How Do You Comfort a Sick Baby?

If a stuffy nose is making your baby miserable, here are some home remedies that can help.

Saline Nasal Spray With Suction

You can buy over-the-counter saline nasal spray or drops. Use one to two drops or sprays per nostril to help loosen the mucus. Then, use a suction bulb to suck out the loosened mucus.

To use the suction bulb, squeeze it, gently insert the tip into your child’s nostril, and slowly let go. This will clear out your baby's nose and make it easier to breathe.

Increase the Humidity

Increasing the humidity in the air can ease your baby's stuffy nose by preventing mucus from drying up inside their nasal passages. You can put a cool-mist humidifier by your baby's crib but out of their reach.

Clean it often to prevent mold and bacteria from growing inside it. If you don't have a humidifier, you can sit in the bathroom with your baby while a warm shower is running.

Some helpful ways to make your child's cough or sore throat feel better at home include the following.

Honey

Never give honey to a baby under the age of one because it can have bacteria that are dangerous to babies. If your baby is aged over 1 year, you can give them 1 teaspoon of honey to help with a sore throat and cough. You can also mix 2 tablespoons of honey in a glass of warm water or tea for your child to drink.

Sleeping on an Incline

Your child's cough may be caused by a postnasal drip, which is mucus dripping down the back of the throat. Sleeping with the head elevated may help with this, but you should only do this with children older than 1 year of age. For babies younger than 1 year, let them sleep flat on their backs without any pillows or blankets in their crib. 

Menthol Rubs

This is an option if your baby is over 2 years old. Rub a thick layer of the mentholated rub on your child's chest and throat area.

Your child will breathe in the vapors, which will help with their cough. Make sure to keep the medicine out of your child's reach. 

Warm Fluids

It's important for your child to stay hydrated when they're sick. By giving your child warm fluids to drink, you can soothe their sore throat and increase their fluid intake.

Apple juice and lemonade are good choices for babies over 3 months old. If your baby is 3-12 months old, give them 1-3 teaspoons of these fluids up to four times daily for a cough.

In many cases, fever may be helpful to your sick child. Fever slows the growth of bacteria and viruses and boosts your baby's immune system function. It's a sign of your child's body fighting off an infection.

If your baby is uncomfortable, you can treat their fever with over-the-counter medication.

Infants

If your baby is under 3 months old and has a fever, always call their pediatrician immediately, even if they have no other symptoms.

Children Under 2 Years Old

If your baby is under 2 years old, call the pediatrician before you give them medication. With your pediatrician's approval, give them medication with only one ingredient, either ibuprofen or acetaminophen.   

Children Over 2 Years Old

Give your child acetaminophen or ibuprofen according to the package directions. Weight is a more accurate measure for dosing, but if you don't know your child's weight, you can go by their age.   

‌

Keep the following precautions in mind when giving your child medicine for fever:

• Never give your child aspirin because it has been linked to Reye syndrome, a rare but serious disease that affects the brain and liver.
• Don't give ibuprofen to babies under 6 months old.
• Don't give ibuprofen to children who are vomiting or having trouble drinking enough fluids to stay hydrated.
• Ask your doctor for the appropriate dose, usually in milliliters. Carefully measure it out using a syringe, medicine cup, or measuring spoon labeled with milliliters.