Daughter Has Cold Symptoms

My baby started having cold symptoms for the first time when she was 2 weeks old. The doctor told us all we can do is give her Tylenol for the fever, saline nose drops, and to use a humidifier. And if you can elevate her crib mattress, that may help her breathe better. Good luck!

Do you have allergies? She might have allergies, my son who is 12 weeks old has had similar symptoms and my allergies have been horrible. He has had no fever so I have been using the "little noses" infant saline nose spray and his nasal aspirator to clean his nose out. I have also started using a cool mist humidifier by his bed.(which has reduce the stuffiness a great deal!)
You might try both of those for her (if she is like most babies she will hate the nose spray and aspirator part but will appreciate being able to breathe after it is over with).
If you or her father have allergies, she may have them as well, if the nasal spray and humidifier don't improve things a bit then I would say take her to the doctor.
Hope this advice helps a little bit.

try using a humidifier/vaporizer and give her plenty of fluids. You can also try bathing her with johnson n johnson Vapo Bath, it helps soothe their little chests. My daughter suffered from this just about every 3 months or so, i always lighty coated her bib or chest with a bit of baby vicks vapo rub.

Your best is a good humidifier! Use then when she's sleeping and it will really help with the coughing. Don't use the cute little animal shaped humidifiers that you see in Target. Mine caught on fire (the frog version)! Also make sure your daughter has plenty of liquid as it will help break up any congestion.

I'm no doctor, but I've taken my child to the pediatrician in this type of situation and we were sent home - it really was a waste of our time. What to watch for - doctors are concerned with shortness of breath or if your child's chest and lung area is "rattely" as they call it.

Hello A.,

when was the last time you were at the doctor's w/ her? did they use latex gloves? it took me 1 1/2 years to figure out that my daughter was allergic to latex because she got little colds a couple of days after going to the doctor... even had an ear infection @ 2 months old. later it developed into asthma... for now ask for latex free gloves, just in case. do call your doctor and talk w/ the nurse at least =) good luck and congratulations on your little miracle =) ~C.~

I found as a first time mom 27 years ago that one of the best resources you can have is a good pediatrician with a good staff. Any pediatrician worth their salt will have a nurse or nurse practicioner who specializes in answers questions from new moms.

I remember coming home from the hospital and looking from the doorway at my new baby in her crib for the first time and being swept by a wave of panic that now I had to take care of this baby! Luckily, it only lasted a few minutes.

My pediatrician's office was just a call away if I had a question. Better to call and ask than to wait until the middle of the night when everything seems much worse and ending up making a trip to the ER to allay your fears.

It could be that she's on a formula that's not agreeing with her. If she's had shots recently, the symptoms you describe are typical (or were in my day) of a mild reaction to the vaccine.

As a first time Mommy I understand your concern.

To my horror I found out early on when I had my first baby there's not a whole that can be done for the little ones with stuffy noses. Saline drops were suggested for the nose. As for the the dry cough I would check with the doctor about that. Develop a good relationship with his/her nurse, they can help you alot through this first year. Good Luck!

It's allergy season, Sister! I especially noticed the pollen yesterday. My youngest daughter who is 11 months old (I have three kids) started doing the same thing, so I started her allergy medicine again (she takes loratadine that costs $5.?? at Wal-Mart pharmacy prescribed by Dr. Barclay), and now she has quit the night-coughing & her nose is no longer stuffy & running. If you let it rock on, your baby will end up with a bacterial infection from that junk "setting up" in her sinuses & throat. I've been through the same thing many, many times. The thing to do is keep prescribed allergy meds on-hand at home, so go see your pediatrician to get some. Ask him/her EXACTLY how to use them and for how long to use them. Sometimes you just continue regardless of whether or not the symptoms go away, some you use "as needed." As long as the "snot" runs clear it's allergies; when it turns green the infection has set in, so don't hesitate! My guess is that your Dr. will prescribe Zyrtec since your baby is so young...it costs a little more, but that's what we started with, too. Dr. may also prescribe a antihistamine/decongestant...if not, ask him/her about one. BLESSINGS!

My daughter had the flu at 5 weeks old w/ no temperature so i would call your dr just to be on the safe side. RSV is so rampant right now that I would hate for her to have that vs just an everyday cold.

If she doesn't have fever It's probably not serious. I have to give my son benadryl he's 4 yrs old and since he was baby he's had allergies really bad. She'll let you know when it gets really bad. It couldn't hurt to take her if you aren't comfortable with it.

Try putting a humidifier in her room to put moisture in the air. Only if it continues for a long period of time should you call the doctor. Consider finding natural herbs that will work for her and avoid using so much over the counter medicines at this young age.

There isn't anything you can really do to be honest, there is no medicine but I had the same problem with my youngest. He is now 6 months but we was born in September and with all the cold weather it didn't take very long for him to having those symptoms and his even came with a fever a few times. YOu can turn on the shower and close the bathroom door so it gets really steamy then sit in there with your baby. The steam will help. Also my sister runs an organic baby store and she sent me this chest rub that is all organic so you can use it on any age infant. I don't remember the name of it, it's on her website I'm sure you can find it locally somewhere as well. the website is www.cuddlyhippo.com it pretty much works just like Vicks Vapor Rub but it's safe for infants, a couple day of this and his chest and nose were clear! I still use it on him now and even on myself.

If you live in East Texas you may consider that it isn't a cold but allergies. All 3 of my kids and all 3 grandkids went through the same symptoms and all it was is allergies. Hope that's all it is for your little one. Allergies are no fun either but not as bad as a cold.
L. S

The only thing you can do at that age is the saline nose spray and try to keep her elevated (so she isn't as congested).
I would call the Dr., it always makes you feel better to hear their advice!
Good luck!

I have found that a vaporizer...not a humidifier (sp?) works very well.

YES CALL THE DOCTOR! RSV ( I don't know the proper spelling, but is a viral infctions of the respiratory system) acts just like a cold, can be serious. It is not always, but it can put premies and newborns in the hospital. Have her checked out. It is ALWAYS worth the price of a doctors visit, for peace of mind.

You can always get some eucalyptus oil, at most pharmacies, put a few drops in a cup or bowl of hot water. It is the main ingrediant in VICKS vapor rub, and clears the nasal passages,(of everyone in the house), but it is wonderful.

Dear First Time Mom,

Don't ever hesitate to contact your pediatrician for questions or advise. They will never frown upon that, especially since you are still learning the ropes! If you feel more comfortable, you may ask to speak to a nurse first.

As for the raspy cough, if she still sounds raspy, I would call your pediatrician. My son has woken with a raspy cough and he was diagnosed with Croup (see www.wikipedia.com)

If it were me i would call the doctor at any question. With this being your first baby, and after trying so hard, it's very understandable for you to be extra careful, so do! It's a much better altrnative to being sorry you didn't...

I would call just in case. I went through the same thing with my son's 1st cold symptoms. I waited because I didn't want to be the paranoid parent, and we ended up in the ER at 3:30 in the morning the Saturday before Christmas. He had a double ear infection. I didn't know until he developed a fever b/c he didn't pull on his ears at all. I think it's better safe than sorry.

Yes, call your doctor. Especially since you are a first time mom, and this is the first time she has been sick. This is not to say you are doing anything wrong by giving her a little Tylenol! It is just good to get it on her medical records, and it is reassuring to have your doctor's input. I have three children, the youngest who is 14 months, and I still like to have doctor input, even though she doesn't usually tell me to do anything that I'm not already doing. It just Put a humidifier in her room at night . . . that works great for my little one!

Humidifiers are helpful, but a Dr. will just send you home. If there is no fever Tylenol really won't do anything, but it taste good. If it gets worse (of course) go to the Dr., but your doing the right thing just by being with her and keeping calm. It sounds like you have things under control.

Hi A.
You might try a humidifer. We have one and it sure helps us. Hope this helps

I would take her to the dr. My younger son had the same thing and it was RSV. This is treatable, but needs to be caught early. Any illness at this age the dr needs to at least be aware. The nurses will tell you whether you need to come in or not.

A.,

I swear my daughter was born with congestion. She's 10 months and still has symptoms. You are right, there is not much anyone can do for a baby with a cold.

We found a humidifier to work wonders. You'll have to decide whether you use the cold steam or warm steam type. There are pros and cons for both.(We chose the warm steam type because it helped keep her room warm, too.)

The other thing we did at the doctor's suggestion, was raise one end of the bed so that she "drains" easily. You can do this by propping up the mattress...they sell a "wedge" at Babies R Us to stick under the mattress, or you can use a blanket or something similar. Again, it's under the mattress and enough to give a slight elevation. We actually just stuck some phone books under two legs of the crib; about 6"-7" thick. I was amazed at how much better she slept and sounded after doing this.

My daughter developed a couple of ear infections due to bad congestion and stuffy nose. But since we've elevated the mattress we haven't had any problems. Of course with the crazy weather and plants starting to bloom, we might have to endure a little stuffiness for a few more months.

Good luck. I hope this information helps.
J. S.

It could be a cold, or it could be allergies to pollen, dust or mold or mildew in the air,or even pet dander if you have any pets in the house. Its hard to tell at that age and not much you can do. 1-2 Saline drops in each nostril will help with the stuffiness. For the cough, Run your shower on hot to get the bathroom all steamy. Sit in the steamy bathroom with her for about 5-10 minutes then take her into a cold room for 5-10 minutes. Do this 2 or 3 times until she's sounding better.
Put a cool mist humidifier in her room to moisten the air. Make sure you put clean water in it every night so you are not expelling mildew spores into her air.

I have a 15 month old son. You might try running a humidifier at night. It will just help all around. If the cough starts sounding barky like a seal or if she has a whistling rumble when she breaths, it may be the croup. You can try running the shower on hot and standing with her in the steamy bathroom or shower (just be careful of the hot water)for about ten minutes and then take her into some colder air for a couple of minutes. There is no research that supports this, but my son has had the croup several times, and this usually alleviates some of the problems. If you're worried, call the doctor! That's what the doctor is there for. Don't worry about being the overproctective mother. If you're worried, it's worth the piece of mind to have a doctor look your kiddo over.

Saline drops are the best for a stuffy nose. They also have a pad to put under the matress to elevate it.

You might want to call your Doctor. It is always better to be certain your baby has no special needs.

I would definitely call her Dr. Little colds can turn into something else if she is not treated, especially if she is coughing. They can advise whether or not to bring her in.

Make sure it's not asthma - it's hard to believe, but it can start in children this young.

This is what I do and it works wonders and evan works for adults. I would not call your doc yet until it sounds like it has gotten down into her chest or she starts to run a fever. During the day run a cool mist vaporizor do not use one that puts off hot mist cause it will put bacteria in the air. You can also buy childrens Pedi care and give her 1/2 tsp every 6 hours. even though it does not have her age on it this is ok. I stated giving that dosage to my daughter at 1 years of age, and then at night put vicks vapor rub on the bottom of her feet and then put socks on her feet so she cant rub it off. This will take care of the caugh and the stuffy nose. I cant tell you how well the vicks works!!! I hope this works for you and any other mothers that read this response!! The vicks have saved my sleep a number of times. Oh, and if after a few hours of sleeping she wakes up coughing again you can use it at least 3 times a night.

I am a Mom of three grown children. I think it would be best to take her to the Dr. because if she sounds raspy, that could be caused by allergies and even tiny babies can get asthma. The Dr. can make sure she is OK, or he can recommend some treatment. If it is nothing but a cold, then you know and it is a win, win and baby is safe!

I would definitely call the Dr. and see what they say given how young your baby is. Monitor for fever. I believe if it's over 100.3 they will want to see her for sure. Use saline and a bulb syringe to keep her nose clear and I've found that a warm mist vaporizer with liquid vicks in the water helps with nighttime coughs. Good luck!

Some things you can do right away - elevate the head of her bed (I put the feet of the crib up on a phone book each), run a humidifier in her room, keep her hydrated. If it truly is a cold, they're not going to do be able to do much for you. However, if you do hear wheezing or she starts really having trouble getting a breath, take her to the dr or the ER right away, it could be serious.