" How to relieve a cold "
When the days get shorter and the temperatures drop, it's an unmistakable sign that fall has arrived. The onset of the colder seasons also increases the risk of catching a cold. The youngest children are particularly susceptible to infections and babies quickly get a blocked nose. But what can you do if you have a cold?
Why is the risk of catching a cold particularly high in fall and winter?
As it gets noticeably colder from around October, it is common practice in many households to turn on the heating. However, this is often done without paying attention to the humidity, which gets lower and lower with intensive heating. However, dry air encourages the spread of viruses, making it particularly easy for infections to occur. To ensure an optimal indoor climate, it helps to ventilate regularly. However, rooms should not be cooled down. This is why it is preferable to ventilate the room in bursts rather than leaving the window permanently ajar. You don't need to buy an expensive air purifier to increase the humidity a little. All you need to do is hang up a moistened terry towel, for example.
How does a blocked nose manifest itself?
A cold is particularly troublesome for babies as they initially breathe exclusively through their nose. In addition, the nasal passages are still very narrow in the first few years. This means that even dust, dry air or cold can quickly make breathing difficult. A cold is therefore a major blockage to proper breathing. The consequences: Your baby finds it difficult to drink, becomes restless, gasps when breathing or has difficulty falling asleep and wakes up very often during the night. Complications with drinking can be particularly critical, as babies dehydrate very quickly.
Unfortunately, babies are not yet able to blow their own noses to clear their airways. It is therefore up to you to provide relief.
Free babies from a blocked nose: Measures against colds
Clean the nose properly
If the olfactory organ is only slightly blocked, it often helps to moisten a cloth, twist one end and carefully insert the cloth into the nostril to loosen any crusts. Of course, this will not happen without resistance, as the baby finds this cleaning of his nose unpleasant and annoying. In this case, try to have a calming effect on your little one by quietly talking to him or humming a tune. Hold your little one lovingly in your arms. Feeling the closeness of a parent is a great help and reassurance for many tiny tots. Dried residue can be removed with a drop of saline solution, which you can obtain from the pharmacy. Alternatively, a drop of breast milk helps with a cold.
Saline solution helps with blocked noses
It is important that you use a soft handkerchief to clean your blocked nose. You should avoid using a cotton bud, as there is too great a risk of damaging the sensitive mucous membranes and veins. Nasal drops are also only marginally suitable, as although they help in the short term, they dry out the nasal mucosa in the long term.
If more mucus accumulates, you can also use a nasal aspirator to clear your baby's blocked nose.
Sleeping in an inclined position
When your baby is sleeping, you can make sure that they are in a slightly upright position. One way to do this is to place a small pillow under the mattress. This will help the mucus to drain away.
Keep the feet warm
As tempting as it is to pamper your baby with a warm bath when they have a blocked nose, you should refrain from doing so when they have a cold. After all, there is a risk that your child will get cold afterwards. It's better to keep your little one warm in other ways. Feet should be protected with fluffy socks and soft baby booties. Other options include beautifully designed cuddly blankets and baby bodysuits.
Don't forget to drink if you have a cold
Even though your baby may struggle to drink, you should make sure that they drink enough fluids to liquefy the mucus.
Do you need to take your child to the doctor?
This is probably not necessary for a normal cold. Only if it really is a severe cold and other symptoms such as fever or earache are present is it essential to see a doctor and discuss the next steps.
A visit to the doctor is advisable if there are other symptoms, fever or pain
If your pet frequently suffers from blocked noses, you may also want to have it checked to see if it is actually a viral infection or even an allergy.
Prevention is better than reaction
Sure - you can't completely rule out the possibility of your baby getting a blocked nose due to a cold. But you can take measures to reduce the risk. For example, fully breastfed children are less susceptible to illness. You should also make sure from the outset that your little one is in a suitable room climate with optimum humidity. And it goes without saying that the very youngest should keep some distance from sick people.
However, if your child does get a blocked nose, you can take small measures to counteract this and provide sufficient relief. Blow your baby's nose carefully, keep him warm and give him lots of love and security to help him get through the illness. Of course, always be vigilant and pay attention to how severe the cold really is.
