Baby got her first cold? Here are 5 things you can do right now to help
When your baby has a cold it can be as distressing for you as it is for her. Not only are little ones confused and miserable when they feel unwell, parents are equally confused because it’s so hard to know exactly how their baby is feeling.
Knowing what to look out for – and having a go-to list of ways to help relieve your child’s symptoms and set them on the road to recovery – goes a long way to making everyone feel better.
So let’s talk about how colds present in little ones and how to treat them.
Symptoms of a cold
- A blocked or runny nose
- Sneezing
- Coughing
- Red eyes
- Swollen glands
- Fever
- Sore throat / hoarse cry or voice
- Sore ears
- Headache
What can you do to help your child feel better?
Helping a child with a cold to feel better is every parent’s priority. Colds usually go away on their own, but there are lots of ways parents can help to ease the symptoms.
1. Give your child plenty of fluids and small meals
Ensure your little one drinks plenty of fluids to stay hydrated. Small nutritious snacks are ideal for peaky children, helping them keep their strength up and fight back against the virus. Parents can also try keeping their child’s fluids and spirits up by offering natural icy poles made with diluted fruit juice.
2. Use a vaporizer
Vaporizers help ease congestion through the night by creating a soothing flow of warm steam. This warm steam helps to open up the airways, reduce coughing and congestion and soothe sore throats and itchy eyes.
The Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer is perfect for the job. It’s carefully designed with ‘family-friendly’ safety features like cooler steam and automatic shut off. It’s safe to use from newborn age to give peace of mind for up to 14 hours, and help ease the symptoms of colds, flu, bronchitis and croup.
Vicks was voted by Australians as the most trusted vaporizer brand in the 2019 Reader’s Digest awards, and when you use it along with Vicks VapoSteam Inhalant, it’s a brilliant choice.
3. Paracetamol
If your child seems to have a headache, sore ear, sore throat or a fever you can give them paracetamol – as advised by your pharmacist – in the recommended dose for up to 48 hours. If in doubt, head to your GP for further advice.
4. Encourage quiet time and rest if needed
Some children will feel exhausted and out of sorts when they have a cold, while others will want to play as normal, albeit a little more miserably.
If your child is not up to their usual activities you could take the opportunity to watch a movie together, read some favourite books or take a nap together.
5. Look after their nose
While some children have a runny nose with a cold, others get stuffed up. Avoid wiping your child’s nose every two minutes if they do have a runny nose, as it can cause irritation. You can also try using a soft rubber suction bulb to gently remove any secretions.
Your pharmacist can advise you on this and may also suggest nasal saline drops to help your child feel more comfortable. If your child does have an irritated nose from having it wiped, try applying nipple cream or a little petroleum jelly.
If your child is unwell with a cold, we hope they’re on the mend quick-smart. Remember if symptoms persist, head off to your trusty family doctor.
This sponsored post was bought to you by Vicks