Help, My 5 Month Old Has a Cold

Updated on December 03, 2008
J.G. asks from Tempe, AZ
19 answers

My 5 month old caught her big brother's cold and she is miserable. We had to hold her in the bathroom last night next to the shower to steam her and it helped for a short time but we had a rough night. Her nose is really stuffed and alternates between she cant breathe through it and it wont stop running. I know you are not supposed to give them anything this young but does anyone have any suggestions at all? I am not looking forward to another sleepless night.

Thanks

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So What Happened?

Thanks to everyone for their input. All of it helped. We are using a steamer and eucalyptus oil on her feet and in vaporizer to help. She is still plugged a bit but doing better. As for the probiotics, I am breastfeeding so the only thing I can do is take more for myself, unless you have another thought on how to feed it to her. She doesnt bottle feed ebm very much. Thanks again!

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P.E.

answers from Panama City on

Visks rubbed on chest
keep it dripping, if it dries up and blocks up it can get infection andyou end up with a migraine of the face get a humidifier. saline water nose spray. These are the things my doctor told me.

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S.T.

answers from Orlando on

Have you thought about getting a humidifier? This worked for my little ones & also having their mattess propped with a phone book or something stable that will allow them to not be straight on their back. It helps them to breathe better.

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E.B.

answers from Miami on

www.nosefrida.com
trust me. It looks gross, but none of the mucus goes through the filter.

and try the colds bubble bath from Johnson & Johnson

1 mom found this helpful
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R.A.

answers from Boca Raton on

Sorry to hear your little one is suffering. Nurse her non stop. Don't eat any dairy products and make sure she has none too. Try to eat a clean diet with no sugar (weakens the immune system) and eat lots of fresh green veggies. Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful
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M.H.

answers from Fort Walton Beach on

Hi J.,

I agree with Tammy about the plug ins. I wouldn't recommend them. Saline drops are appropriate and also a cold mist humidifier will help. If you are still breast feeding, you need to UP your nutrition so she will get it also. Sugar breaks down the immune system so water is better than juice if she'll take it.

Also don't go overboard on the cleaning. (I understand you have other people in the house to think about.) Unless you use non-toxic products, you can make her breathing worse and also compromise the immune system even more than it is already.

After this is all said and done, you may want to think about detoxifying the house so that this will not happen as much, or even never again. Let me know and I'll be glad to help.

God bless and Happy Thanksgiving!

M.

K.B.

answers from Jacksonville on

I second the plug in vapor! Its made by Vicks (I think there may be one other brand), but it just plugs into the wall, and helps them breathe so much better! I dont know what i would do without ours! :)

If you use vicks on the baby, at all...put it on her feet and cover them with socks...this way the vapors are not too strong...trust me, it works! :)

I hope tonight is better for you!

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T.M.

answers from Panama City on

Hey J.,

I just bought some stuff called Respiractin at the health food store for my 18 month old and his nose was clear in two days. It is safe for a 5 month old. If you live in Panama City, I bought mine at the Olive Leaves Health Food store on 23rd St. in the Publix shopping center. For my one month old, I called the nurse helpline and they said to put one drop of warm water in her nose and wait at least one min. then use the suction thing to suck it out. The steam shower is also helpful. Hope this helps you and you can get some sleep tonight!

T.

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R.M.

answers from Daytona Beach on

I agree with the mom about the probiotics. Also make sure you have a cool mist humidifier next to her at all times. Call your dr and ask if she can be given Elderberry extract. It's sold in health food stores and helps fight colds. After using the nose drops suck her nose out with a bulb. Give her lots of long baths this gets the stuffy nose running and clears out her head. Keep an eye out for her breathing to be she it isn't labored and settling in her chest. Also watch for ear infection. If the dr does put her on antibiotics...give her probiotics after she finishes the round of meds. This will put back all the good bactiria in her that the antibiotics wipe out. Don't give them both at the same time b/c they antibiotic will make the probiotics useless.
God Bless,
R.

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C.K.

answers from Gainesville on

Hi, my name is C.. I actually just had the same thing happen with my 6th month old. He got my cold and it was horrible. The thing that helped him was the new tylenol saline nose rinse. It is acceptable to give to babies. I called his doc and asked. He didn't like it that much when you sprayed it in his nose but within two days he could breath much better and his nose cleared up after that. If you feel uneasy about it call your doc and ask. They actually recommend it now. Im telling you it helped so much! Please give it a try. Good luck!

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T.F.

answers from Orlando on

Try saline drops for the snot- ask your doctor or the pharmasist the best way to use it for her age. And make sure she is getting plenty of fluids-- let her suck on a popcicle and eat jello-- both good ways to get fluid into her. It's better for her to have a runny nose than to not run and just be "stuck" because then it turns into a sinus infection. My 2 year old currently has one and trying to get him to take Amoxicilan twice a day for 10 days is NOT fun!!

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M.H.

answers from Miami on

try http://nosefrida.com/
this is supposed to be the best thing since disposable diapers!!

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R.P.

answers from Jacksonville on

Try baby vics and a humidifier. Also, I know this sounds absolutley crazy, but someone told me to try putting vics on your babies soles of his/her feet and then put socks on them. I tried it out of desperation and it really helped. My little one had a really bad cold a month ago and I did this and it seemed to soothe her. She started expecting it even after her cold was gone. Don't give her any cold meds though. They really don't work on infants and children for some reason (at least they don't on mine) and all your doing is giving your baby mediciation her body can't use. Good luck, and I hope your baby gets better soon.

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T.D.

answers from Daytona Beach on

Put a humdifier in her room and run it. Also you can set one of the plug in vapor things and use that as well. Other than that there isn't anything unless you take her to the doctor.

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M.H.

answers from Melbourne on

Get probiotics capsules at the health food store. Open and add to her milk every feeding! Probiotics are the good bacteria that everyone needs to live. The probiotics will crowd out the bad bacteria in her intestines and she will get well faster. A study done in Europe showed that probiotics given every hour healed faster than antibiotics and without all the bad side effects.
God Bless,
M.

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J.D.

answers from Port St. Lucie on

I just saw your request today. My boys are 11 and 8 years old.

Try a warm misting machine in the room. You can also put some liquid vapor on top of the mister. These misters can be found a Walgreens or other pharmacy store.

Try saline drops to help clear the nasal passages. It's more natural than other nasal sprays.

There are also over the counter medications for stuffy noses that is available for babies. These can also be found at Walgreens or other pharmacy store.

Hope this helps and hope she gets better and you get some sleep. I've been there and completely understand.

Good Luck...Merry Christmas

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C.W.

answers from Miami on

if she has a stuffy nose, try this. make a little saline, water and salt, then take a dropper and put a drop or two on each nostril. it works, but she will not like it.

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B.R.

answers from Orlando on

You might try a vapor rub on her chest and neck. Don't have any other suggestions. Definitely get her to the doctor if it continues. My son had a very bad cold around that age and he got prescribed decongestant drops and used a nebulizer (inhaler) 3 times a day. Good luck.

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D.W.

answers from Gainesville on

I've read that the vapor plug-ins aren't recommended for the little ones because the vapors are so strong it can cause breathing difficulties. Mine is the same age and just got over a cold. The doc said use saline drops and suction her nose w/the bulb syringe (but not more than 4 x per day). Just do one nostril @ a time so she doesn't feel like she's suffocating. A cool mist humidifier helps too.

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T.B.

answers from Boca Raton on

There is a Baby Vicks... you could use that. I've been putting it on the chest, back and soles of my 12 month old's feet to help him with his cold. Aspirate... I've given him some regular Tylenol to help him sleep.
When I was in Canada, my son had a cold, too... I bought a homeopathic cream (like Vicks) at Walmart. Not sure if they carry it here, too. Would be in the baby section. If one's close by, it may be worth looking into.
I can always call my ped... 24/7 to ask what to do to make baby more comfortable. They may be able to give advice we haven't thought of?
Good luck, I know I've had a few of those sleepless nights with my 12 month old lately. (Sleep for 2 hrs, awake, sleep, awake, etc...) Not fun for anyone!
T.
Mom to Katie, 3 and Matthew, 1

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