Colds in infants treatment. Treatment of a cold in a newborn baby. How to protect your baby from viral infections

Ekaterina Rakitina

Dr. Dietrich Bonhoeffer Klinikum, Germany

Reading time: 6 minutes

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Article last updated: 05/10/2019

A child's illness is always stressful for parents. Not only for young people with their first child, but for experienced couples. Even a banal SARS or ARI, which is commonly called a cold, can cause fear. Especially if the newborn is sick. Under the age of 1 month, the baby cannot independently cough up, remove mucus from the nose (blow your nose), or gargle. The baby should not be given most of the drugs taken in the treatment of respiratory diseases, so a 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 a child from the disease? And then understand - what to do if the disease still struck him.

Cold in chest

A cold, or, as it is correct to say, a respiratory infection, occurs due to the penetration of a harmful agent (virus, bacterium) into the body, most often infection occurs during hypothermia, when the immune system weakens. It is believed that newborns do not get colds often, if you properly care for the baby. But this does not mean that the baby cannot get sick. On the contrary, the immaturity of the immune system makes them very vulnerable, so 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 urgently consult a doctor.

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

When the body temperature rises to 38 ° C in a child from 0 to 1 month, you need to call " ambulance". For children from a month to a year, an ambulance is required at a temperature of 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 convulsions and death. It is necessary to immediately begin treatment: give an antipyretic that corresponds to the age category of the child and call the local pediatrician.

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

How to protect your child from infection

The main route of transmission of respiratory infections is airborne. This means that the infant must be isolated from a sick person (adult or other child). If this is not possible, then keep contacts to a minimum. The patient is advised to wear a mask.

An additional way in which such an infection can be transmitted is contact-household (through household items and personal items). This means that all utensils, toys and things of the crumbs should be individual.

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

most effective for month old baby mother's milk is a means of preventing colds. It contains antibodies that penetrate the bloodstream of the baby and prevent the development of the process.

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

Because the immune system a month-old baby is not yet mature enough, the risk of a severe course of the disease and complications for the newborn and infant is very high. That is why it is very important to recognize the symptoms and start treatment as soon as possible. early stage process.

Leading signs of a cold in infants

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

Nasal symptoms (congestion, profuse clear discharge);
Increased body temperature;
Difficulty breathing, cough (less common);
Deterioration of the general condition (sleep, mood).

The severity of symptoms is different and it changes as the process develops. The pediatrician will give recommendations regarding drug treatment.

Caring for a child with ARVI and ARI

There are some things every mother should know about caring for a sick baby.

You don't have to force-feed your baby.
Enhanced drinking regimen is very useful. If pediatricians do not recommend feeding healthy monthly children with water, it is believed that breast milk is sufficient (if the child is breastfed, "artificial" ones are supplemented), then sick children should be given baby water without any additives.

At high temperature You don't have to wrap up your baby to make him sweat. The function of thermoregulation in such crumbs is not yet perfect, so temperature shock and convulsions can be achieved. Many mothers know that you can bring down the temperature in physical ways, such as a weak solution of vinegar or alcohol.

In no case do not wipe the child of the 1st month of life with water and vinegar or alcohol, especially at high temperatures!

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

At a temperature, the baby's face becomes crimson, the skin "burns". It is not recommended to bring down the temperature to 38 ° C for a cold, this reduces the protective functions of the body. But when it rises to 38 ° C, it must be brought down.

If at a 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 reduce the temperature with white fever on your own! This is done very slowly and under the supervision of a doctor.

If it is not possible to regulate the rise in temperature and the symptoms are severe enough, walking and bathing will have to be temporarily abandoned.

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

Any disease, including a cold, depletes the baby's nervous system. To reduce exhaustion, you need to provide special care: a calm environment that will contribute to good rest, subdued lights, fresh air and silence (you need to exclude annoying noises, first of all, the sound of the TV).

Therapeutic measures

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

With an uncomplicated course, by the fourth day, the inflammatory process subsides, the temperature decreases, and general well-being improves. If there is no improvement, then, most likely, a secondary infection of a bacterial nature has joined the already existing disease. In this case, it will have to be treated with antibiotics.

What to do with a cold

With a cold, the baby's nose will have to be given Special attention. To thin the mucus, weak saline solutions are used, to remove it, aspirators, a medical pear or cotton turundas (flagella). Use such drops for no more than 5 days and no more than 5 times a day.

The doctor may prescribe vasoconstrictor drops, which he uses 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 dripping mother's milk into the nose. Despite its bactericidal properties, if it enters the nasal passages clogged with mucus, it will become an excellent breeding ground 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 pharynx, the baby begins to cough.

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

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

Untimely can lead to serious health problems 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.

A change in behavior with 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 crying baby 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 children. early age.

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, is naughty.

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.

Discharge from the nose

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.

For the treatment of nasal passages in infants, it is useful to use sea water to soften and moisturize irritated areas. Cotton swabs should be used very carefully: the nasal passages in infants are shorter than adults, it is easy to damage delicate tissues. The best option is to roll the turundas from 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 do not dry out less when a baby has a cold.

sneezing

Children under one year old cannot blow their nose on their own, 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 impact of dangerous pathogens, the impact of waste products of pathogenic microbes provokes a specific reaction of the body. A characteristic sign of a cold in infants is sneezing several times in a row.

Voice change

Hoarseness, coughing, rougher tones when crying and "hooting" are characteristic signs of a cold.

All the symptoms are related to each other: against the background of nasal congestion, hunger, when it is impossible to fully get enough, the baby cries often and strongly, irritation of the delicate throat mucosa occurs, 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 a mucous mass with microbes or viruses, pus also penetrates the ear canal, inflammation of the middle ear develops, which aggravates the course of a cold.

Temperature

In most cases, a feverish condition in a cold baby develops abruptly, the thermometer rises to -38 degrees. Many mothers panic if the temperature indicators 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 a bacterial or viral infection;
if there are all 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 healing process;
in a serious condition, the baby can overheat, dehydration develops, convulsions appear, the child breathes often, and the state of health worsens.

Nutrition

Exhaustion is one of negative consequences colds in babies.

It is difficult for a baby to receive mother's milk, the baby often refuses to feed.

Often, against the background of a high temperature, a baby burps with a fountain or profuse vomiting 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 to put the baby to the breast, but to reduce the portion: the child will receive as much milk as the body can absorb if you feel unwell, fail immune and digestive systems. Be sure to supplement the baby to prevent dehydration, especially if the stool is disturbed, often developing against a background of high temperature.

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

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, the 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 cold in infants in order to contact a pediatrician for help in time.

Data-lazy-type="image" data-src="https://prostudych.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/49800951..jpg 341w dth: 272px) 100vw, 272px"> If you are asked what is the most common disease, then you will answer without blinking that it is a cold! We call a cold anything that is accompanied by a runny nose and cough, sore throat and fever. Until it gets really bad, we rarely even pay attention to it, we continue to go to work and periodically drip vasoconstrictor 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 to babies at all, because a cold in baby proceeds with minor differences.

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

In fact, a cold is an acute respiratory disease, or, as they say today, SARS. To understand how not to infect a baby, you need to know how this disease spreads.

Once in the body, the virus triggers a complex immune response that destroys the 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 your nose or mouth, and a weakened immune system must allow it to multiply. If you have in your house Small child, then you need to know how to treat a cold in infants, because this is a very common disease.

How not to let the virus into the body

Data-lazy-type="image" data-src="https://prostudych.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/200919061113181.jpg" alt="200919061113181" width="200" height="254"> Cold prevention starts at birth. From the first days of life, all doctors of the world recommend hardening the baby with the help of air and water baths. These procedures gradually teach the body to adapt to low temperatures and less supercooling in bad weather compared to an organism that was not hardened. Moms study complexes exercise and massage lessons for their kids, and "help" them do their exercises. It is extremely important to walk in the fresh air in any weather, if the temperature outside the window is not lower than -15 degrees. The most important thing is that these activities become a habit and are carried out daily at moments Have a good mood 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 in the first year of life is that his body practically does not produce its own antibodies, but uses only those that were passed to him through the placenta from his mother or that he receives with breast milk.

Treatment of a cold in infants usually comes down to the use of drugs containing interferon. Since ARI in adults, in the case of strong immunity, can pass without obvious symptoms, it is worth avoiding too crowded places, at least up to 6 months, until the baby gets stronger.

Breast cancer is a constant source of stress for new parents. ARI or SARS can lead to great panic even for those couples who already have children and do not know how to treat a cold in a baby. The whole point 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 under one year old, many medicines for colds 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 for how to treat him in order to avoid further complications.

What is a cold?

The immune system 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 become infected with ARI, it is enough just to inhale the virus. If a person has a weakened immune system, then the infection will immediately multiply. In the event that you have a baby, then you need to know how to treat this common disease in order to help the baby feel normal.

Symptoms

The child still cannot tell his parents on his own what exactly worries him, so parents must know what are the symptoms of a cold in a baby:

mucus in the nose;
cloudy eyes;
difficult breathing and frequent mouth opening;
refusal to eat and crying;
hoarse voice;
cough;
temperature increase;
the baby is trembling.

Also, a cold in infants can cause symptoms that are associated with a change in the behavior of the baby. The child may become lethargic, sleep poorly, or sleep for a long time. He is also often naughty and cries. If parents notice 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 allergic reaction or individual tolerance of a different disease. Such symptoms require a detailed explanation of the causes and immediate treatment. Since children cannot blow their nose on their own, mucus can drain down the throat and into the ears. This is fraught with the appearance of pneumonia, otitis or tonsillitis. The most difficult complication of ARI is inflammation of the brain.

Children older than six months may have a runny nose with fever due to teething. Usually, infant may have these symptoms:

Great salivation.
Desire to put things into mouth to chew.
Reddened gums.

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

The procedure for the treatment of acute respiratory infections in infants

If a baby has a cold, then the first thing to do is call a pediatrician so that he looks at the baby in detail. In the meantime, you need to start treating him, because the sooner this process begins, the faster he will recover. Despite the fact that the capabilities of the body have not yet been fully studied, it is known that when good conditions, a child can recover even without many drugs. It is necessary to perform the treatment of a cold in infants 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, this can only interfere with the body, which copes with its tasks. It is important to monitor the temperature throughout the day. If it rises, then all necessary measures must be taken to lower it. In this case, you can undress the baby, but the temperature in the room should be at the level of 20-22 °. In no case should you wipe the baby with water and vinegar, because this way you can overcool the child's body.
It is important to take care of free breathing through the nose. Mucus should be eliminated, if present. If the nose is very stuffy, then in this case ready-made drops from sea water or prepared on your own will help. To do this, take 1 liter of warm water and a teaspoon of salt. After that, you need to instill the nose with such a solution, and then remove the mucus with an aspirator. If there is not much mucus in the nose, then ordinary cotton swabs can help in this case. It is important to take into account 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 a baby has a cold, then it is important to treat it in a timely manner and often ventilate the room. After all, oxygen is necessary for the child's body.
If the baby has an ors, then the treatment will be successful if you walk with him on the street more often. Thus, he will sleep better, and clean air will help facilitate nasal breathing.
It is important to feed your baby on demand. After all, the disease takes a lot of strength, the baby must receive more fluid, which allows you to fight the infection.
You should bathe the child during illness, because toxins remain on the baby's skin that 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. You can warm your feet with socks, and when you cough, you can wipe your chest and back with goat fat.

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

Methods of treatment

Many parents are interested in how you can not infect an infant with a cold. First of all, the mother 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 should wear a protective bandage, and the room where the child plays and sleeps should be ventilated.

If a cold occurs in infants, then treatment should take place only under the supervision of a doctor. The pediatrician must examine the child and write a list of drugs to be given. In no case should you 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 complications of an inflammatory nature.

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

If the parents noticed the first signs of a cold in a baby, then one should not be inactive, but proceed to treatment. It is important to know that babies have difficulty swallowing tablets. Often, doctors prescribe special cold suppositories for children containing Interferon. They are found in 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 an infant, then in this case we can recall Anaferon. This tool belongs to homeopathic medicines and for the treatment of viral diseases, drugs with big amount active substances.

What is contraindicated to give a child?

If infants have a cold, then in this case it is contraindicated to perform the following actions:

Cough syrups and decoctions can cause allergies.
In no case should you bury your nose with milk, because it can only harm your health.
Inhalation and rubbing with essential oils cause itching and redness.
It is unacceptable to use mustard plasters for the skin of a child.
Do not give an enema unless directed by a doctor.
It is impossible for a baby to carry out steam inhalations, as they can burn the nasopharyngeal mucosa.

It is important to know that folk remedies are good option treatment for colds, but they should 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 to the health of the child.

Nutrition and daily routine of the baby with a cold

The diseased state of the child leads to great fatigue. For this reason, you should move away from the usual daily routine and give the baby more time to sleep in order to restore his strength. It is also important to avoid bright light, noise and active games during this period. If the baby is sick, then he often needs sleep.

It is not necessary to refuse walks during a cold if the baby can breathe freely through the nose. You should not walk on the street only if the child has a sore throat, weakness and a runny nose.

For cold children, it is recommended to give food that contains useful trace elements and vitamins. If the nasal passage is clogged, then the child may refuse to eat. In the presence of fever, 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 caught 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 a cold, you should give your child boiled water to drink, even if he drinks only milk. Increased sweating contributes to dehydration. For this reason, it is necessary to restore the water-salt balance.

It is believed that it is undesirable to bathe children during a cold. However, only the child's poor health and fever are considered a contraindication. You should start bathing the baby only two days after the temperature drops. In all subsequent cases water procedures should be mandatory. After all, this is the only way to get rid of toxins on the skin that leave the body. You need to bathe the baby at a temperature of 37-38 °. It should only be a few degrees above his body.

Colds in infants: how is it treated?

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Colds in very young children are, unfortunately, quite common. Their danger is that with untimely diagnosis, they can be quite difficult 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

Babies are prone to colds quite strongly. This is largely due to the fact that thermoregulation is still not working 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.

The symptoms of a cold can vary. 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 a few days after the moment of hypothermia. However, weakened children can get sick quickly enough. Such a rapid development of adverse symptoms in them is affected by reduced immunity.

A cold in infants manifests itself in different ways. The most common symptoms are:

Runny nose. It is usually 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 is disturbed by nasal breathing. As a rule, this symptom can be easily noticed from the outside - the child begins to actively breathe through his mouth.

Redness in the 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, redness in the throat of a baby persists throughout the acute period of a cold.
Cough. In most cases, it appears simultaneously with a runny nose, but it can also be delayed by 1-2 days. As a rule, the cough with a cold is dry. In some cases, especially when a bacterial infection joins, the nature of the cough changes - it becomes wet with sputum.

Increase in body temperature. The inflammatory process that provokes hypothermia is quickly manifested by 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.
stool disorder. In some cases, with a cold, the baby may develop diarrhea. This symptom appears, as a rule, if ARVI or another viral infection occurs against the background of a cold.

Changing behavior and appearance

A sick baby also changes behavior. Parents can also suspect that the baby has caught a cold by the characteristic signs of a change in his usual mood. So, in a sick baby, appetite usually decreases. The baby begins to refuse 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.

is changing and appearance child. The skin is usually pale. Against the background of high body temperature, the cheeks of the crumbs may become very red. At the same time, the eyes become somewhat cloudy.

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

Parents can notice this symptom quite simply by paying attention to the movements chest baby. It will rise and fall at a fairly high frequency. Usually this symptom manifests itself in very young children, as well as with an increase in shortness of breath.

Young and inexperienced parents of babies who are not yet 2 months old can sometimes find it quite difficult to distinguish a cold from other diseases. Fathers and mothers of older children can “write off” the symptoms of a cold for teething.

It often happens that they independently begin to treat the crumbs, without even calling a doctor at home. It is absolutely impossible to do this. The symptoms of a cold in babies are really quite easy to confuse with other dangerous infections. Not all diseases are treated in the same way.

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 should draw up a treatment plan for the baby. Before the arrival of a specialist, 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, do not force-feed the baby. Such feeding can provoke the child to vomit, and in some cases even contribute to an even greater rise in body temperature. Dr. Komarovsky believes that sick baby should be given enough fluids. You can give your child a little 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 child is dressed. If the baby's skin is too hot and bright red, then do not swaddle too much. In such a situation, doctors, as a rule, recommend choosing a less warm undershirt. Too much wrapping the child will only aggravate his condition.

If it is cool in the children's room, and the baby's skin is cold to the touch, then in this case you should cover the baby with a blanket. During a chill, 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. Doing this is not worth it. Acetic acid can have a damaging effect on the skin. For rubdown skin suit ordinary warm water (28-35 degrees).

To calm the baby, take him in your arms. Try to keep the baby's head slightly higher than his body. In this position, the baby becomes somewhat easier to breathe.

If the child's body temperature rises, do not bathe him. All water procedures must be discussed with the doctor. At the very first time, when the body temperature of the crumbs remains quite high, long baths are excluded. 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 child's nose from the mucus accumulated there. To do this, you can use special devices or small cotton flagella - turundas. They are sold now in almost any pharmacy. It is also necessary to clean the nose before all feedings.

In order to clean the baby's nose, moisten a cotton turunda and insert it into the baby's nostril by about 7 mm. Then, with light but sure 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 dense and goes away rather badly, then you can drip 2 drops into the nose boiled water or saline. After that, you should repeat the procedure with cleansing the nostrils with cotton turundas.

Massage of 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 any massage.

You can improve nasal breathing with medicines. One of these drugs is Interferon. It is successfully used by physicians to treat the common cold even in the smallest patients. With a cold, 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 his ear, and also cries a lot, then this may be a signal for parents that he has otitis media against the background of a cold. It's pretty easy to check. To do this, parents should slightly press or pull on the ear tragus. If the child has inflammation in the ear, then he will react to this action very violently.

It is important to note that it is impossible to treat otitis media in an infant on its own. 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 the presence or absence of signs of otitis media and, if necessary, prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs.

Such funds are usually instilled with a pipette or administered through a turunda soaked in a medicinal solution. As a rule, medicines for the treatment of otitis media in babies 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, you should be very careful. Should not be thoughtlessly trusted folk methods. Before choosing this or that remedy, you should always consult with your doctor. Row folk recipes can cause an allergic reaction in the baby.

Among a large number A variety of methods can be found and very useful. 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 flowers chamomile. This amount of vegetable raw materials must be poured with a glass of boiling water. Insist should be 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. They are already prescribed strictly by a doctor, as they have a number of contraindications for use.

Can I breastfeed?

With a cold, deprive the baby of natural breastfeeding not worth it. If the mother of the baby is not sick, then breastfeeding can be carried out. 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 mode is essential component 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 supplement 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 compote that they give to their baby.

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

Prevention

In the season of colds and respiratory diseases, it is very important for parents of babies to follow preventive measures. Simple rules will help them protect their baby from a cold. Most viral respiratory diseases are transmitted through the air. The smallest viruses are quite well preserved in adverse conditions and are transmitted through the breath from parents to the baby.

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

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

Keep track of the processing 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 item during the flu and seasonal colds. Compliance with this simple rule will help not to infect a baby with infections that are dangerous for him.

Don't Forget the Ventilation Schedule. In the room where the baby is located, the necessary microclimate must be maintained. Try to take the child out of the room when airing. Do not leave a newborn baby in a room with an open window. This can lead to hypothermia and colds.
Monitor the temperature in the children's room. It is optimal that it be 24 degrees. Make sure that the temperature in the room does not fall below 20 degrees.

Be mindful of humidity. Too dry air in the room is dangerous for the baby, as it can provoke overdrying of 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 who receive mother's milk have better immunity indicators than their peers who eat ready-made mixtures. Breast milk- This is an excellent source of immunoglobulins that protects the children's body from various infections.

Follow the daily routine recommended by the pediatrician. Regular observance of the schedule is necessary children's body for optimal performance and growth.
Don't forget the walks. They are necessary for the child's body to harden it. For walks with the baby, choose comfortable warm clothes in which the baby will not be too hot. Try to cover the child's neck and face from strong winds.

How to protect the child from illness if the mother is ill?

This question is rather complicated, 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 necessary, if possible, to reduce contact with the child.
Before taking a child in her arms, a woman must always wash her hands with soap and water.
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 contacting a doctor. When the temperature is high, it is not worth going to the clinic. In such a situation, it would be more rational to call a doctor at home.
Don't forget to ventilate the room. A sick mother can cause the spread of viruses throughout the apartment. In order to reduce the number of germs in a residential area, it must be ventilated.
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 well and eat well, and also, if necessary, receive vitamins prescribed by her doctor.