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Home › Articles › Sleep Issues › It's Sniffle Time!

It's Sniffle Time!

Comforting Baby during a Cold or Flu

By Teri Brown

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Dr. Piwoz believes while there are no easy cures, there are some things you can do to make your toddler or infant feel better. "Make sure your child gets plenty of rest and plenty of fluids," says Dr. Piwoz. "If your child is running high fevers, they may need to drink more than usual in order to stay well-hydrated. You can use over-the-counter medicines like acetaminophen for fever. Some children with documented (positive test) flu infection may benefit from an antiviral medication, but this is not necessarily indicated for all cases and should be discussed with your child's doctor. Antibiotics do not work against colds or the flu."

There are very few nonprescription products to use on children under the age of 2 years without a physician providing a safe dose. Never just pick up a nonprescription product and make up a dose for your baby or toddler based on the doses for older kids on the label.

Humidifier or Vaporizer?
Dr. Stephen Pray of the College of Pharmacy at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, believes humidification is one of the most effective things to do to make your child more comfortable. "Use a humidifier or vaporizer to help keep mucus from becoming dry and immobile," says Dr. Pray. "Doctors recommend vapor therapy to relieve congestion, coughing and dry, scratchy throats. Keeping airways moist also drains the sinuses and relieves cough and cold symptms."

According to Dr. Pray, vaporizers and humidifiers are a great help in making babies more comfortable. When adequate humidity is present in the air, the respiratory system is better able to remove inhaled viruses, pollutants and mucus from the lungs. When the air is too dry, mucus remains trapped in the lungs, along with the inhaled viruses and pollutants. The vaporizers and humidifiers provide the vapor or mist, making the lung's cleaning system work at its best.

The difference between a vaporizer and a humidifier is a vaporizer delivers soothing steam to humidify the air while a humidifier delivers a cool mist to accomplish the same objective. (Remember to keep cords and machines away from your child's reach!)

When to Get Help

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