Baby with a cold? Help.

kp90

My LO is 12 weeks and this morning woke up with a stuffy nose, cough and has been sneezing. She does not have a fever..: yet. I am trying not to panic but I don't want it to develop and get worse. Do any of you have suggestions? How do I know when it's time for a doctor? Can I give her Tylenol? Please help. 

dshannah

Does your pediatrician have a nurse doing triage over the phone? I am on the phone with mine just about every week! I basically call to ask if whatever I am worried about is worth bringing the baby in for, and she basically tells me how to fix things. 

When I called about my LO's cold (same symptoms, no fever), she said to elevate his mattress a bit while he's sleeping to avoid post-nasal drip, to use saline spray for his nose, and to use the snot sucker a lot. Really, as with adults, there's nothing you can do to get rid of a cold. She just told us to watch out for a fever, in which case we *should* bring him in to the doctor.

wamam027

Turn on the shower super hot and close the bathroom door...stand in there with your LO so she can get that warm steam. Helps to kind of loosen everything up

cortney626

Not much you (or the dr) can do for a common cold other than humidifier, saline drops, etc. Tylenol if she has a fever. I'd definitely call and see at what point they want you to bring her in (what temperature, etc).

clbness

On top of all the above suggestions, I have heard that diffusing eucalyptus oil helps (I'm not speaking from experience though).  I hope she gets to feeling better!

kp90

Thanks ladies. I called the advice line and the nurse told me she needs seen within 8 hours... This has only sent me further into a panic. All urgent cares are closed so that leaves the ER and I hate to take her there because I feel I put her more at risk with germs, etc. She doesn't even have a fever yet she is just very tired and congested with sneezes and coughing. I feel like maybe it's best to see how she is in the morning and then decide if she needs to see a doctor but now I feel like a bad mom I just want her healthy and to feel better. 

Bellodomani

That seems super weird that they would have you bring her in to be seen at all with those symptoms. My son had his first cold at 7 weeks and my daughter at 5 weeks and neither of them ever needed to be seen. All you really need to do is symptom management- i.e. booger sucking, humidifier, etc. If they are under 12 weeks and have a fever over 101.4 they want to see them before you give them Tylenol, but if she doesn't have a fever I can't imagine why they'd need to see her. I find that calling the nurse advice line almost always results them in saying you should bring them in, so I take that advice with a grain of salt. 

Bltbear82

clbness said:

On top of all the above suggestions, I have heard that diffusing eucalyptus oil helps (I'm not speaking from experience though).  I hope she gets to feeling better!

Yes! I use eucalyptus oil in DS1's humidifier when he's sick to help with congestion, combined with a steamy bathroom, saline, and nosefrida. 

dshannah

Was the advice line your pediatrician's? Or a third party? For some reason third party advice lines (like the insurance one I called occasionally during my pregnancy) are always in favor of ER visits. I think they are covering their asses, honestly.

But if it was your pedi's, I'd think about getting a new pediatrician! There was no need to alarm you like that:( 

kp90

@Bltbear82 @Bellodomani @cortney626 warm or cool air humidifier? I did research and it's pretty torn down the middle. 

@dshannah it was her insurances nurse advice line -_- 

dshannah

@kp90 I don't understand those lines: every time I called them  they said,  "Well, it doesn't sound like anything serious, but you should probably go get it checked out."  They said this for a leg cramp, gas pains, and the time I shouted too loud at a basketball game and thought I might have hurt the baby.

I think they are worried about getting sued?

 And in any event you're not being a bad mother :-)  clearly, you are concerned for the well being of your child and are willing to do anything within reason to make her feel better. Going to the ER for a sniffle is not within reason:)  or, at least it pushes the bounds of reason.