Treating your baby’s colds
It’s awful when your baby is ill. Babies can’t tell what’s the problem and moms are always so worried when the little one doesn’t feel well. Now that the weather is turning cold your baby can get the cold. How we can protect them? What kind of medicines can we use? There’re many questions to answer. The good news is that Babycenter can help you with this great article:
Is it okay to give my baby over-the-counter (OTC) cold medicine?
Most experts say no. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises doctors to tell their patients that OTC cough and cold medicines aren’t effective in children younger than 6 and can sometimes have dangerous side effects. You may want to ask your child’s doctor what he suggests.
Keep in mind that cough and cold medications won’t shorten the course of your child’s cold or prevent further complications such as ear infections or sinus infections.
If your baby is feverish, ask your doctor about giving her infant acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
Never give your baby aspirin as it makes her more susceptible to Reye’s syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal disease.
Fortunately there are always alternative treatments that can help your child:
Adding a few drops of menthol, eucalyptus, or pine oil to a vaporizer or bath may help your baby feel less congested, says Kathi Kemper, professor of pediatrics, public health sciences, and family medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and author of The Holistic Pediatrician. (You can get these oils at most natural food stores.) If your baby is at least 6 months old, a weak, lukewarm solution of chamomile tea can also be soothing.
Source: http://www.babycenter.com/0_colds_78.bc?intcmp=Nav_HP_Hero3&page=3#articlesection4
