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Common Cold -- Babies
Your pediatrician may say in her soothing voice, "It's just a cold," but when it's your baby suffering through a stuffy nose, cough, and fever, nothing about it seems common.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), babies catch an average of 8 to 10 colds or more in their first two years of life (babies in group childcare could catch even more). The good news? Colds should pass in a few days.
Like your own colds, a baby's is likely to be caused by a virus. How are they not like yours? Babies' upper respiratory tracts are so tiny that just a small amount of inflammation (swelling) and congestion has the potential to make her more miserable.
That said, don't be tempted to give a baby cold medicine without discussing it with your child's doctor, because with every medication you have potential side effects.
Should you call the doctor? Yes. Parents should always contact their pediatricians if their baby is under 3 months of age and has a fever, is lethargic, not eating, or just not acting right.
Though a cold itself is harmless, in very young babies it can turn into a more serious infection, such as pneumonia. Even if a baby suffers just from congestion, your doctor can recommend how to care for her.
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