Hello,
Today my little girl (13 months) has had a runny nose and she's been sneezing. I'm worried that she is getting sick (her cousin was over the other day and is now sick). She doesn't seem to be feeling bad, her attitude is normal, as is everything else, just the nose! Is there anything I can do at this point to prevent it, or is it to late? Thanks!
I've always been told to judge the severity of the illness by how the child is acting. If she doesn't seem to feel bad, don't worry too much. I never like to take mine to the doctor unless I have to, in fear of exposing them to even worse germs! I'd go with extra fluids and rest, and keep an eye on her. Maybe a little extra vitamin C (I give my 20 month old half water half OJ). Good luck!
Rest, fluids, saline nosedrops, humidifier in her room, motrin/tylenol if she has a fever. Let it run its course. This won't be the only cold/virus she gets. Unless she starts behaving like a wet noodle or runs a high fever (over 102-103) for a few days, than I would take her in to the doc. Hope she feels better soon!
At the health food store, you can buy echinacea/astragalus herbal supplement for kids, no alcohol in it. It mixes right in their drinks during the day. Dosage is on the bottle. I always give my kids this when they show signs of a cold and they've never missed school due to one. Also make sure to give her plenty of liquids to drink and try to keep her nose clean with either a blue nasal bulb syringe, a tissue if she can blow, or saline solution.
Zinc lozenges or Zycam will cut it short
L.,
Your daughter will be vulnerable to colds for her first 5 years of life as she develops an immune response to illness. If you are nursing her, you can nurse her more often and this often helps. In addition, you may give her a little buffered powder vitamin C, some probiotics, and bath her in epsom salts and baking soda. The bath salts help detoxify the body and will improve her immune response. In addition, you can do some lymphatic massage for head and neck area to help ease the congestion. If she is on a cow-dairy based formula, you may consider limiting this while she is coming down with cold as this may increase mucous. Words from Dr. Warren Bruhl Glencoe, IL
Zinc is not recommended for children that young. (at least, that's what our pediatrician said.) Definitely check with your pediatrician (but the lozenges are so horrible-tasting that I can't imagine a child would eat them anyway. Yuck!)
The only thing I know of is rest, lots of fluids, the usual stuff. Most of the vitamin stuff has been debunked - Airborne, vitamin C.
Just a thought....could she be getting a new tooth? Or possible allergies? Good Luck
