Few things are worse than having to cope with a toddler suffering from a nasty cold. But in most instances, a cold just has to run its course. The best thing you can do is make your toddler comfortable while waiting for the virus to dissipate.
Congestion
To ease the symptoms of congestion in your toddle, start by using a vaporizer or a humidifier. This will help to clear the nasal and chest cavity, making breathing a bit easier. Toddlers generally aren't capable of blowing their nose, so use a bulb syringe to suck out the mucous.
Smear menthol rub on your toddler's chest and under his nose to break up phlegm and ease congestion. A number of bath products on the market also have vaporizing qualities that will ease some of your toddler's symptoms. You might also drop some saline drops into his nose several times a day to aid in clearing up congestion.
While there are over-the-counter cold and flu combination medications available, they are not recommended for use in children under the age of 6. In fact, most cold and flu products for children under the age of 2 were pulled from store shelves in 2007 and have since been labeled by most pediatricians as unsafe and ineffective.
Aches
Aches and pains from a cold can make your toddler more miserable than anything else. For a sore throat, give him some warm apple juice with plenty of honey, which will coat the throat and ease the ache. A warm bath can help to eliminate body aches. For more severe aches and pains, give your child a dose of children's acetaminophen or ibuprofen, sold under the brand names Children's Tylenol and Children's Motrin. These medications are not the same as their cold and flu combination counterparts; follow age-limit instructions on packaging as it is not recommended for children under the age of 2 to use these products; they may need Infant Tylenol or Infant Motrin instead.
Fever
When fighting off a cold, many toddlers will develop a low-grade fever, which is a body temperature of 99 to 100.9 degrees Fahrenheit. Unless the fever is making your child feel worse, try to refrain from treating it, as low-grade fevers help to ward off infection. Some toddlers may develop a higher fever of 101 to 103.5 degrees, which is also common in viral infections, like colds. For these higher temperatures, give your child the appropriate dose of acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Combine these medicines with the application of a lukewarm bath and/or a cool cloth on the child's forehead to get the fever down faster.
If you child has a persistent fever of 104 or higher, which won't break even after medicine is administered, call your pediatrician for further testing and analysis. This will rule out any underlying conditions that might be causing the cold virus to linger in the body.
See Your Doctor
If cold symptoms continue to worsen or persist or the cold lasts for several days or more, make an appointment with your pediatrician for further testing.
Tags: your toddler, children under, your child, acetaminophen ibuprofen, cold combination, further testing