Infants and children who have colds (English)

Infants and children who have colds
One of the most difficult things experienced by new parents is when their baby got the flu for the first time . Your baby will feel uncomfortable, and difficult to feed. It's not like you see it , but there are many things you can do to reduce your baby's discomfort . You can calm down because it's just a common cold and usually not serious.




Experts estimate that your baby will get the flu as much as eight to 10 times in his first two years . That's a lot of tissues and night care .
What causes the flu?
Flu is an infection of the upper respiratory tract caused by many different viruses.

Often flu spread when a person with a cold sneezes and spreading the flu virus into the air to be infected by others . It can also be spread through hand contact , so good if you always wash your hands after blowing your nose.

Babies tend to colds because they are born with immune systems which function at 60 percent .

How does influenza affect the baby ?
Few things are more frustrating than a baby with a cold . A sick baby will probably have a fever (up to 38 degrees C ) , cough , red eyes, sore throat and runny nose. Your child may also be irritable and loss of appetite .

Babies under six months of age can not breathe through their noses when they are sick , so they have trouble breathing and eating . Children are not ready to blow their noses up to the age of four, so you have to help clear the mucus.

If sleeping through the night had become routine for the baby , this time you will remember back the first weeks of birth. Maybe he'll wake up several times during the night due to discomfort and difficulty breathing. You have to watch with your baby, comforting and wiping his nose .

How long does the flu last?
The symptoms usually subside after three to 10 days , even in very young babies , it may last up to two weeks. Most babies who have contact with children who are older will suffer from influenza by six to 10 times in their first year until you feel it is a cold throughout the year.

Can I prevent my child from getting the flu?
Breastfeeding is one of the best ways to protect your baby's health since as long as she 's breastfeeding, she will get your antibodies and your natural immunity . And when babies are breastfed get sick, the disease is mild.

You can also try to protect your child by keeping him away from those who are ill and by asking all sick family members to wash their hands before touching your baby or things.

If you or your husband smoke , stop , and avoid bringing your baby to places smoking . Children who live with cigarette smokers have more colds and their colds last longer than their peers who were not exposed to cigarette smoke.

When should I call the doctor ?
Do so at the first sign of illness if your child is less than three months.

For older babies , call your doctor if :
flu lasts more than five days ;
your child's temperature exceeds 39 degrees C ;
he suffered ear pain, trouble breathing , wheezing , persistent cough ;
her thick green mucus running from his nose .
How do I treat a cold?
Not much you can do except wait and give your child plenty of rest and fluids (increase the amount of fruit juice rich in vitamin C ) .

If he's hot , you can give him paracetamol suspension under a doctor's supervision . Do not give him any cold medications without consulting your paediatrician or family doctor. If the age of the child is less than one year, the counter cold medications often do more harm , and cough syrup effectively the same as without any medication to relieve the symptoms .

Even so , there are ways to relieve discomfort:
If your baby nose is congested , elevate the head of the mattress with an old towel . Sleep incline may help relieve nasal drip mucus. Do not use pillows to prop your baby ( it can pose a suffocation hazard ) and do not put a pillow under the mattress .
Massage his nose so he could breathe more easily . You can also apply petroleum jelly out of your baby's nostrils to reduce irritation. If your baby is feeding difficult nasal congestion , ask your doctor to prescribe saline solution placed in each nostril 15 minutes before feeding. Some parents use a suction bulb to clear the salt water and mucus from baby's nose .
Try a cool mist vaporiser to moisten the air . Or take your baby into the bathroom with you, turn on the hot water or shower, close the door and sit in the steamy room for about 15 minutes . Do not forget to change your baby's clothes after the steam bath .
If your baby's stuffy nose without any other symptoms, check his nostrils if there are any foreign objects . Sometimes we do not know : even can put objects into the nose .

Colds are a part of life . Once you've survived your baby for the first time, you will know what to do if it is infected again .