Six and a Half Month Old with Cough

This is what I know"
Humidifiers are actually helpful and my pediatrician recommends using one. We have a warm mist for the winter and a cold mist for the summer. We clean them regularly and replenish water frequently as well.
From what I can read, it is probably allergies or a plain cold. My son gets them with the same symptoms = has good appetite, no fever.
I would not use Vicks at this early age. My doctor said that it can cause more harm than good and definitely nothing of an allergy=fighting medicine for that young of a baby. You just have to ride it out. We also elevate your sons mattress and suction his nose frequently with saline drops and an automatic suctioner which does wonders.

Hi S. -- I'm in the same boat with a seven-month-old. Our pediatrician said to use a cool mist humidifier in the baby's room (not right next to the crib) and saline nose drops. No Vicks or anything else; it can be more harmful than helpful. Claritin is fine for a nursing mom, but not Claritin-D. I don't know about Zyrtec, but I'm sure your pediatrician could tell you. I hope you all feel better soon!

They recently said to NOT use vicks on babies. It can inflame their airways and make breathing harder on them! Humidifiers are fine, though (in the room, not in their face). I'd ask the pediatrician for more recommendations and about your allergy medicine options with breastfeeding.

Try putting the vick's rub also on her feet with socks on, I do not know exactly what makes this work but I have found with all 5 of my kids it works better and lasts longer than just putting it on the chest.

I believe cold mist humidifiers are supposed to be the safest, but be careful to get tht ekind without a filter or change it regularly or it could do more harm than good. I see no reason not to use a humidifier for a six month old - it has always helped both for the moisture and for the white noise.

Definitesly keep breast feeding as that shouldn\ shorten the length of the infection. But I would avoid medications, even Claritin - check with the pediatrician, but almost all cold and allergy drugs get passed in breast milk and she is too young for these. Keep her upright after feeding if possible, becaus ethe milk may increase the mucous, but do not prop her in the crib.

Colds can seem to linger in babies because they aren't able to clear their throats and noses easily (use the bulb siringe from the hospital). However, coughts can be very dangerous in infants, so pay close attention to that aspect of it, especially if it persists or becomes croupy.