often leads to undesirable results, especially if a medicine with serious side effects is used.

Folk remedies

When treating a cold, special attention is paid to a runny nose. After all, abundant mucous discharge from the nose creates considerable discomfort for the baby, which causes him anxiety and tearfulness. In most cases, pediatricians, in their recommendations for eliminating a runny nose, advise turning to traditional medicine, finding these therapeutic methods more gentle on the delicate mucous membrane of the baby’s nose.

Olive oil. They take 50 milliliters of oil and heat it over a fire, followed by the addition of two cloves of minced garlic. Infuse for twenty-four hours and use several times a day, lubricating the child's nostrils. The resulting composition copes well with the common cold and is suitable for its prevention.
Collecting herbs to make drops. Take equal parts of coltsfoot, calendula, plantain and sage. Stir. Brew a tablespoon of prepared medicinal raw materials with boiling water (a glass) and place in a water bath for subsequent boiling. After five minutes, remove from heat and cover the broth with a lid and leave for an hour. Then strain the resulting infusion and drop two drops into each nasal passage.
Beetroot / carrot juice mixed in half with chilled boiling water can also be used as drops for a cold in an infant. To prepare them, vegetables are well washed, peeled, chopped and juice is separated. The resulting product is instilled into each nostril, two drops. Vegetable juice is used exclusively fresh.
Essential oils of fir or eucalyptus, in addition to adding to drops, are recommended for use as inhalations. To do this, pour boiled water into a container and add a few drops of oil. While holding the child in your arms, cover yourself with a towel and breathe in the ether vapor with him for no more than five minutes. You can repeat the procedure twice a day.
Inhalations with soda, decoctions of chamomile, sage, mint, eucalyptus and bay leaves also do an excellent job of treating runny noses in children. The procedure should not last more than ten minutes. When performing it, you should avoid too hot evaporation, which can damage the mucous membranes by causing burns.

Caring for a sick baby

In addition to the treatment prescribed by the pediatrician for a cold, the baby requires proper care for a complete and rapid recovery.

The baby should be in a clean and well-ventilated area with enough space for free air circulation. The optimal air temperature in a children's room should not exceed twenty-two degrees. Wet cleaning is required at least twice a day.

Cloth

The requirements for clothing for a newborn apply equally to both a healthy baby and a baby in need of treatment. The child’s clothes should be made of cotton fabric with a spacious cut, which is put directly on the baby’s body and the second layer is a robe made of flannelette, which allows air to pass through perfectly and keeps the baby warm. Clothes and bedding should be regularly changed to dry ones in case of excessive sweating and excessive overheating should be avoided by wrapping the baby unnecessarily.

Daily regime

If you have a cold, you will have to slightly adjust your child’s daily routine. It is necessary to devote more time to restorative sleep and pay special attention to walks in the open air. The rest depends on the baby’s general well-being.

Prevention of colds and flu is necessary in winter, since at this time the risk of infection increases several times. The disease can be prevented by specific and non-specific types of prophylaxis.

Water treatments

A sick baby needs a bath no less than a healthy one. This greatly contributes to the child’s health and saturation of the body with oxygen, because the baby breathes through its skin. Of course, if there are no special instructions from the doctor, the baby can be bathed daily with the addition of medicinal herbs and other recommended supplements. At a temperature, a bath will not harm the child either, but on the contrary, it will alleviate his condition, but you should not overcool the child and, in time, remove him from the water and dry him carefully with a soft towel. In some cases, bathing is contraindicated for a baby with a cold. In such a situation, you should not neglect the baby’s personal hygiene, so it is recommended to wipe his body with moistened soft wipes.

Nutrition

Feeding a cold baby who is breastfed is quite simple - it is recommended to put it to the breast more often. Artificial babies need extra fluids. Of course, a decrease in appetite during illness is typical for people of any age, and young children are no exception. You should try to leave your eating regimen as unchanged as possible. Still, the issue of feeding should be approached delicately. You cannot force your baby to eat if he refuses, otherwise a negative attitude towards food will be formed. Avoidance of feeding is often explained by the fact that the body devotes all its strength to fighting the disease, saving reserves, including for digesting food. The baby will get stronger and catch up.

Colds in very young children, unfortunately, occur quite often. Their danger is that if they are not diagnosed in a timely manner, they can be quite severe and be accompanied by dangerous complications. This article will tell you about the main symptoms of a cold and its treatment in infants, and you will also learn about the prevention of colds in childhood.

First signs

Infants are quite susceptible to colds. This is largely due to the fact that thermoregulation in newborns and infants does not yet work well enough. A change in temperature can contribute to the rapid hypothermia of a child’s body, which, as a rule, leads to the development of diseases.

Cold symptoms can vary. Their severity depends on various factors:

child's age;
the presence of concomitant diseases;
prematurity at birth;
initial indicators of immunity.

Typically, the first adverse symptoms of a cold appear a few days after hypothermia. However, weakened children can get sick quite quickly. Such a rapid development of adverse symptoms in them is influenced by reduced immunity.

Colds manifest themselves differently in infants. The most common symptoms are:

Runny nose. It is usually slimy. In some babies, a runny nose can be quite severe and even debilitating.
Nasal congestion. The accumulation of mucus in the nasal passages causes the baby to have difficulty breathing through the nose. As a rule, this symptom can be easily noticed from the outside - the child begins to actively breathe through the mouth.

Redness in the throat. Usually the entire wall of the throat becomes bright red. Against the background of such inflammation, it becomes difficult for the baby to swallow. Usually, redness in the baby’s throat persists throughout the acute period of the cold.
Cough. In most cases, it appears simultaneously with a runny nose, but it can also be delayed by 1-2 days. Typically, a cough with a cold is dry. In some cases, especially when a bacterial infection occurs, the nature of the cough changes - it becomes wet with phlegm.

Increased body temperature. The inflammatory process that provokes hypothermia quickly manifests itself as an elevated temperature. Its numbers determine the severity of the disease. At the height of the disease, the baby’s body temperature can reach 37-38.5 degrees.
Abnormal stool. In some cases, when a child has a cold, he or she may develop diarrhea. This symptom appears, as a rule, if ARVI or another viral infection occurs against the background of a cold.

Changes in behavior and appearance

A sick child's behavior also changes. Parents can suspect that the baby has caught a cold based on the characteristic signs of a change in his usual mood. So, a sick baby usually has a decreased appetite. The baby begins to refuse his mother's breast.

The baby is easily excited or, on the contrary, becomes too lethargic. When you have a cold, sleep is also disrupted. The child begins to sleep restlessly and wakes up frequently.

The child's appearance also changes. The skin usually turns pale. Against the background of high body temperature, the baby’s cheeks may become very red. The eyes become somewhat cloudy.

Fever may be accompanied by profuse sweating. The baby's skin becomes sticky to the touch. This is especially noticeable in the hair area and on the neck. A severe runny nose causes the child's breathing to become more frequent.

Parents can notice this symptom quite simply by paying attention to the movements of the baby’s chest. It will rise and fall with quite a lot of frequency. Typically, this symptom manifests itself in very young children, as well as with increasing shortness of breath.

For young and inexperienced parents of babies who are not yet 2 months old, it is sometimes quite difficult to distinguish a cold from other diseases. Fathers and mothers of older children may attribute the symptoms of a cold to teething.

It often happens that they begin to treat the baby on their own, without even calling a doctor to the house. This is strictly forbidden. It’s really quite easy to confuse the symptoms of a cold in an infant with other dangerous infections. Not all diseases have the same treatment algorithm.

In order not to delay treatment and make the correct diagnosis, it is very important that parents consult with a pediatrician. Only after a number of serious childhood infections have been ruled out can colds be treated at home.

With any deterioration in the condition of the child, it is very important to immediately contact the pediatrician.

How to treat a baby?

The doctor must draw up a treatment plan for the baby. Before a specialist arrives, first of all, parents should calm down. It is important to remember that overly excited parental behavior can quickly be passed on to the baby. He will become more anxious and tense.

During the acute period of the disease, you should not force feed your baby. Such feeding can cause the child to vomit, and in some cases even contribute to an even greater rise in body temperature. Dr. Komarovsky believes that A sick baby should be given sufficient fluids. You can give your child water a little at a time - on average, ½ teaspoon every 20-30 minutes. In the future, the drinking regime will be determined by the pediatrician, who will examine the sick baby.

Watch how your child is dressed. If your baby's skin is too hot and bright red, you should not swaddle him too much. In such a situation, doctors usually recommend choosing a less warm undershirt. Wrapping your child up too tightly will only make his condition worse.

If the children's room is cool and the baby's skin is cold to the touch, then you should cover the baby with a blanket. During chills, the child usually becomes pale and lethargic.

It happens that many mothers, when their body temperature is high, begin to rub their babies with a solution of vinegar or alcohol. You shouldn't do this. Acetic acid can be harmful to the skin. Regular warm water (28-35 degrees) is suitable for wiping the skin.

To calm your baby, pick him up. Try to keep the baby's head slightly higher than his body. In this position, it becomes somewhat easier for the baby to breathe.

If your child's body temperature rises, you should not bathe him. All water procedures must be discussed with a doctor. At first, when the baby’s body temperature remains quite high, long baths are avoided. They can contribute to disruption of thermoregulation in the baby, which can worsen his condition.

Improving nasal breathing

To improve nasal breathing, it is necessary to clear the child’s nose of the mucus that has accumulated there. To do this, you can use special devices or small cotton wool flagella - turundas. They are now sold in almost any pharmacy. You should also clean your nose before all feedings.

In order to clean a child’s nose, you should moisten a cotton pad and insert it into the baby’s nostril approximately 7 mm. Next, with light but confident movements, you should scroll it several times and then pull it out. Similar actions are carried out with the other nostril.

If the mucus is thick and comes out rather poorly, then you can drip 2 drops of boiled water or saline into your nose. After this, you should repeat the procedure with cleansing the nostrils using cotton wool.

Massaging the wings of the nose can also improve nasal breathing. It is carried out with stroking movements from the bridge of the nose to the base of the nose. It is very important to consult a pediatrician before performing any massage.

Nasal breathing can also be improved with the help of medications. One of these drugs is Interferon. It is successfully used by doctors to treat runny nose even in the youngest patients. For colds, this drug is usually used up to 5 times a day. The average duration of treatment is usually 3 days.

What to do if you have an ear infection?

If the baby often rubs his ear and also cries a lot, then this may be a signal to parents that he has otitis media due to a cold. This is quite easy to check. To do this, parents should apply a little pressure or pull on the ear tragus. If a child has inflammation in the ear, he will react to this action very violently.

It is important to note that otitis media in an infant cannot be treated independently. Instillation of various alcohol solutions, juices and other folk remedies can contribute to the progression of the disease, as well as the development of dangerous complications.

When the first signs of ear pain appear, you should immediately take your child to the doctor. After examining the baby, the doctor will determine the presence or absence of signs of otitis media and, if necessary, prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs.

Such drugs are usually instilled using a pipette or administered through a turunda soaked in a medicinal solution. As a rule, medications for the treatment of otitis in children are administered 3-4 times a day. The total duration of treatment is determined individually, based on the child’s age and the severity of the disease.

Folk remedies

Note that when choosing this method of treatment, you should be very careful. You should not thoughtlessly trust traditional methods. Before choosing one or another remedy, you should always consult your doctor. A number of folk recipes can cause an allergic reaction in a baby.

Among a large number of various methods, one can find very useful ones. One of them is a decoction made from chamomile. It can be used if, against the background of a cold, the conjunctiva of the eyes has become inflamed in the baby. In this case, the child's eyes become red, with a well-defined superficial network of blood vessels.

To prepare the solution, you need 1 tablespoon of pharmaceutical chamomile flowers. This amount of plant material must be poured with a glass of boiling water. Leave for 45-60 minutes, then strain. Next, the resulting infusion is cooled to a comfortable temperature.

To wipe the inflamed eyes of the baby, cotton pads soaked in chamomile broth are used. You can do this procedure 3-4 times a day. If the inflammation does not go away, then in this case special medicinal ointments may be required. They are already prescribed strictly by a doctor, as they have a number of contraindications for use.

Can I breastfeed?

If you have a cold, you should not deprive your baby of natural breastfeeding. If the baby's mother is not sick, then breastfeeding is possible. It is only important not to be overly zealous with this, and also not to force the baby. When breastfeeding, the child's body receives all the nutrients necessary for its development, as well as protective antibodies - immunoglobulins.

For children who are already receiving complementary foods, the situation is somewhat different. As a rule, in the midst of a cold, the baby simply refuses even his favorite food. It really becomes quite difficult to feed the baby, but you still need to do it.

For a speedy recovery, a sick baby simply needs proteins. They are structural components of immunoglobulins. It is important to monitor the amount of protein products included in the children's diet.

Drinking regime is an essential component of treatment. In order for the child's body to quickly get rid of the toxins that occur in the body during a period of acute inflammation, it needs water. You can drink your baby with regular boiled water. Children who already drank fruit drinks and juices before the onset of a cold can continue to give these drinks. Parents need to monitor the temperature of the water or compote that they give to their baby.

The drink should be warm, and in no case cold. Juices and fruit drinks should be chosen that are not sour. The best drink for feeding a child is still considered ordinary boiled water.

Prevention

During the season of colds and respiratory diseases, it is very important for parents of infants to follow preventive measures. Simple rules will help them protect their baby from colds. Most viral respiratory diseases are transmitted through the air. The smallest viruses survive quite well in unfavorable conditions and are transmitted through the breath from parents to children.

In order to protect your child from colds, parents should adhere to the following recommendations:

Keep the house clean and especially the children's room. To do this, wet cleaning should be carried out regularly in the nursery. During seasonal viral infections and colds, you can use special products containing antimicrobial components. When choosing such products, make sure that they are safe for use in children's premises.
Take care of your baby's hygiene. Healthy baby skin helps protect him from many diseases. Bathe your baby based on your pediatrician's recommendations.

Monitor the handling of children's dishes. All dishes that are intended for the baby should always be clean and well dried. Microbes can easily settle in poorly treated utensils, which can cause illness in a child.
Follow the rules of personal hygiene. Parents should also remember to wash their hands with soap. It is especially important not to forget about this point during flu and seasonal colds. Following this simple rule will help you avoid infecting your infant with infections that are dangerous to him.

Don't forget about the ventilation schedule. The room where the baby is located must maintain the necessary microclimate. Try to take the child out of the room when it is ventilated. Do not leave your newborn baby in a room with an open window. This can cause hypothermia and a cold.
Monitor the temperature in the children's room. It is optimal for it to be 24 degrees. Make sure that the temperature in the room does not fall below 20 degrees.

Remember the humidity. Too dry air in the room is dangerous for the baby, as it can cause the delicate mucous membranes of the respiratory tract to dry out. To create optimal humidity in a children's room, you can use special devices - humidifiers.
Continue breastfeeding. Scientists believe that babies who receive breast milk have better immunity levels than their peers who eat ready-made formula. Breast milk is an excellent source of immunoglobulins that protects the child’s body from various infections.

Follow the daily routine recommended by your pediatrician. Regular adherence to a routine is necessary for a child's body to function optimally and grow.
Don't forget about walking. They are necessary for the child’s body to harden it. When walking with your baby, choose comfortable, warm clothes that won’t make your baby feel too hot. Try to cover your child's neck and face from strong winds.

How to protect a child from illness if the mother is sick?

This question is quite complex, but very often encountered in practice. In order to reduce the likelihood of infection of the baby, the sick mother should adhere to the following recommendations:

During the acute period of the disease, it is worth reducing contact with the child as much as possible.
Before holding a child, a woman must wash her hands with soap.
If the cause of the disease is a viral infection, then you should not neglect wearing a regular gauze mask. It should be changed every 2 hours.

It is necessary to start treatment in a timely manner. A woman should also not delay seeing a doctor. If you have a high temperature, you should not go to the clinic. In such a situation, it would be more rational to call a doctor at home.
Don't forget about ventilating the room. A sick mother can cause viruses to spread throughout the apartment. In order to reduce the number of microbes in a living space, it should be ventilated.
It is worth strengthening the immune system not only for the baby, but also for his mother. It is extremely important for a woman who has an infant to get enough sleep, eat well and eat well, and also, if necessary, receive vitamins prescribed by her doctor.

Regular walks in the fresh air and adherence to the daily routine are important helpers in strengthening immunity.

For information on what means to use to prevent colds in babies, see the following video.

Swaddling