Babies are tiny, fragile yet beautiful creature of God. To be honest, if they are not handled with care they tend to get flu and cold a lot. I would say they are cold magnets, they catch cold instantly. Taking care of flu and cold is not as easy as it seems especially when comes to babies who can’t be given heavy dose of medicines. Always seek an expert opinion and choose best pediatrician in case symptoms of cold persists in your baby.
Have you ever noticed that if one member of your family suffers from cold or flu, by the time he/she gets better one or two other members of the family becomes its victim? Well, thanks to the Virus. Cold and flu in Babies are brought to you by contagious virus. It can be easily transferred. Hence it is recommended that to always take precautionary measures to not let Cold or Flu happen to your baby.
Following are some of the precautionary measures that you can take:
Avoid contact
Yes! It might sound selfish or rude to some people but if a person is suffering from cold and flu, you better keep your baby away from him/her. A direct contact with an infected person can make your baby fall sick of cold and flu.
Wash your hands
Before and after feeding your baby, please wash your hands to get rid of germs and bacteria. Believe it or not your hands can be full of germ; maybe you took out garbage, patted animals, changed diaper, used bathroom, or covered your mouth for sneeze. All of these activities can contaminate your hands and can transfer virus to your baby.
- Always use warm water and antiseptic soap
- Rub your hands briskly together for good 20 seconds
- Don’t forget to wash the area between your fingers and around your nails.
Cleaning of nose
Yes! It helps. Unlike grown-ups, babies can’t blow their nose hence usage of Saline drops or Bulb syringe to clean their nose can save your baby from stuffy nose which further causes cough and cold in babies. It is always better to consult your child’s pediatrician for an expert opinion
Extra fluids
Making your child drink plenty of fluid can prevent dehydration. It moist your child’s nasal secretions and flushes it out before it becomes irritable for your child. Breast milk, formula or water is best for your baby. Stick to breast milk or formula for babies younger than 6 months unless pediatrician tells you otherwise.
