While winter is winding down, the sick season seems to be speeding up.
Flu and colds are spreading like wildfire, and when it comes to the common cold, you just have to wait for the symptoms to subside.
Which is easier said than done if you're a parent with a sick baby on your hands.
kspr's joanna small has some tips for parents eager to ease the pain.
In light of last year's FDA ruling to ban cold medicine for children under age two, it seems there's not much mom and dad can do for their little one.
But seven to ten days- the average duration of the common cold- is a long time to watch your child suffer.
At seven months old, Adryana McClenton already knows how to steal the spotlight- she just reaches out and grabs it!
And new mom and dad Trista and Shedrick hope she'll always have the energy to go for her goals.
So far, so good.
“She’s only really been sick once or twice, a little runny nose here or there, a little cough,” Shedrick explains.
Even a little can feel like a lot to a little one, though.
And parents can no longer look to anti-histamines, cough syrups, and decongestants to relieve those symptoms- in fact, those drugs can actually make them worse.
“It's possible that some of those in a young child can thicken secretions, suppress a cough that should be allowed to be productive,” says Pediatrician Dr. Don Sponenberg.
So how can parents decrease the discomfort associated with the common cold?
There are some medications that are safe to give to your baby.
If her cold is accompanied by fever then children's Tylenol will help.
So will Ibuprofen, provided she's six months or older.
There are drug-free solutions too.
“They can suck out the nose with a nose suction bulb as often as they need to which is analogous to our blowing our nose,” Dr. Sponenberg continues.
The McClenton's use a humidifier and "Little Noses", a saline solution that helps dilute thick mucus.
That way Adryana keeps her healthy appetite, and the only thing she has to be fussy about is the fact that dinner comes in a jar.
In some cases though, a cold can become something more serious, like a sinus or bronchial infection.
Parents should worry if symptoms persist longer than ten days.
Watch for high fevers over 101, facial pain, headaches, earaches, fast or labored breathing, or unusual fussiness.