The first thing you want to know when your baby gets their first cold is: How did this happen"! ?Viruses are usually spread through droplets and aerosols that enter the nose, mouth and eyes,? says Toronto paediatrician Dina Kulik, the founder of KidCrew, a multidisciplinary health clinic. Depending on how much exposure a baby has to other people, Kulik says it wouldn?t be unusual for a baby to experience as many as a dozen viral illnesses in their first year.
How do I know my baby has a cold and not something more serious"
In addition to common cold viruses, babies can also get sick with viral illnesses like influenza, croup, RSV and, these days, COVID-19. These illnesses often begin with cold-like symptoms but go on to make a baby feel sicker. Flu: Influenza is more likely to cause a fever, cough and general lethargy than a common cold is. Babies and young kids are at a higher risk of complications and hospitalization from the flu compared to older kids and adults.
Croup: The hallmark sign of croup is a barky-sounding cough, or stridor, a high-pitched sound when breathing. Croup can sound alarming, but can usually be treated at home. Still, it?s a good idea to have a baby with croup symptoms seen by your healthcare provider, says C.J. Blennerhassett, a Halifax registered midwife and member of the Association of Nova Scotia Midwives, who cares for newborns in her practice.
RSV: Symptoms of a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection are similar to a cold, but...