Cough and catarrh do not just happen, they often occur as symptoms of common cold(flu).
Common cold is an infection often caused by viruses and the common symptoms are stuffy or runny nose(catarrh), sneezing, cough, hotness of the body. Older kids may complain of headaches, weakness, body aches
How do babies get the infection:
The spread is usually from person to person. When someone who has common cold coughs or sneezes, they release droplets of fluids into the air which contains the virus. The viruses will not only remain in the air, it will also settle on surfaces. So when someone else breathes in this air or touches a surface that has been infected with the virus and goes ahead to touch their nostrils, eyes or mouth they are likely to get infected because these areas contain what’s called mucous membrane which have the ability to allow the virus get into the body. That’s why someone can get infected without necessarily having a direct contact with somebody with the infection. By inhaling an infected air or touching an infected surface, there can be a spread
One can be infected without showing symptoms yet and still be able to spread the infection to those around them
Most common cold seen in children are usually gotten from infected adults around including the ones gotten from schools and daycares, the kids also contracted it from the adults around them
Taking cold water in pregnancy isn’t the cause of cough and catarrh in babies
Catarrh is a sign of viral infections and babies are prone to it because their immune system isn’t mature enough to fight these things. They’d often pick up these things from older children and adults around them
Treatment:
There’s no cure for it and treatments are often not required because it usually resolves on its own within a few days to a week or two. However, there are necessary steps to take to provide relief and prevent recurrence of the infection
Steps to take when baby has cough and catarrh
- As your baby’s caregiver, avoid sucking out the mucus with your mouth to avoid making direct contact with the virus. This can make you infected with the virus and make you come down with the infection. This alone can cause recurrent episodes in the baby because by the time your baby’s infection is resolving, you’d become a new source of infection to your baby. To provide relief, the proper thing to do if the mucus is runny is to use a nasal aspirator to suck it out but if the mucus is dry, use saline drops to loosen the mucus first before sucking out the mucus with a nasal aspirator (Watch how to use a nasal aspirator and saline drops here)
- For little babies on breastmilk or formula, continue feeding so they are well hydrated
- Encourage the adults in the family to always wash their hands
- Avoid unprescribed medications, catarrh does not require drugs, it will often resolve on its own
- Avoid cough syrups in babies below four years, side effects from cough syrup can be life threatening at this age
- Avoid the use of antibiotics when it has not been prescribed. Antibiotics are not meant to treat cough, they are meant to treat certain underlying problems which could be responsible for the cough such as pneumonia
- Avoid triggers in your home such as dusty surfaces, staying around smokers
- Allow some rest from schools and day cares
- Avoid contact with those with catarrh
If the cough is lasting more than two weeks or if baby is running a high fever or finding it difficult to breathe, refusing to nurse, sleeping excessively see a doctor immediately.
Watch video( blocked nostrils in babies, nasal aspirators and saline drops)
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