Infant Cold Cough

Recognizing Illness in an Infant

Parents of infants are naturally protective and cautious about the delivery of their needs. Despite everything that parents are taught or learn themselves both before the infant is born and in the first few weeks of life, it is surprising how parents can fail to recognize and more importantly act when their little one is suffering from an infant cold, cough or other simple ailment.

There are a few more common signs that an infant may be suffering from a common illness, and these include:

• Reduced appetite – refusing feeds or less keen to take a whole feed.
• Low grade fever – the infant may feel physically warmer than normal to touch or have a temperature of 37.2 or degrees Celsius or slightly above on a digital thermometer.
• General irritability – the infant may be 'difficult to handle' and not settle with the usual comforts offered by parents.
• Snuffly nose – he or she may have a constantly streaming of snuffly nose which parents often find themselves wiping.
• Repetitive cough – this may be mild in nature but something which is not ‘normal’ for the infant.

These symptoms are relatively synonymous with a common cough or cold, and once identified can be easily treated. Some infants require no intervention whatsoever and are well again in the space of a few days, whereas others may require additional levels of care such as the administration of over-the-counter medicines to lower temperature or treat the symptoms of a cough. Where possible it is best to avoid giving medicines to infants. In fact in those under the age of 12 weeks of age, medicines are rarely recommended, and in cases where they may be required it is essential that the treatment is prescribed by a pediatrician.

Avoiding the Infant Cold, Cough or Tummy Bug

Although many of the less harmful infant ailments are unavoidable to a degree, there are measures which can be taken in order to minimize the exposure and risk of an infant becoming unwell:

• Keep away from the sick – if you are aware a friend or family member is unwell, then refrain from visiting until the sickness has passed. If an infant is in day care, there may be no avoidance of common bugs and illnesses. In certain situations, however, exposure is avoidable.
• Exercise good hand washing techniques – ensure that all family members wash and dry their hands thoroughly. If a household member has a cold, cough or tummy bug, then attention to general hygiene practices could help avoid the risk of spreading unwanted germs.
• Clean toys and pacifiers – get into good habits early. A simple cleaning of toys and pacifiers regularly can make a difference when it comes to avoiding the spread of germs. Use a simple household anti-bacterial spray that is recommended for safe use among children and infants.

As parents it will never be possible to maintain complete protection from infant cold, cough or other common bug. It is not unhealthy for them to have mild exposure to these types of illness during early childhood as children that never experiences mild illnesses such as these will potentially become more ill if they suffer for the first time later in life. The body’s immune system requires itself to be exposed to certain measures of bugs and bacteria in order to fend off more serious illnesses.

Ensure there is Nothing More Serious Wrong

In most cases the symptoms of restlessness, poor appetite and mild fever are attributed to less serious childhood ailments; however, in certain circumstances these symptoms may be just the beginning of a more serious problem. Ensure that close attention is paid to body temperature as extreme fever can quickly lead to seizures particularly in infants and young children. Therefore, even the mildest fever should be acknowledged and checked to ensure it is not becoming worse.

An infant that is simply ‘off his or her food’ is fine for a day. However, if this condition extends into a period more than six to eight hours with total refusal or intolerance of feeds, dry or less wet than usual diapers and the infant becomes listless, then this could be early signs of something more complex and a pediatrician's opinion should be sought immediately.