Fevers And Colds Are Common With Babies, So There’s No Need To Panic
Usually, your first instinct as a parent would be to phone your pediatrician A-SAP the moment your baby has a fever or cold. But you need not “freak out” in the event baby has a fever or cold, as most times you wouldn’t even have to see a doctor, but rather stick to some good old fashioned damage control in the comfort of home. Consider these quick and useful tips to help you deal with colds and fevers without having to leave home, and when you should be calling your doctor for assistance.
First, most doctors don’t consider a fever under 100°F a fever at all, unless your baby is under two months old, in which case you should seek medical treatment with any fever. Otherwise, as long as the fever doesn’t go above 102°F, you need not treat it unless it is making your baby uncomfortable or unable to sleep. But there would also be some symptoms of a fever or accompanying complaints that would necessitate a trip to your trusted health care specialist — these include purple spots on your baby’s skin, a stiff neck that goes with the baby’s fever, dehydration symptoms (e.g. sunken fontanel, infrequent urination, chapped lips) and the baby’s temperature exceeding 105° rectally.
To treat a mild fever, try keeping your baby cool, using compresses or a tepid bath. Dress her loosely that old wives tale about keeping them bundled up is just that- an old wives tale. You want to do the opposite by dressing her loosely, and also make sure you keep a close eye on your princess as you monitor her fluid intake. Unless your baby is having difficulty sleeping, over the counter medication is best avoided in most cases. In all actuality, fever is what the immune system uses as a deterrent to disease, so letting it “do the dirty work” might be the best thing you can do.
If baby has a minor cold, letting her rest is the best solution. However, your child may be unable to rest comfortably unless you treat the cold symptoms. Vaporizers and/or vapor baths would be very useful in alleviating nasal congestion. You might have to go OTC, though, if your child’s discomfort level is really too much for him/her to take. For dosage guidelines, follow your doctor’s recommendations, or those on the bottle, but go by weight, not age.
Colds should resolve themselves in a week or so, but if they do not, look for signs of an ear infection. Your baby may be prone to strange and befuddling crying jags, tugging of ears and may be trying to sleep quite fitfully as they toss and turn. If you notice these symptoms, take your child to the doctor. It is usually quite difficult to discern an ear infection if your child is quite young, though they can really be excruciating.
Trust your pediatrician’s word, as he can tell you when your little princess should drop by for a visit due to a nagging cold or fever that just isn’t going away. But, trust your instincts, and don’t hesitate to call anytime you believe there is a real problem.
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