On average, a young child has eight colds a year. You are not at the end of your troubles... It is impossible to escape from it, but it is possible to put in place certain measures to prevent it from getting worse.
A cold, what could be more banal in an infant? It is even the daily lot of children under 2 years old. In Sweden, it is said that it takes forty colds to make a child! Nothing to panic...
A common virus that heals in a week
In terms of symptoms, the common cold is not very difficult to recognize: it is characterized by sneezing, a clear nasal discharge that will become thicker and more colorful over the course of the days, a blocked nose that requires you to leave your mouth ajar to breathe and a slight cough.
At the origin of this infection, in 90% of cases, a common virus that causes inflammation of the respiratory mucous membranes in the nose and throat. Most often, the cold is completely cured within a week without the need for any particular treatment, apart from rest.
Improve the comfort of the child with a cold
The cure of the cold being spontaneous, all the measures to be taken aim at improving the child's comfort.
An episode of rhinopharyngitis is most often accompanied by a fever between 38.5 and 39°C for the first two days. To lower this fever, give your child a dose of paracetamol syrup or suppository every six hours. Don't cover your child too much so that he or she doesn't have a seizure.
Avoid having the air in your living area too hot or too dry, as this makes the airways more sensitive to germs. To compensate for the lack of humidity, place a damp towel or a container of water nearby on the radiator, or use an electric or porous stone humidifier. This moist air will also help to liquefy secretions and reduce coughing.
A little tip to help your baby breathe better at night when his nose is congested, raise his head with a pillow placed under his mattress.
Since blocked nostrils can interfere with bottle-feeding, split bottles to give your baby short pauses and allow him to catch his breath.
Long used to fluidify mucus, fluidifying syrups are nowadays contraindicated for children under 2 years old. For older children, they should be used before 6 p.m. and never before a nap. Similarly, the use of vasoconstrictors is strongly discouraged in infants and young children.
No more complications: the focus is on nose washing
The real problem with rhinopharyngitis is not the cold itself, but rather the ENT complications that can result from it. To prevent the cold from turning into otitis, sinusitis or pharyngitis, your therapeutic weapon can be summed up in one word: cleansing the nasal cavities.
Close your child's mouth with one hand and keep his or her head to one side. Then instill a few drops of saline (in a pod or spray) in the nose as your child breathes and suck out the mucus with a baby fly. For optimal germ removal, choose a nasal spray that combines saline or seawater with an antiseptic.
When should I see a doctor?
It is essential to consult a doctor if you notice the following symptoms:
Fever does not drop below 38.5°C after three to four days;
the cough becomes wheezy;
the child often touches his or her ears;
a hoarse voice;
the cold is accompanied by frequent diarrhea and vomiting;
if the child seems listless or has not eaten for three days;
his eyes are all glued together when he wakes up or he cries (this could be viral conjunctivitis that needs to be treated with eye drops).
Cures to prevent recurrences?
To avoid the too frequent repetition of episodes of rhinopharyngitis, some ENTs prescribe during the three winter months cures of sulfur associated with vitamin A (Solacy, Oligosol Sulfur...) and trace elements (manganese / copper, copper / gold / silver).
Their effectiveness is not proven, but in practice their use can have a happy effect.
What to avoid when baby has a cold
There is no need to give your child antibiotics, since in most cases rhinopharyngitis is viral in origin. They will only be useful in case of complications.
Do not give aspirin or ibuprofen without medical advice. In fact, a cold may also hide another infectious disease for which the use of these medications may be contraindicated.
In infants, absolutely avoid using camphor and menthol-based products. Similarly, the use of essential oils, Armenian paper and incense is not recommended because they release volatile organic compounds (benzene, formaldehyde, toluene ...) which are toxic and irritating especially in infants.
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