4 week old baby cold
What to Expect, Treatment, When to See a Doctor
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Read more about our vetting process.Colds in newborns are common. However, while most colds are not cause for concern, it’s important to monitor symptoms closely and know when to seek treatment.
All babies are born with some immunity to illness. Even so, it takes time for their brand new immune systems to fully mature. This makes babies susceptible to viral infections, which cause colds.
There are over 200 types of viruses that can cause colds. Luckily, most of the colds your baby gets will help increase their immunity. Even so, their very first cold can be scary for parents.
A baby can catch a cold at any age or time of year. In fact, they may get as many as 8 to 10 a year in their first 2 years. If your little one is around older children, their chances of getting colds may increase.
Common colds in newborns aren’t dangerous, but they can quickly escalate into conditions that are, such as pneumonia or croup. Any illness in a baby under 3 months old is a reason to call their pediatrician, especially if they’re running a fever.
A stuffed or runny nose may be your first clue that your newborn has caught a cold. Their nasal discharge may start out as thin and clear, but turn thicker and yellowish-green in color over several days. This is normal, and doesn’t mean your baby’s cold is getting worse.
Other symptoms include:
- fussiness
- fever
- coughing, especially at night
- sneezing
- reduced appetite
- difficulty breastfeeding or taking a bottle due to nasal congestion
- trouble falling or staying asleep
Colds in newborns have some of the same symptoms as other illnesses, such as the flu, croup, and pneumonia. This can make diagnosis at home more stressful for parents.
Flu
If your newborn has the flu, they may have chills, vomiting, and diarrhea in addition to common cold symptoms. They may also have symptoms you can’t see and that they can’t tell you about, including headache, muscle or body aches, or sore throat.
Getting a flu shot every year can help keep you from getting sick and protect others around you, including your newborn.
Pneumonia
A cold can advance to pneumonia quickly. Symptoms may include:
- chills
- flushed skin
- sweating
- high fever
- vomiting
- worsening cough
- rapid breathing or difficulty breathing
Your baby may also develop a bluish tint to the lips or finger beds. This means your baby isn’t getting enough oxygen and should be taken to a hospital immediately.
Croup
If your baby’s cold escalates to croup, they may have difficulty breathing, hoarseness, and a barking cough. They may also have stridor, a type of high-pitched sound that occurs due to obstructed airflow.
RSV
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a serious cause of respiratory infection that can affect people of all ages. But it is particularly serious for babies, because their airways are smaller.
Learn more about RSV in babies.
Bronchiolitis
Babies are frequently hospitalized with bronchiolitis, an inflammatory respiratory condition that affects the smallest air passages in the lungs (bronchioles).
It’s the most common cause of hospitalization in preterm infants. Viral bronchiolitis is often caused by RSV.
Whooping cough
Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a type of respiratory infection that causes congestion, sneezing, and a severe cough. Though it can affect people of all ages, it can be very serious for babies under one year of age.
Getting vaccinated can help prevent caregivers from passing whooping cough to their newborn. Babies should also be vaccinated against whooping cough according to the routine vaccine schedule.
Another name for a common cold is a viral, upper respiratory infection. They aren’t caused by bacterial infections and don’t respond to antibiotics.
Your baby’s pediatrician may take a nasal swab to determine the cause of your baby’s symptoms. Blood tests may also be used to help rule out a bacterial infection.
Bacterial infections sometimes develop as complications from viral infections. They can also cause illnesses, such as pneumonia or ear infections.
Colds in newborns aren’t unusual. The viruses which cause them can live in the air and on hard surfaces for short periods of time. That makes it possible for transmission to occur with or without direct contact to someone who’s sick.
Babies who are around older children may be more likely to get colds. But even a trip to the pediatrician’s office, a cuddle with a loving adult, or a stroll to the store can expose your baby to germs.
Breastfed babies have more immunity than babies exclusively fed formula. This is because breastfeeding supplies antibodies, white blood cells, and enzymes to your baby, which help safeguard them from infection.
Breastfed babies have all, or part, of their mother’s immunity to the illnesses she has had or been exposed to. This doesn’t, however, mean breastfed babies are completely immune from colds.
A baby under 3 months old should be seen by a doctor if they have a cold. This will help rule out more serious conditions, and will also put your mind at ease.
Fever is one way your baby’s body works to fight off colds. Even so, a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher in a baby who’s under 3 months old warrants a call to the doctor.
You should also call your doctor if your older baby has a persistent fever or other symptoms.
No matter their age, a fever that persists for more than 5 days warrants a call to the doctor and likely a visit.
Keep an eye on all of your baby’s symptoms. They should see a doctor if they have any of the following symptoms:
- rash
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- persistent or croupy cough
- odd, unusual-sounding cry
- trouble breathing
- retractions — when the areas below and between the ribs and in the neck sink in with each attempt to inhale
- thick or bloody mucus from the nose or mouth
- fever for more than 5 days
- rubbing their ear, or other sign of physical discomfort or pain anywhere in their body
- signs of dehydration, such as not wetting as many diapers as they usually do
- refusal to nurse or take a bottle
- bluish tinge around nail pads or lips
You know your little one best.
If they just don’t seem like themselves, call their pediatrician so you can rule out anything more serious than a cold. That’s what the doctor is there for.
In many cases, treatment for a cold involves taking steps to help ease symptoms and keep your baby comfortable.
This may include helping them stay hydrated, using a humidifier, or suctioning nasal mucus to clear up a stuffy nose.
Over-the-counter medications, including fever reducers and cold medications, should not be used unless directed by a doctor.
Treating a newborn cold at home
Home treatment for a newborn’s cold consists of helping them feel comfortable. Do’s and don’ts include:
Do’s
- Give plenty of liquids, including breast milk or formula (if your baby doesn’t take breast milk). A small amount of water may be offered to your baby if they’re over 6 months old.
- Suction out nasal mucus using saline drops and a suction bulb.
- Moisturize the air with a cool-mist humidifier.
Keep in mind that hot-water humidifiers are not recommended and may pose a burning risk, especially to older, curious children.
Don’ts
- Antibiotics don’t work on viruses and shouldn’t be given as treatment for a cold.
- Over-the-counter (OTC) fever reducers, including Infants’ Tylenol, aren’t recommended for babies under 3 months unless directed by your baby’s doctor. Check with your pediatrician before giving any type of OTC medication to a baby under 1 year. These medications may also not be recommended for a baby who’s vomiting.
- Aspirin should never be given to a baby or child.
- Cough and cold medications aren’t recommended for children under 4 years.
- Vapor rubs, even those formulated for babies, can be irritating to airways. Don’t use these either on the skin or in a vaporizer for children under 2.
- Don’t let your baby sleep on their stomach, even if they have congestion.
Other treatments for colds
There are no other treatments for an infant’s cold except the passage of time.
The best thing you can do is make sure that you or another caring adult stays close by to provide comfort. This will help your baby relax and get the rest they need.
Shop for saline drops and humidifiers online.
The average cold may last as long as 10 to 14 days. This includes the period of time when babies don’t display many symptoms but are contagious, as well as the period of time when they’re starting to act normally but still have crusty noses and nasal discharge.
Breastfeeding your baby can help boost their immunity. Even small amounts of breast milk supplemented with formula can help. This is especially true of antibody-rich colostrum, the first type of breast milk you produce when your baby is born.
You can’t keep your baby in a hermetically sealed environment. But you can help avoid exposure to some germs using the following guidelines:
- Wash your hands often and ask visitors to do the same.
- Avoid contact with people who are ill, and wipe down surfaces that have been touched by people who are coughing or sneezing.
- Ask people who come into contact with your baby to cough or sneeze into their elbows, rather than into their hands.
- If possible, limit your baby’s contact with older children.
- Make sure the adults and children around your newborn are current on their pertussis vaccine and have received the flu shot.
Colds are caused by viruses and are common in newborns. Even breastfed babies get colds, although their immunity is greater than babies who aren’t breastfed.
Colds aren’t serious, but they can turn into more serious illnesses. It’s important to have your pediatrician look at your baby if they have a cold and are under 3 months old — especially if they’re running a fever or have other symptoms.
Don’t hesitate to make this phone call! Your baby’s doctor will be happy to help rule out more serious conditions and put your mind at ease.
Causes and Solutions That Work
Stress and fatigue are just some of the feelings you experience when you have a fussy baby.
If your baby is not the calm and quiet bundle shown in the formula advertisements, there are some techniques that have been used over time to help calm a fussy baby.
If your baby is fussy but you know they’re not hungry, in pain, or dealing with a wet or dirty diaper, you can try one or more of these techniques to help calm them.
Swaddling
Use a large, thin blanket to wrap up your baby like a burrito. If you’re unfamiliar with the swaddling technique, check out our how-to article.
Soothing sounds
Sounds that might remind your baby of being in your womb can be calming. There are devices that make calming noise such as white noise, but sometimes the low humming sound of a fan is adequate. Your gentle humming may do the trick as well.
Calming motion
Sometimes walking your baby, in your arms or a body carrier, will remind them of their time in your womb and calm them down. The motion of riding in a car, in a proper baby car seat, may also have a calming effect.
Sucking
If it’s not time for a feeding, helping your baby find a thumb or finger to suck on may calm them. You might also consider an age-appropriate pacifier.
Togetherness
Your baby may just be lonely. Consider holding your them on your chest; breathe calmly while gently patting their back.
Hunger
Consider making a chart of feeding times and then keep your eyes out for pre-fussy signs of hunger, such as moving hands to mouth or smacking lips.
Talk with your pediatrician about how long to wait between feedings. Often that period is 2 to 2 1/2 hours from the beginning of one feeding to the next.
If you feel indigestion may be making your baby uncomfortable and fussy, hold your baby in your arms with their body resting on their left side and gently rub their back.
Food sensitivity
Your baby may be fussy due to discomfort from a food sensitivity, though this is uncommon.
If you’re breastfeeding, try cutting out certain foods one at a time to see if this results in a reduction of fussiness.
Consider reducing or avoiding your consumption of:
- caffeine
- dairy products
- foods that can likely cause gas (cabbage, onions, beans)
It’s important that if you’re breastfeeding, you should talk to your doctor first before trying any elimination diets, as these may pose health risks for you and they haven’t been reliably shown to help with fussiness.
The same holds true if you’re bottle-feeding and may be concerned that the formula may be causing your baby’s fussiness. Talk with your pediatrician first before changing formula brand or type.
Diaper
Pee or poop in their diaper can make your baby fussy. You might be surprised by how often your baby will soil or wet their diaper and how sensitive a newborn is to a full diaper.
Temperature
Yes, it could be that easy. Your baby could be too warm or too cold. As a rule of thumb, your baby should be wearing about the same layers of clothing that you are.
Fatigue
Is your baby getting enough sleep? It’s not unusual for newborns to sleep 16 or more hours a day.
Illness
Your baby may be sick. Take your baby’s temperature using a rectal thermometer. Call your pediatrician immediately if your baby is younger than 2 months old and has a fever.
If your baby is spitting up a lot or vomiting often, they could be experiencing GER (gastroesophageal reflux).
If the excessive vomiting and spitting up is accompanied by fussiness after feeding and not gaining weight, discuss it with your doctor.
Talk with your doctor about other signs of illness to look for, such as:
- rash
- ear drainage
- diarrhea or vomiting more than usual
- blood in vomit or poop
- yellow skin or eyes
If you feel you’ve tried everything to calm your baby and haven’t had satisfactory success, consider gathering information in a diary.
Write down all your baby’s activities and behaviors and bring this diary to your pediatrician for their review. Daily information to collect includes:
- times baby woke up
- times baby went to sleep
- times baby started feeding
- times baby finished feeding
- behavior after waking up
- behavior after eating
Remember one of our mantras: Take care of you so you can take care of them.
A fussy baby can put a lot of stress on you. Some tips to help handle it include:
- Maintain your healthy habits. Eat a healthy diet with lots of water and sleep when your baby sleeps. We know this is often easier said than done, but caffeine doesn’t replace a nap or count as a meal.
- Accept help. When a friend or family member offers a helping hand, let them run a load of laundry, pick up groceries, or sit with your baby while you take a nap.
- Be prepared for emotional highs and lows. One minute you may be tickling tiny toes, almost overwhelmed with love — and the next minute you may be wondering if you’ll ever get a decent night’s sleep or any space to yourself. Completely normal.
- Keep your perspective. Fussy babies eventually calm down, and they grow up fast. Remember to look past the chaos and appreciate the moment.
- Change your scenery. Get out of the house and take your fussy baby for a walk or drive.
Not only may the motion calm them, but it will also give you a chance to think. - Don’t worry about previous priorities. You don’t need to prepare 3-course gourmet meals every day or regularly vacuum under the couch. New parents have a “get out of housework free” pass in our book.
- Ask for help. This is different from merely accepting help that’s offered. Having a baby, especially a fussy baby, is a challenge, and sometimes you need help. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or depressed, talk with your doctor or a mental health professional.
Having a newborn can be exhausting. Having a fussy baby can ratchet up the stress level. There are some quick and easy techniques that might calm your baby, including:
- swaddling
- soothing sounds and calming motions
- giving your baby something to suck on
You can also look for and then address causes such as:
- hunger
- food sensitivity
- dirty diaper
- temperature
- fatigue
- illness
But if none of these seem to be the issue, remember that many babies go through a fussy period in the first 3 months of life.
And while trying to calm a fussy baby, remember to take care of your overall health for your own well-being, so you can care for them.
90,000 symptoms, signs and treatment. How not to infect and how to protect a newborn baby from a cold?Colds in babies under one year of age worry parents for a reason. At such an early age, when the work of natural defense mechanisms is still imperfect, even simple acute respiratory viral infections are difficult, and their consequences can be dangerous. In this article, we will tell you how to recognize a cold in time and how to treat it in order to help your baby recover faster and protect him from complications.
Causes of colds in infants
What we used to call a cold is actually an infectious disease - SARS. Its cause is viruses that infect the respiratory mucosa and cause inflammation, which is manifested by characteristic symptoms. ARVI is called a cold due to the fact that most often the disease develops against the background of hypothermia.
It weakens local and general immunity, and viruses freely attack the respiratory tract. nine0007
Note
There are more than 300 types of SARS pathogens [1] . Among them are adenoviruses, rhinoviruses, influenza and parainfluenza viruses and others. It is usually impossible to determine exactly which of them caused the cold, so it is preferable to take drugs with a wide spectrum of antiviral action.
The disease is actively spread by airborne droplets: viruses enter the body by inhaling particles of infected saliva, which the patient releases into the environment when coughing and sneezing. You can also get infected by contact - through objects or a handshake (which is why doctors recommend washing your hands as often as possible during the epidemic season). nine0007
Everyone can get SARS, but a cold in a newborn is very rare. In the first three to six months, the baby's body is protected by antibodies received from the mother during fetal development.
In addition, breastfeeding plays an important role in protecting the child from infections. Mother's milk contains protective factors that increase the resistance of the child's body. Formula-fed babies have a higher risk of getting sick.
Be that as it may, within six months there is a decrease in the stock of maternal antibodies, and its own immunity has not yet been formed during this time, so a cold in the baby is quite likely. Another thing is that infants, unlike preschool children, are less likely to encounter sources of infection. Thinking about how to protect the baby from a cold, responsible parents try to minimize his contacts with others, avoid traveling with the baby in public transport, visiting shops and other places with a large crowd of people with him. nine0007
However, the risk cannot be completely eliminated, even if all precautions are taken. A baby can get SARS from relatives. The most common situation is when the father or older children "bring" a cold home.
Weak immunity of the baby poorly resists the attack of viruses, and the disease develops rapidly.
Everyone knows how a cold behaves. Fever, weakness, sore throat, cough and runny nose are familiar to everyone. The problem is that by external signs, parents are not always able to determine that the baby has a cold. The situation is aggravated by the fact that the baby is not yet able to talk about his well-being. Meanwhile, it is necessary to identify a cold as early as possible: delay or improper treatment threatens the development of complications, which at this age pose a great danger to a fragile body. What are the symptoms of a cold? nine0007
Some reflexes in children of the first year of life are not yet formed. So, babies do not know how to blow their nose and cough. Because of this, mucus is not removed on time, but accumulates in the respiratory tract and serves as a breeding ground for bacteria. Therefore, against the background of a cold, a baby can also get otitis media, bronchitis, and pneumonia.
Nasal congestion can manifest itself as follows: the child breathes with an open mouth and has difficulty in taking milk. He throws the breast (or bottle) even when he is hungry, refuses the pacifier. nine0007
Fever is another characteristic symptom of ARVI, which is also not always the case in infants. Most often, the temperature in infants with a cold still rises, but only slightly.
Attentive parents notice changes in the general condition and behavior of the baby. The child becomes lethargic or, on the contrary, restless, often cries for a long time, while it is difficult to calm him down. Day and night sleep is disturbed: the baby constantly wakes up or sleeps too much, while before this was uncharacteristic for him. nine0007
When a baby has a cold, appetite worsens. This is due to difficulty breathing through the nose and general intoxication. Abundant regurgitation and vomiting are possible. Malnutrition and dehydration (fluid loss due to fever) exacerbate the severity of the child's condition.
A few days after the onset of the disease, the clinical picture is no longer in doubt. But during this period, if the treatment was not started in a timely manner, bacterial complications may also join the indicated symptoms. Therefore, parents should carefully monitor the condition of the child and pay attention to any, even minor, deviations from the norm. nine0007
A table that lists the main signs of a cold in an infant and the features of their manifestation will help you quickly navigate the symptoms.
|
| |
|---|---|
| Cough | Rare in infants during the first year of life |
| Runny nose | May have nasal discharge, repeated sneezing; The child tries to breathe with the mouth of |
| Violation of appetite | Infants Refushes to breast or nipples |
| Sleep disorder | The child is difficult to fall asleep, often sprinkles or, on the basis of sleeping, on the basis of sleeping. |
| Changes in the behavior | The baby looks apathetic and sluggish or seems unnecessarily capricious and restless - any uncharacteristic behavior should alert |
than usual 
But the appetite of a sick baby is often reduced, and in no case should you force feed him. It is better to put the baby to the breast more often, but not for long. 
In fact, all possible approaches to the treatment of colds in infants come down to the appointment of two groups of drugs. These are ready-made interferon preparations or homeopathic remedies. The latter are also adjacent to the so-called release-active drugs. The rest of the cold remedies for infants are contraindicated: they are prescribed for older children (at least from a year old). nine0007 
First, they are immunostimulants and can unpredictably affect the functioning of the immune system. Secondly, in babies under one year old, the process of producing their own interferon (including under the influence of stimulants) has not yet been established, and the protective protein is not produced in the right amount. Therefore, pediatricians prescribe ready-made interferon preparations for infants with a cold. They begin to fight viruses immediately after application. Such funds are produced in different dosage forms. nine0007 
Secondly, nasal remedies require too frequent use. Candles are administered rectally twice a day. The active substance has a systemic antiviral effect, without affecting the gastrointestinal tract. And finally, suppositories are easy to use in infants: there is always a risk that the baby will spit out or burp the medicine in the form of a tablet, pill, syrup, and so on. nine0007 
In the focus of inflammation, interferon is destroyed, and antioxidants are needed to preserve it. They are not present in Kipferon®. Perhaps that is why the dosage is the highest among analogues. Manufacturers of Viferon® added vitamins C and E to the composition, which protect interferon molecules from destruction. Due to this, the content of the active substance was reduced to 150,000 IU. As for candles "Genferon® light" (125,000 IU), they contain taurine, which is not only a powerful antioxidant, but also has antiviral activity [9] . This made it possible to further reduce the dosage (and hence the drug load) without sacrificing efficacy. 
An example of a drug from this group is drops "Anaferon for children" (LP-N (000019) - (RG-RU) [14], they can be used in children from one month old. 
Diseases in infants have their own characteristics and subtleties. The usual treatment for cough and runny nose is not suitable for them, because the crumbs do not know how to blow their nose, gargle and dissolve tablets on their own. What to do in this case? Let's try to figure it out. nine0007 
No wonder many pediatricians say that prolonged breastfeeding is the key to good baby health. nine0007 
