Colds in infants are treated. Treatment of colds in a newborn baby. How to protect your baby from becoming infected with viral infections

Ekaterina Rakitina

Dr. Dietrich Bonhoeffer Klinikum, Germany

Reading time: 6 minutes

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Last article updated: 05/10/2019

A child’s illness is always a stress for parents. Not only for young people with a first child, but for experienced couples. Even a commonplace ARVI or ARI, which is commonly called a cold, can cause fear. Especially if a newborn is sick. Before the age of 1 month, the baby cannot clear its throat, remove mucus from the nose (blow your nose) or gargle. Most babies should not be given the medication used in the treatment of respiratory diseases, so the legitimate question arises: what to do? How to treat a baby?

First of all, you need to understand - what is a cold and how to protect the child from the disease? And then to understand - what to do if the ailment still struck him.

Colds in the baby

A cold, or, as it is right to say, a respiratory infection, occurs due to the penetration of a harmful agent (virus, bacterium) into the body, most often the infection occurs with hypothermia, when the immune system weakens. It is believed that newborns do not often get a cold if they take proper care of the baby. But this does not mean that the baby cannot get sick. On the contrary, the immaturity of immunity makes them very vulnerable, therefore, parents need a lot of attention and observation.

If the baby has one or more signs of the disease, such as: loss of appetite, restless sleep, impaired general condition (lethargy and increased moodiness), rhinitis, cough and fever, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Treatment should be started when the first symptoms appear, however, the appointment of drug therapy is the prerogative of the pediatrician.

If the body temperature rises to 38 ° C in a child from 0 to 1 month, you need to call an ambulance. For children from a month to a year, an ambulance is required at temperatures from 38.5 ° C.

The need to call emergency medical care is justified by the fact that the reaction of the child's body to an increase in temperature can be unpredictable, up to seizures and death. It is necessary to immediately begin treatment: give an antipyretic corresponding to the age category of the child and call the local pediatrician.

The reasons that the baby fever can be different, including respiratory infections. In this case, the infectious agent invades the nasopharynx, causing inflammation. This leads to cough, runny nose and fever. If these symptoms are present, then the likelihood that the crumbs have an ARVI or ARI is very high.

How to protect a child from infection

The main route of transmission of respiratory infections is airborne. This means that the baby must be isolated from a sick person (adult or other child). If this is not possible, then minimize contact. In this case, the patient is recommended to wear a mask.

An additional way in which such an infection can be transmitted is through contact household (through household items and personal items). This means that all dishes, toys and crumbs must be individual.

In order to reduce the risk of infection of the baby, it is recommended to regularly ventilate the room (this reduces the concentration of the virus in the air) and wet cleaning (this will remove the harmful agent from the furniture).

The most effective means for preventing a cold for a month-old baby is breast milk. It contains antibodies that penetrate the bloodstream of the crumbs and interfere with the development of the process.

You need to know that even with breastfeeding, a violation of the basic rules for caring for a child: its malnutrition, violation of sleep patterns, hygiene rules and hypothermia, can cause the development of a pathological process.

Since the immune system of a monthly baby is still not mature enough, the danger of a severe course of the disease and complications for the newborn and the baby is very high. That is why it is very important to recognize the symptoms and begin treatment at the earliest stage of the process.

Leading signs of a cold in an infant

The leading symptoms of a respiratory disease in a baby of the 1st month of life are:

Nasal symptoms (nasal congestion, profuse clear discharge);
Fever;
Shortness of breath, coughing (less commonly);
Deterioration of general condition (sleep, mood).

The severity of symptoms is different and it changes as the process develops. With regard to drug treatment, a pediatrician will give recommendations.

Child care with SARS and ARI

Every mom needs to know some things to look after a sick baby.

No need to force-feed the baby.
Enhanced drinking regimen is very useful. If pediatricians do not recommend healthy monthly babies to drink water, it is believed that breast milk is sufficient (if the baby is breastfed, the “artisans” are milked), then sick children should be given baby water without any additives.

At high temperatures, you do not need to wrap the child so that he sweats. The function of thermoregulation in such crumbs is not yet perfect, so you can achieve temperature shock and seizures. Many mothers know that you can bring down the temperature by physical means, for example, a weak solution of vinegar or alcohol.

In no case do not wipe the baby 1 month old with water with vinegar or alcohol, especially at high temperatures!

A sharp temperature drop, if you can bring it down in this way, is simply dangerous for the baby and can cause seizures.
Skin adsorption in children is very active, and alcohol with vinegar, sucked through the enlarged pores, will enter the bloodstream and cause damage to the baby’s body.

At temperature, the face of the crumbs becomes crimson, the skin “burns”. It is not recommended to bring down the temperature to 38 ° C with a cold, this reduces the protective functions of the body. But if you increase it to 38 ° C, you must definitely bring it down.

If at the temperature the skin of the child is pale, the limbs are cold - these are signs of white fever, a very dangerous condition that requires medical intervention. It is impossible to lower the temperature with white fever yourself! This is done very slowly and under the supervision of a doctor.

If it is not possible to regulate the increase in temperature and the symptoms manifest themselves strongly enough, you will have to temporarily abandon walking and bathing.

If you manage to control the temperature, short walks are needed, as clean air has a positive effect on nasal breathing, shortness of breath decreases and sleep improves. Bathing at temperature is not worth the crumbs, but you can rinse.

Any disease, including the common cold, depletes the nervous system of the baby. To reduce exhaustion, you need to provide special care: a calm environment that will contribute to good rest, dim light, fresh air and silence (annoying noises, especially the sound of the TV, must be eliminated).

Therapeutic measures

Treatment for a respiratory infection will depend on its course and the prevailing symptoms.

With an uncomplicated course, by the fourth day, the inflammatory process is on the decline, the temperature decreases, overall health improves. If there are no improvements, then, most likely, a secondary infection of a bacterial nature joined the existing disease. In this case, you will have to treat it with antibiotics.

What to do with a cold

With a cold, the nose of the baby will have to pay special attention. To dilute the mucus, weak saline solutions are used, for its removal aspirators, a medical pear or cotton turunds (flagella). Use such drops no more than 5 days and no more than 5 times a day.

The doctor may prescribe vasoconstrictor drops, which are used no more than 3 times a day, antihistamines. With the addition of a bacterial infection - antibiotics, in severe cases - corticosteroids.

It is not necessary to treat rhinitis by dropping mom's milk into the nose. Despite its bactericidal properties, when it enters the nasal passages clogged with mucus, it will become an excellent nutrient medium for pathogenic microflora.

What to do when coughing

With the penetration of an infectious agent into the mucous membrane of the throat, pharyngitis develops. In this case, the process of mucus formation is also going on in the throat, the baby begins to cough.

Coughing is a kind of protective function of the body, which helps reduce the amount of sputum and toxins in it by coughing. An adult coughing doctor can determine the strength of the process and the degree of damage. The cough of the newborn is not informative, since the cough reflex is not sufficiently developed. If the child begins to cough, you should definitely show it to the doctor, you do not need to treat the baby yourself!

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

Untimely can lead to serious health problems of crumbs, up to pneumonia.

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

Behavioral change in developing colds is a characteristic symptom that a young mother needs to pay attention to.

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

Some babies sleep longer than usual or wake up at night, but unplanned feeding does not soothe the baby.

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

If mucous secretions from the nose, high fever, sneezing, shortness of breath are detected, you need to call a doctor or call an ambulance, if the thermometer rises above 38 degrees, the baby’s well-being quickly worsens.

Whims

A cold prevents a baby from fully receiving and absorbing 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, annoyed for no reason, attempts to calm a crying baby are not always successful. A cold in most cases develops over several hours: a sharp change in the behavior of 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, they are even more nervous, which worsens the course of the disease.

Trouble sleeping

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 (crumbs are difficult to breathe, the process of breast sucking is impaired).

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

Motion sickness helps for a short time, sneezing, coughing and a clogged nose prevent the baby from getting enough sleep at night. An exhausted baby falls asleep for a short while, 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 germs, 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’s difficult for the baby to breathe, the baby refuses to eat, there is a strong cry, moods, irritability.

For the treatment of nasal passages in infants, it is useful to use sea water to soften and moisturize irritated areas. Cotton buds should be used very carefully: the nasal passages of the baby are shorter than adults, it is easy to damage delicate tissues. The best option is to roll the turundas out of a bandage, moisten 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 so that the nasal passages dry out less during colds in the baby.

Sneezing

Children up to a year can not independently blow their nose, dried crusts irritate the mucous membranes, the baby sneezes. During the physiological process, particles of liquid or thick secretion are removed from the nasal passages.

In viral infections, pathogens irritate the delicate mucous membranes of the nasal passages. The negative influence of dangerous pathogens, the impact of waste of 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

Husky, coughing, harsher tones during crying and “agukanyi” are characteristic signs of a cold.

All the symptoms are connected with each other: against the background of nasal congestion, hunger, when it is impossible to completely get enough of the baby, it cries often and strongly, irritation of the delicate mucous membrane of the throat occurs, the voice changes.

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

The baby does not know how to blow her nose, the discharge constantly flows down. An additional danger is the mucous mass with microbes or viruses, pus also penetrates the auditory canal, inflammation of the middle ear develops, which aggravates the course of the common cold.

Temperature

In most cases, a fever in a cold baby develops sharply, the thermometer rises to -38 degrees. Many mothers panic if the temperature indicators deviate from the norm, but the reaction should be correct: you need to consider several options for the course of the disease.

Important nuances:

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

Nutrition

Depletion is one of the negative consequences of colds in babies.

It’s difficult for a baby to get mother’s milk, the baby often refuses to feed.

Often, against the background of high temperature in the baby after feeding, a belching of the fountain or profuse vomiting appears.

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 to put the baby to the chest, but reduce the serving: the child will receive as much milk as the body can absorb with poor health, a failure of the immune and digestive systems. Be sure to drink the baby to prevent dehydration, especially with a violation of the stool, often developing against a background of high temperature.

Vitamin-rich foods are needed to increase appetite for complementary foods. Vegetable and fruit types of mashed potatoes are a good option to fill up a nutrient deficiency.

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

In children of the first year of life, immune defense is rather weak, microbes and viruses often attack a tiny organism. Often colds are transmitted to the baby from a sick mother. It is important to know the specific signs that indicate the development of a common cold in an infant in order to contact a pediatrician in time for help.

Data-lazy-type \u003d "image" data-src \u003d "https://prostudych.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/49800951..jpg 341w, https://prostudych.ru/wp-content/ uploads / 2016/11 / 49800951-300x209.jpg 300w "sizes \u003d" (max-width: 272px) 100vw, 272px "\u003e If you ask what is the most common disease, then without blinking, answer that this is a cold! We call a cold all that is accompanied by a runny nose and cough, a sore throat and fever. Until it gets really bad, we rarely even pay attention to it, continue to go to work and periodically drip vasoconstrictive drops into the nose.

That is, for an adult, a cold is not such a serious disease, unless of course treatment is started when the condition worsens. But this does not apply at all to infants, because a cold in a nursing infant proceeds with slight differences.

Briefly about the "enemy", or what is a cold

In fact, the common cold is ARI, or, as they say today, ARVI. In order to understand how not to infect the baby, you need to know how this disease spreads.

Once in the body, the virus causes a complex immune response that destroys this virus. The memory of it is preserved by the immune system and ensures that this virus no longer enters the body. The only problem is that there are several million different viruses.

In order to "catch" ARI, you need to inhale the virus through the nose or mouth, and a weakened immune system must allow it to multiply. If you have a small child in your house, then you need to know how to treat a cold in a baby, because this is a very common disease.

How not to let the virus into the body

Data-lazy-type \u003d "image" data-src \u003d "https://prostudych.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/200919061113181.jpg" alt \u003d "200919061113181" width \u003d "200" height \u003d "254 "\u003e Cold prevention begins at birth. From the first days of life, all doctors of the world recommend hardening a baby with the help of air and water baths. These procedures gradually teach the body to adapt to low temperatures and to cool less in bad weather compared to an organism that has not been tempered. Moms learn sets of physical exercises and massage lessons for their babies, and “help” them do exercises. Walking in the fresh air in any weather is extremely important if the temperature outside the window is not lower than -15 degrees. The most important thing is that these events become a habit and are held daily at the moments of a good mood of the child. Such simple and fun activities increase blood circulation and activate thermoregulation, which positively affects the formation of immunity.

The peculiarity of the baby’s immunity of the first year of life is that his body practically does not produce its own antibodies, but uses only those that are transmitted to him through the placenta from the mother or which he receives with breast milk.

Treatment of colds in infants usually comes down to the use of drugs containing interferon. Since acute respiratory infections in adults, in the case of strong immunity, can pass without obvious symptoms, it is worth avoiding too crowded places, at least for up to 6 months, until the baby is strong.

Infant disease is constantly causing stress in young parents. ARI or SARS can lead to a great panic even for couples who already have children, and they do not know how to treat a cold in a baby. The thing is that a newborn child does not have the opportunity to blow his nose, cough or gargle on his own, as adults do. Also, for a child up to a year, many cold medicines are contraindicated. Therefore, many medicines have to be abandoned. If parents notice the first signs of the disease, then in this case, you should immediately seek help from a doctor so that he examines the child and writes out a prescription on how to treat him in order to avoid further complications.

What is a cold?

The immunity of a healthy person immediately tries to fight the disease and destroy the virus when it appears. The memory of him is preserved and in the future it will be difficult for him to penetrate back into the body. However, the main problem is that there are hundreds of different viruses that a person can become infected with.

To catch ARI, just inhale the virus. If a person has weakened immunity, then the infection will immediately multiply. In the event that you have a baby, you need to know how to treat this common disease to help the baby feel normal.

Symptoms

The child cannot yet independently tell his parents what exactly is bothering him, so parents are required to know what the symptoms of a cold in a baby are:

mucus in the nose;
cloudy eyes;
difficult breathing and frequent opening of the mouth;
refusal of food and crying;
a hoarse voice;
cough;
temperature rise;
the baby is trembling.

Also, a cold in a baby can cause symptoms that are associated with a change in the baby's behavior. The child may become lethargic, sleep poorly, or for long periods. Also often he is naughty and crying. If parents noticed the first signs of a cold in a baby, then they should immediately contact a doctor.

If there is a cough with a runny nose without fever, then this may indicate an allergic reaction or individual tolerance to a different disease. Such symptoms require a detailed explanation of the causes and immediate treatment. Since children cannot blow their nose on their own, therefore, mucus can drain into the throat and ears. This is fraught with the appearance of pneumonia, otitis media or tonsillitis. The most difficult complication of acute respiratory infections is inflammation of the brain.

Children older than six months may have a runny nose with fever due to teething. As a rule, a baby can have the following symptoms:

Great salivation.
The desire to pull any objects in your mouth to chew.
Reddened gums.

In this case, parents need a dentist consultation to understand how to behave during teething. After all, the symptoms of various diseases are the same.

The treatment of acute respiratory infections in infants

If there is a cold in an infant, then the first thing you need to call a pediatrician so that he looks in detail at the baby. In the meantime, you need to start treating him, since the sooner this process begins, the faster he will recover. Despite the fact that the body's capabilities have not yet been fully explored, it is known that under good conditions, a child can recover even without many medications. Perform the treatment of colds in infants is necessary in this way:

Body temperature should be measured. If it is not higher than 38 °, then it is not necessary to give antipyretic drugs. After all, in this way you can only interfere with the body, which copes with its tasks. It is important to monitor the temperature throughout the day. If it will rise, then you need to take all necessary measures to lower it. In this case, you can undress the baby, but the room temperature should be at the level of 20-22 °. In no case should you wipe the baby with water and vinegar, because this is how you can overcool a child's body.
It is important to worry about free breathing through the nose. Remove mucus, if any. If the nose is very stuffy, then in this case, ready-made drops from seawater or prepared independently will help. To do this, take 1 liter of warm water and a teaspoon of salt. After this, you need to instill a nose in such a solution, and then remove the mucus with an aspirator. If there is not much mucus in the nose, then ordinary cotton buds can help in this case. It is important to consider the fact that many viruses leave the human body with mucus. Therefore, the more often the nose is cleaned, the faster the child will recover.
If there is a cold in the baby, then it is important to carry out the treatment in a timely manner and often ventilate the room. After all, oxygen is necessary for the children's body.
If an orz in a baby appears, then the treatment will be successful, if more often walking with him on the street. Thus, he will sleep better, and clean air will help ease nasal breathing.
It is important to feed the baby on demand. After all, the disease takes a lot of energy, the baby is obliged to receive more fluid, which allows you to fight the infection.
You should bathe the child during the illness, because toxins remain on the skin of the baby, which interfere with recovery. After bathing, the baby will feel much better.
It is important to ensure that the child does not overheat and does not freeze. Feet can be warmed with socks, and chest and back can be wiped with goat fat when coughing.

It is also important to clean the house often. After all, this way you can not only create purity, but also eliminate viral particles that can infect other family members.

Treatment methods

Many parents are interested in how not to infect a baby with a cold. First of all, mom needs to temper the baby from an early age and often walk with him on the street. If the family already has a patient, then he must wear a protective bandage, and the room where the child is playing and sleeping should be ventilated.

If a cold has occurred in infants, then treatment should be carried out only under the supervision of a doctor. The pediatrician should examine the child and write a list of drugs that need to be given. In no case do you need to treat the baby yourself, because adult medicines are considered dangerous for the child's body.

With a viral cold, you do not need to take antibiotics, which are intended for inflammatory complications.

As a rule, treatment of acute respiratory infections is carried out comprehensively. If the baby has a runny nose, then the doctor prescribes drops in the nose, which can be made on the basis of saline. In the event that there is inflammation, then the drops may contain antibiotics. It is permissible to instill 2 drops of solution into each nostril. It has an antiseptic effect and liquefies mucus. To cure a child, you should clean your nose with a pear or nasal aspirator.

If the parents noticed the first signs of a cold in an infant, then it should not be inactive, but proceed to treatment. It is important to know that babies swallow tablets hard. Doctors often prescribe special candles for colds containing Interferon to children. They are led into the anus and then act much faster without harming the baby’s intestines. Such suppositories can be replaced with syrup, but they often cause vomiting in children.

In the event that parents are interested in how to treat a cold in a baby, then in this case we can recall Anaferon. This remedy refers to homeopathic medicines and for the treatment of viral diseases, medicines with a large number of active substances are needed.

What is contraindicated to give the child?

If a cold occurs in infants, then in this case it is contraindicated to perform such actions:

Cough syrups and decoctions can cause allergies.
In no case do you need to drip milk into your nose with milk, because it can only harm your health.
Inhalations and rubbing with essential oils cause itching and redness.
Mustard must not be used for the skin of a child.
You can not put an enema if the doctor has not prescribed it.
It is impossible for the baby to carry out steam inhalation, as they can burn the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx.

It is important to know that folk remedies are a good treatment option for colds, but they can not be used on infants. All procedures must be prescribed by a pediatrician, but self-medication can contribute to a complication, which in the future can be dangerous for the health of the child.

Nutrition and daily routine for colds

A child’s painful condition leads to great fatigue. For this reason, you should move away from the usual regime of the day and give the baby the opportunity to sleep more time to restore his strength. It is also important during this period to avoid bright light, noise and active games. If the baby is sick, then he often needs a dream.

You do not need to give up walking during a cold if the baby is free to breathe through its nose. You should not walk on the street only if the child has a sore throat, weakness and runny nose.

For colds, it is recommended to give food that contains useful trace elements and vitamins. If the nasal passage is blocked, the child may refuse to eat. If temperature is present, vomiting may also occur. In no case should you force the baby to eat, but it is better to feed often, but in small portions.

If a daughter or son has a cold, and they have already begun to give complementary foods, then during this period new fruits and vegetables should be abandoned. If the baby has an appetite, then you need to give cereals and mashed potatoes, which are perfectly absorbed by the body.

During colds, the child should be given boiled water, even if he drinks only milk. Increased sweating promotes dehydration. For this reason, it is necessary to restore the water-salt balance.

It is believed that during colds, bathing is undesirable. However, only a child’s poor health and fever are considered a contraindication. You should start bathing your baby only two days after the temperature drops. In all subsequent cases, water procedures should be carried out without fail. After all, the only way to get rid of toxins on the skin that leave the body. You need to bathe your baby at a temperature of 37-38 °. She should be only a few degrees above his body.

Colds in infants: how is the treatment?

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Unfortunately, colds in very young children are quite common. Their danger is that in case of untimely diagnosis, they can proceed rather hard and be accompanied by dangerous complications. This article will talk about what are the main symptoms of a cold and its treatment in infants, you will also learn about the prevention of colds in childhood.

First signs

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

Symptoms of a cold can be different. Their severity depends on various factors:

the age of the child;
the presence of concomitant diseases;
prematurity at birth;
baseline immunity.

Usually the first adverse symptoms of a cold appear within a few days from the moment of hypothermia. However, weakened children can get sick quite quickly. Such a rapid development of adverse symptoms in them is affected by reduced immunity.

A cold is manifested in infants in different ways. The most common symptoms are as follows:

Runny nose. Usually it is slimy. In some babies, a runny nose can be quite strong and even debilitating.
Nasal congestion. The accumulation of mucus in the nasal passages contributes to the fact that the baby's nasal breathing is disturbed. As a rule, this symptom can be easily noticed from the outside - the child begins to actively breathe through the mouth.

Sore throat. Usually the entire wall of the pharynx becomes bright red. Against the background of such inflammation, it becomes difficult for the baby to swallow. Usually, the redness in the throat of the baby persists throughout the acute period of the common cold.
Cough. In most cases, it appears at the same time as a runny nose, however, it can be delayed for 1-2 days. As a rule, a cough with a cold is dry. In some cases, especially when a bacterial infection is attached, the nature of the cough changes - it becomes wet with sputum.

Fever.The inflammatory process, which provokes hypothermia, quickly manifests itself as an increased temperature. Her numbers determine the severity of the disease. At the height of the disease, the baby's body temperature can reach 37-38.5 degrees.
Chair violation. In some cases, with a cold, a baby may have diarrhea. This symptom appears, as a rule, if an ARVI or other viral infection occurs against the background of a cold.

Change in behavior and appearance

A sick baby also changes behavior. Suspect that the baby has caught a cold, parents can also by the characteristic signs of a change in his usual mood. So, in a sick baby, appetite usually decreases. The baby begins to abandon the mother's breast.

The baby is easily excited or, conversely, becomes too lethargic. With a cold, sleep is also disturbed. The child begins to sleep restlessly, often wakes up.

The appearance of the child is changing. The skin usually turns pale. Against the background of high body temperature, the crumbs of the baby can blush strongly. The eyes in this case become somewhat cloudy.

Heat 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 cold causes the child to breathe more frequently.

Parents can notice this symptom quite simply, turning their attention to the movements of the baby's chest. It will rise and fall with a fairly high frequency. Usually this symptom manifests itself in very young children, as well as with an increase in 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. Dads and mothers of older children can “attribute" the symptoms of a cold to teething.

It often happens that they themselves begin to deal with the treatment of crumbs, without even calling a doctor at home. It is absolutely impossible to do this. The symptoms of a cold in a baby are really quite simple to confuse with other dangerous infections. Not with all diseases the treatment algorithm is the same.

In order not to delay the treatment and make the correct diagnosis, it is very important that parents always consult a pediatrician. Only after the exclusion of a number of serious childhood infections can a cold treatment be carried out at home.

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

How to treat a baby?

A doctor should draw up a treatment regimen for a baby. Before a specialist comes, first of all, parents should calm down. It is important to remember that too excited behavior of parents can quickly be transmitted to the baby. He will become more alarmed and tense.

During the acute period of the disease, do not force-feed the baby. Such feeding can provoke vomiting in the child, and in some cases even contribute to an even higher rise in body temperature. Dr. Komarovsky believes that A sick baby should be given a sufficient amount of fluid. You can give your child a little bit of water - on average, ½ teaspoon every 20-30 minutes. In the future, the drinking regimen will be determined by the pediatrician who will examine the sick baby.

Watch how the baby is dressed. If the baby's skin is too hot and bright red, then you should not swaddle it too much. In this situation, doctors, as a rule, recommend choosing a less warm vest. Too much wrapping of a child will only aggravate his condition.

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

It happens that many mothers at a high body temperature begin to rub their babies with a solution of vinegar or alcohol. Do not do this. Acetic acid can have a damaging effect on the skin. For rubbing the skin, ordinary warm water (28-35 degrees) is suitable.

To reassure the baby, hold him in your arms. Try to keep the child’s head slightly above his body. In this position, the baby becomes a little easier to breathe.

With an increase in body temperature, the child should not bathe him. All water procedures are necessarily discussed with the doctor. At first, when the body temperature of the crumbs remains quite high, long bath times are ruled out. They can contribute to the violation of thermoregulation in the baby, which can aggravate his condition.

Improving nasal breathing

To improve nasal breathing, it is necessary to clean the baby’s nose from the mucus accumulated there. For this, you can use special devices or small cotton flagella - turunds. They are now sold in almost any pharmacy. Cleaning your nose should also be mandatory before all feedings.

In order to clean the baby’s nose, moisten cotton wool and insert it into the nostril of the crumbs by about 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 another nostril.

If the mucus is dense and leaves 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 with cotton turundas.

Nasal wing massage can also improve nasal breathing. It is carried out by stroking movements from the nose to the base of the nose. It is very important to consult a pediatrician before any massage.

You can improve nasal breathing with medications. One such medicine is Interferon. It is successfully used by doctors to treat the common cold, even in the smallest 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 with ear inflammation?

If the baby often rubs the ear, and also cries a lot, then this can be a signal for parents that he has otitis media against the background of a cold. Check it out is pretty simple. To do this, parents should slightly push or pull on the ear tragus. If the child has inflammation in the ear, then he will react to this action very rapidly.

It is important to note that it is impossible to treat otitis media on their own in an infant. The 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 pain in the ear appear, you should immediately show the child to the doctor. After examining the baby, the doctor will determine if he has the presence or absence of signs of otitis media and, if necessary, will prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs.

Such agents are usually instilled with a pipette or injected with turunda soaked in a drug solution. As a rule, medications for the treatment of otitis media in infants are administered 3-4 times a day. The total duration of treatment is determined individually, based on the age of the child and the severity of the disease.

Folk remedies

Note that choosing this method of treatment should be very careful. You should not recklessly trust folk methods. Before choosing a particular remedy, you should definitely consult with your doctor. A number of folk recipes can cause an allergic reaction in a baby.

Among a large number of diverse methods, very useful ones can be found. One of them is a decoction made from chamomile. It can be used if the conjunctiva of the eyes is inflamed against the background of a cold in a baby. In this case, the eyes of the child turn red, with a clearly visible superficial mesh of blood vessels.

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

To wipe the baby's sore eyes, cotton pads dipped 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 prescribed strictly by the doctor, since they have a number of contraindications for use.

Can breast milk be given?

With a cold, depriving the baby of natural breastfeeding is not worth it. If the baby's mother is not sick, then breastfeeding can be done. It is important only not to overzealous 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.

Children who already receive complementary foods have a slightly different situation. 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 this.

For a quick recovery, an ill baby 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 regimen is an essential component of treatment. In order for a child’s body to quickly get rid of toxins that occur in the body during acute inflammation, it needs water. You can finish the baby with ordinary 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 stewed fruit that they give their baby.

The drink should be warm, and in no case cold. Juices and fruit drinks should be chosen not sour. Still, the best boiled water for drinking a child is considered to be ordinary boiled water.

Prevention

In 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 crumbs from the common cold. Most viral respiratory infections are transmitted through the air. The smallest viruses are stored quite well in adverse conditions and are transmitted through breathing from parents to the baby.

In order to protect the child from the common cold, parents should adhere to the following recommendations:

Keep clean in the house and especially in the children's room. To do this, the nursery should be regularly cleaned wet. During seasonal viral infections and colds, you can use special products containing antimicrobial components. When choosing such products, pay attention that they are safe for use in children's rooms.
Follow baby hygiene. Healthy skin helps protect your baby from many diseases. Bathe your baby according to the recommendations of your pediatrician.

Watch the processing of children's dishes. All dishes that are designed for the baby should always be clean and well dried. In poorly processed utensils, microbes settle quite easily, which can cause a child’s disease.
Follow the rules of personal hygiene.Parents should also not forget to wash their hands with soap. It is especially important not to forget about this item during the flu and seasonal colds. Compliance with this simple rule will help not to infect a baby with dangerous infections for him.

Do not forget about the airing schedule. In the room where the baby is, the necessary microclimate should be maintained. Try to take the child out of the room when airing. Do not leave your newborn baby in an open window room. This can cause hypothermia and a cold.
Keep track of 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 drop below 20 degrees.

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

Follow the pediatrician's recommended daily routine. Regular adherence to the routine is necessary for the children's body for its optimal performance and growth.
Do not forget about the walks.They are necessary for the children's body to harden it. For walks with the baby, choose comfortable warm clothes in which the crumbs will not be too hot. Try to cover your child’s neck and face from strong winds.

How to protect a child from illness if mom gets sick?

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

In the acute period of the disease, it is worthwhile to reduce contact with the child if possible.
Before taking a baby in her arms, a woman must wash her hands with soap.
If the cause of the disease is a viral infection, then wearing a regular gauze mask should not be neglected. It should be changed every 2 hours.

It is necessary to start treatment in a timely manner. A woman should also not be delayed by going to the doctor. At high temperatures, you should not go to the clinic. In such a situation, it would be more rational to call a doctor at home.
Do not forget about the ventilation of the room. A sick mother can cause the spread of viruses throughout the apartment. In order to reduce the number of microbes in a living room, it should be aired.
Strengthening the immune system is not only for the baby, but also for his mother. It is extremely important for a woman who has a baby to get enough sleep, eat good and high quality, and also, if necessary, receive vitamins prescribed by her doctor.