Baby's First Common Cold: Symptoms, Prevention, and Treatment

The symptoms of the common cold are usually pretty standard. Just like adults, they can range from coughing to sneezing to runny nose, but include the following:

• Stuffy nose, runny nose
• Sore throat, usually at the start of a cold that goes away once nose starts to run
• Fever
• Feeling tired, lethargic
• Watery eyes, redness

If you're baby has these symptoms, it's probably a cold. However, if the baby is younger than three months or has had other serious respiratory issues, call your doctor immediately. Serious illness and implications can occur in young babies that have colds, so don't hesitate to call a doctor.

There are some signs that your baby may not have the common cold. Here are some symptoms that indicate it may be a different virus:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Persistent cough for over ten days
• Chronic wheezing or heavy breathing

If your baby has any of the above symptoms or any of the following below, contact your doctor or nurse immediately. Be sure to explain all of the symptoms in full. Call the doctor for:

• A baby with difficulty breathing
• Severe headache, neck pain
• Eye redness, swollen eyes
• Sinus pain and pressure
• A fever over 100.4 degrees F in babies under 3 months
• An extended or high fever for any child
• Cold symptoms that do not improve after ten days

If you have any doubts, contact your doctor to be sure the symptoms are normal for your baby.

Rainbow Train Poster

(available at AllPosters, click above)

Treating a common cold in adults is different than treating a baby. Adults can blow their nose, take cold medicine, suck on cough drops, eat chicken soup, and know when to get rest. This isn't the case with babies. They're completely reliant on you to alleviate their cold symptoms, which can be very irritating for the baby. Think about it. Imagine not being able to blow your nose, take medicine, take a shower, or feed yourself when you have a cold?

• The first thing that can help to alleviate cold symptoms in babies is to use a nose sucker, or a nasal aspirator to be more technical (see the nasal aspirator I recommend here, because it's the easiest and kids don't squirm with this one as much). This sucks out the mucus from the babies nose, effectively "blowing their nose." Watch out though, because most babies hate having this thing near their face let alone in their nose. A good tactic is distraction, so if you have two people helping, have one distract the baby while you come in off to the side slowly. Squeeze the aspirator prior to coming into contact with the nose. Do not insert the aspirator deep into the nose, but insert just enough to get inside the nose. Slowly release the grip on the aspirator to start sucking out mucus. If the baby squirms too much, try again later, or while they are asleep.



• Run a humidifier in the room. This can help loosen mucus in the baby's nose, and will prevent the dry winter air from turning mucus into rock hard pieces of nearly irremovable nose debris. In dry climates too, consider using a humidifier if your child has cold symptoms.

Right: Adenovirus, a cause of the common cold.


• Encourage and allow extra napping. Sick babies sleep more generally, but may find through-the-night sleep uncomfortable. Keep the room at a temperature that is comfortable for them without sweating them out or giving them a chill. Use zip up Halo Sleep sacks in the cooler months to keep them warm.



• Give your baby plenty of fruits and vegetables if they are eating solids (jarred baby food). If nursing, continue to nurse your baby to pass on immunities to the little one. Make sure your baby is getting plenty of fluids to help fight the cold.



• A warm bath can help loosen mucus, relax muscles, and make breathing easier for the baby. Consider giving them one daily to help alleviate symptoms.



• Do not give your baby adult cold medicine or baby cold medicine. Consult a doctor first before you decide to give anything to your baby.

Infants get colds, and so toddlers. In fact, more so than adults by far. The average kid is going to get sick a few times a year, but there are some things you can do to prevent them from getting sick in the first place.

Right: Hand washing poster available at AllPosters.

1. Wash your hands. This means you! You, as the adult, may be carrying germs that the baby is susceptible to and you are not because you already have a developed immune system. If you haven't got into the habit of washing your hands regularly, start now. It will provide you and your baby with a lot of relief down the line. Hand washing is the number one way to prevent a cold.
2. Keep babies away from large crowds of people. Malls, doctors offices, grocery stores, libraries, and playgrounds all have many opportunities to catch germs. This doesn't mean you should isolate your baby, but consider not going out into crowded public places with a baby under three months. Gradually increasing their exposure to crowds can help reduce the risk of catching a cold. For more social interaction, visit family and friends personally (but watch out for their sick kids! Call prior to visiting to check up on who you are visiting).
3. Make sure your baby is well hydrated. A hydrated body can help flush out contaminants and keep the body running smoothly.
4. If the baby is on solid food (jarred baby food), make sure they get a variety of vegetables and fruits in their diet. Read this page on how to eat your colors for more information. A good rule of thumb is to vary the color of the fruit or veggie every meal from the previous one to ensure a multitude of vitamins and minerals are being consumed.