How to Care for a 9 Month Old with First Cold???

Other than Tylenol or Motrin there is no medication available on the market that is recommended for children under 6 years old. My son has had almost as many colds as the 21 months he's been on this earth. The following items have helped me tremendously. I would suggest purchasing these if you don't already have them: a warm steam vaporizer, a bulb syringe, saline drops, Johnson's Soothing Vapor Bath, Vicks Baby Vapo-Rub, tissues with lotion in them and some soothing balm (I like Res-Q Ointment - in a green tin - by Burt's Bees). The vaporizer will help with nasal and chest congestion. Look for an additive you can put in the water that will put eucalyptus/menthol vapors in the steam/air to help with congestion/coughing. The bulb syringe will help you draw out nasal congestion since she doesn't know how to blow yet. The saline drops will help break up nasal congestion and keep her mucus membranes moist. The Vapor Bath and Baby Vapo-Rub will also help break up congestion. The tissues with lotion will help keep her nose from getting too sore. The balm is for her cheeks, nose and lips which will get raw and dry from wiping her nose. The balm is also good to use when she gets chapped skin from cold, dry air. Try to dab and not wipe her nose. I gently pinch my son's nostrils together between the tissue to help squeeze out any congestion, dab any excess off his upper lip and re-apply balm when I see it's gone. If she'll take to it, you might consider a small pillow to place under her head and upper torso to help with any nighttime coughing. Good luck!

3 moms found this helpful

You can put a few drops of breast milk in her nose if you're breastfeeding and then suction. You can take her in a closed bathroom with the shower running hot so the steam helps her breathe (of course, don't get in the shower, just be in the room for 10 min or less). There is a Vick's rub for infants that you can put on her back or chest-I don't recommend putting in on an infants nose or under it because they use their hands on their face a lot and might accidentally rub their face and then their eyes. I don't think anyone should use over-the-counter cold remedies since they are still on the shelves and there have been studies that prove they don't actually work much anyhow-it's not worth the risk to me. Run a cool-mist humidifier in the baby's room when sleeping too. If the baby develops a cough, start putting the Vick's rub on both feet and put socks on. This works with adults too. Hope that helps.

2 moms found this helpful

I wouldn't give her Tylenol unless she has a fever or is in pain. Tylenol won't do anything to help with the cold, so you would be drugging the baby for no reason (if she doesn't have a fever or pain, that is).

For a stuffy nose, you can use saline drops (Baby Noses or other brands) and a bulb syringe to suction out the mucous. A humidifier is good for at night. You can also slightly elevate the head of the crib mattress so that the mucous drains down and out of the baby's nose rather than it all going back into her mouth and lungs.

2 moms found this helpful

Hi T.,
I invested in a humidifier with my kids, it helped alot! Also, vicks on the chest....I love it for the whole family because eucalyptus is natural and there is nothing there to bring you up or down. It just gets rid of the problem.
Feel better!
J.

1 mom found this helpful

Humidifier and lots of TLC!!!

1 mom found this helpful

Hose the nose.. saline spray at bathtime, nasal aspirator at each diaper change.. just keep things moving through the nasal passages so fluid doesn't settle and cause an ear infection. Steam baths with a vicks type of bath product. I use something I got from Sprouts, it's dark green. Just a couple of drops in the bathtub helps clear the nose. Tylenol is a pain reliver/fever reducer so I wouldn't give that to her for the sniffles. Just let it run its course.

Oh, if you are breastfeeding, continue to offer the breast as much as possible, it may lessen the length of time she has the sniffles and help her not to get worse, also squirting breast milk in to the nose. I know, sounds crazy but it works!

Hope she is feeling better soon,
M.

1 mom found this helpful

Nurse extra, it's the best med.

1 mom found this helpful

I agree with others. Saline drops in the nose (Little Noses) are fabulous at loosening the mucus and then you can suction it out. Be sure to put more drops in after suctioning to keep her nose moisturized. Oh, good luck. I know it's just aweful to watch them suffer.

1 mom found this helpful

Eucalyptus and peppermint oil did NOTHING for my daughter, so we used Camphor oil on her sinuses and rubbed some on the outside of her nostrils. We also gaver her herbs for Kids Echinacea/Goldenroot (not Goldenseal) for a few days, as well as therapuetic doses of A&D. There was significant change within 1 day.

I took vitamins and nursed as well. Tylenol will only make her body work harder trying to get rid of the drugs when she should be trying to fight the infection.

1 mom found this helpful

Pediacare has this wonderful baby vapor plug. It works way better than the humidifier. It fills the room with vapors and makes sleeping through the night a whole lot better for a stuffy, runny, coughy baby. Pediacare also has a great cold and flu medication for babies. Tastes like bubblegum. My daughter loved it.

1 mom found this helpful

my dr recomended the saline drops as well and said not to give baby tylenol unless the baby has a fever and is really really fussy. its only to help him sleep not actually treat the cold. usually you dont do much for an infant

1 mom found this helpful

what i find that works best is a cool mist humidafire placed about 3-4 feet from where your daughter sleeps also making sure her nose is clear as much as possible. if this cold last more then 5-7 days you may make an appt with her dr. also you can give her childrens cough meds for her age i would only use a 1/4 of the smallest dosage (but only if you feel comfortable doing so) or you can take her to her dr to get meds. good luck i hope shes better soon!

1 mom found this helpful

For my son even now I always use the following:

1. Humidifier
2. Saline drops to clean out with Bulb Syringe
3. Sudcare plug-ins...un-medicated and awesome, I use them when I'm sick too
4. Steam bath
5. Vick's Infant Rub

All of those things make comfort level for my son easier, and he usually is only sniffly a couple of days if I do maintain a routine.

Unless, she's got a fever or pain due to symptoms I would nix the Tylenol for now, and if you do need a fever reducer I like Motrin drops because it last longer, especially at night!!

Good luck.

http://www.sudacare.com/index.jhtml#

1 mom found this helpful

The first thing I do for my son's colds is break out the humidifier. I do this even before the tylenol. Sometimes it does the trick before I need to go to the tylenol. Also, if she gets a lot of mucus in her nasal passages you may want to use something designed to suction it out (a pharmacy should have an infant suction if you don't already have one. I had to do this for my son since he was too young to blow his nose on his first cold. Also, always call your pediatrician who may have some additional suggestions for you.

1 mom found this helpful

What worked for my daughter at that age was the baby saline drops for the nose, that helped alot and also the vicks baby rub. Also the doctor recommened me have my daughter sleep in her carrier so she wouldn't be laying flat.

1 mom found this helpful

Cool mist humidifier in her room, saline drops in her nose and suction ( keeps the mucus out of her chest) baby vapor rub on her chest and back and also standing in a steamy bathroom is good.

1 mom found this helpful

Get some "Little Noses" saline spray. Squirt it in her nose about every two hours, and suck it out with a bulb syringe (the kind that they used in the hospital when she was born). Get a cold mist humidifier and run it when she's sleeping. I hope she feels better soon! :)

1 mom found this helpful

A little dab of ginger oil behind each ear will ease congestion. Also the humidifier will help at night as everyone else suggested. Good luck! :)

1 mom found this helpful

Like everyone else is sayiog, i hear the saline is great. I even saw a baby saline kit sold at Rite Aid the other day. I have a 9 mo old also. With this weather she started getting sniffly as well. I got a cool mist humidifier and ran it for a couple days and it really helped. I just bought one at Wal Mart. I hope she feels better soon!
Oh, and then they always say to let them hang out in the bathroom while you take a hot steamy shower (not the baby). The steam helps clear them up. However, i know it can be diffcult at that age to keep them in a bathroom!

1 mom found this helpful

Humidify, humidify, humidify! It makes a world of a difference! I've also tried baby vicks on my 6 month old to help her breathe. As far as medicine, I don't believe there is anything other than tylenol you can give her. Good luck though! She'll get better soon.

1 mom found this helpful

One thing that has helped my son and still does I turn on the shower on hot and let the bathroom fill up with steam. then I sit in there with him for about 15-20 min then I either take him outside if it is cold or I open the frezzer. and stand there with him for just a few min and that helps him for a couple of hours. I do this mainly when he gets up before his nap time and befor his bed time. my aunt has done this with all of her kids and it has worked for her and my pediatrican also told me about this to. Hope it works for you.

1 mom found this helpful

This seemed to help my little one a bit: Rub some Vick's Baby Rub onto the bottom of her feet before putting her socks on. According to your judgement, you could also put a little in the middle of her back (under clothing, of course, where she can't reach it or roll around and get residue in her eyes or mouth). Also humidify the room to ease breathing and loosen mucus. And be sure to provide lots and lots of fluids... particularly water but anything to keep her drinking so her little body can flush out the nasties!

You got lots of advice but I did not see this one:

Put her to sleep in her infant carrier. It will keep her more upright so her sinuses can drain better and she won't get as stuffy.

I would take a hot shower with my kids, then suck as much as I could out of the nose, rub with vics, put on the humidifier and say good night. A shower in the morning helps get out the crusties too. I would not use the tylenol unless she has a fever, which may mean an ear infection.

Good luck. I know it is hard.

Try a cool mist humidifier, saline nasal spray, and a bulb nose syringe to get mucus out.

Hi T.,

I have found the Triaminic Vapor Fan (w/ refillable pads) works really well. We have used it near our son's crib when he is congested and have found that the soothing vapors have helped to open his nasal passages. It's completely portable, battery operated, and has a built in safety feature of automatically turning off after 8 hours so we can use it all night long and it's off in the morning when our son wakes up. We have also used Vicks BABY Rub on his chest and back and that seems to help too. Vicks Baby Rub is safe to use on babies over 4 months old. I hope the suggestions help and I hope your daughter feels better soon!

A humidifier/vaporizer works wonders and/or a warm bath with Johnson's soothing vapors baby wash in it (you may have to get in with her!) and lots of cuddling helps keep her calm and relaxed so her body can do what it needs to to get better. Good luck! Hope she feels better soon!

Get her to drink more liquids. orange juice is the best if she'll drink it. This will help to keep the discharge thinner and easier to remove. You can also give her saline drops as often as needed to help relieve stuffiness. Because my kids didn't know how to blow their nose I've also used the bulb syringe to clear out their nose if there was an excess of discharge. I did have to hold my kids down to do the syringe because they didn't like me putting it their nose, but they could always breathe better afterward.

Hi T.!
I did not finish reading all the responses. But one person sugeested the Vicks Vapor Rub. Put the vapor Rub on her feet and then put socks on. The vapor is suppose to absorb faster thru the feet and also somehow get the needed vapor to help release the congestion. I have tried it and it works, and is better then medication.
Good Luck... I know it breaks our heart when our little ones are sick.

You can also use the little noses nasel spray. That helped a little with my boy. Unfortunately you just have to ride it out...

Sorry to hear your little one is not feeling well. Make sure you suction out the little nose. My friend with twins said it helps alot. They primarily are nose breathers so it freaks them out when they can't breathe. Also get a humidifier. I would add a little fruit juice to bottles if doc says it is okay, extra vitamin C always helps a cold. Good luck. : )

Saline drops for her nose are fantastic. You can try and suction stuff out too, if she'll let you.

A humidifier and also those Vicks Plug-in things work great. They have one specifically to ease breathing.

You can also try and put something under her mattress to prop the crib up, sort of put her on an incline, helps to breathe as well.

Just don't give cold/cough medicine. It's not for babies and there's no proof it does anything beneficial.

-M

Put a humidifier in her room near her crib. Take her into the bathroom and turn on the shower to super hot and stand in there while giving her a "steam." Elevate her head in her crib so the mucus doesn't go to her head. Use the nose bulb asperator often and saline drops too. you can buy all natural homeopathic "Vitamin C and cold tablets" by highlands to give her. Have her drink a lot of water and or juice.

Do you have a humidifier?

My Daughter has a bit of a cold at the moment too. We have found that baby vicks helps. Also saline nose drops help to get the snot to drain out. Sitting in a steamy bathroom can help them breath a bit better. Then all the normal stuff we do....drinl lots pf water, try to sleep...ect. Good luck. It is no fun when they are sick. Thank goodness colds only last a few days :)

Cold air humidifier and keep it cool in the room. Use saline drops (which she'll hate but they help) and get as much stuff out of her nose as you can. The first cold is the hardest on mom!

Use a warm air vaporizor but keep it atleast 4ft from the bed as the water is hot. Hope she feels better!

Aloha - no matter the age, whenever your child has a cold, use a vaporizer with liquid medication in their room whenever they're napping or down for the night. Each vaporizer comes with a recommended liquid medication that you can purchase at your local pharmacy. If no vaporizer, I use to rub mentholatum onto their sheet, blanky, pj's or a little just under their nostrils.

Hi T.,

That first cold is so hard :-( They don't understand why they are feeling under the weather and they can't breathe properly....

I think Dr. Sears has some really good advice, it has worked like a charm for us;
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/8/T081000.asp

Be careful with medication at this age. You should only give her the infants Tylenol if she has a fever.

I hope she gets well soon :-)