General treatment for cold in babies include consumption of fluids however contacting the physician is necessary if the symptoms are visible. Common cold in babies can rapidly turn into pneumonia if left untreated. Therefore, parents should be vigilant in order to avoid problems to their babies.
In this article you will learn about the home remedies for cold in babies, recovery period/ healing time, prevention of cold in babies.
Home Remedies for Cold in Babies
Home remedies are the only way to handle the cold in babies and also the best way to handle cold in babies. Over the counter (OTC) medications for common cold should never be given to the babies below 2 years of age. They can even cause huge side effects even to the kids who have still not attained 6 years of age.
Medicines cannot treat viral infections faster but parents can take care of the baby to provide relief until the infection subsides. Infants need to take rest and should be administered plenty of fluids. Kids below 4 months should be breast fed in a proper manner while the ones below 6 months of age can drink a little bit of water. Children more than 6 months of age can be given juices to ensure the optimum level of liquid in the body. Parents should follow certain steps to eliminate the nasal congestion in infants.
Below mentioned are some of the home remedies parents can use for cold in babies:
- Saline drops and suction bulbs help to remove the mucus from the nasal passage of the baby and thus it is a best home remedy for cold in babies. Saline purchased from the local pharmacy can be used to loosen the mucus. Thereafter, syringe bulb can be used to drain out the thick discharge from the nose. Aspirator can also be used to accomplish the task. You can use the above mentioned means before feeding the kid to help breast feeding.
- Wash your hands is the best home remedy which should be followed by all the parents and their family members to eliminate cold in babies. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has published a recent study according to which majority of infections are transferred through hands.
- In order to eliminate the instances of irritation, petroleum jelly should be applied near the nostrils of the infant. Petroleum jelly is one of the best home remedies for handling cold in babies. Parents need to avoid the use of nasal spray because it might cause side effect. In some cases, the spray has resulted in the deterioration of the congestion issues.
- One of the home remedies for cold in babies is eucalyptus oil. Eucalyptus oil or vaporizer can be used to remove the nasal congestion. Even bath would go a long way in providing relief to the babies.
- Chamomile tea is a good home remedy for common cold in babies. Kids more than 6 months old could be given chamomile tea in little warm solution.
- Avoiding babies from people with cold or infections is one of the best home remedies. New born infants should be set aside from people who are infected. You can ask them to visit only when they have fully recovered from the disease.
- Breast feeding is one of the greatest home remedy for cold in babies but make sure that the baby is sufficiently able to breathe with his nose. Mothers can breast feed the infants because it provides security against the chances of getting caught by various infections though there is no protection 100% fool proof. There are lots of antibodies in the mother’s milk that can eliminate harmful microorganisms.
- Maintaining cleanliness of the entire home is a home remedy for common cold in babies. It is important to make the house neat and clean in order to prevent the spread of germs and bacteria. You should be careful if any family member falls ill. Cups and vessels should be washed with disinfectants because viruses can survive for two to three hours in the open environment. Proper attention would help to eliminate the bacteria and viruses that can stick on to the TV or even remote.
Other home remedies for cold in babies include:
- A pillow should be placed under the mattress to raise the crib’s head.
- The baby’s chest should be warm. Dress them with sweater during the cold seasons.
- Warm should be administered to the baby to avoid dehydration. Cumin water or boiled ajwain can also work wonders during common cold.
- Infants should be provided cotton socks prior to sleeping and vapo rubs should be used under the feet.
The above mentioned home remedies can help you to protect the babies from common cold infections and fever.
Recovery Period or Healing Time for Cold in Babies
Recovery from cold in babies usually takes a maximum of 2 weeks to completely vanish. The symptoms of the cold displays after 1 to 3 days when the baby is exposed to the virus and the babies are contagious for 3 to 4 days and then they will not be contagious. The general recovery period or healing time for cold in babies is a week but the maxium amount of time is 2 weeks.
Prevention of Cold in Babies
Since cold in babies is a viral infection, it can be prevented. The cold causing virus spreads using air as a medium from person to baby when they cough or sneeze or talk (droplets of spit). It is important to wash hands with anti-bacterial soap at regular intervals of time. Below are few preventive methods for cold in babies:
- New born baby should be kept away from the sick people because infants suffer from weak immune system. If people want to come into contact, they should be healthy and not suffer from any illness. Mothers of new born kids should avoid public transport for few months to prevent cold in babies.
- You should wash the hands before picking up the baby to prevent cold in babies. If the water is unavailable, use hand gel to make the hands bacteria free.
- Toys and pacifiers should be cleaned on a regular basis to prevent cold in babies.
- While sneezing or coughing in the house, make sure you are carrying a tissue. If it is not available, you can use the arm’s crook to prevent the spread of germs.
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