Common Cold and Cough Effects on Infants

The common cold and cough is one of the most common illnesses to the infants. The infants tend to be more affected with the cold and cough than the adults. The infants can get affected by the common cold and cough at any point of time. The infants infected with common cold and cough start to feel better after a week or two. However, if the problem persists then it is advisable that the infants must be taken to the doctor immediately.
Causes of Common Cold and Cough
The common causes of cold in babies or infants are largely caused by the viruses. There are mainly two hundred varieties of viruses that lead to common cold and cough in the infants. Rhinovirus is one of the most prominent viruses that cause common cold and cough in infants. A cold virus mainly enters into the body of the infants through their mouth and nose. The infants are more susceptible against the common cold and cough because their immune system is not fully developed at that period of time.
Symptoms of Cold and Cough on Infants
The infants must be immediately taken to the doctors if they show any of the following cold symptoms:
· Coughing
· Sneezing
· Runny eyes
· Normal or high fever
· Thick green nasal discharge
· Ear pain

Preventing Common Cold and Cough on Infants
It is advisable to call the doctor if the new born infant is three months old. A common cold on the new born baby can unfold into pneumonia and various other diseases. You can treat you infant at your home also by considering the following cold remedies:

• Feed the infant with plenty of fluids. The fluids help to minimize the congestion in the babies. Breast milk is considered appropriate for the infants to protect them from common cold and cough.
• Clean the infants nose especially the nasal passages with the clean cloth that is germs free. Also the doctor can recommend saline nose drops in order to free the nose from the mucus.
• Run a humidifier in the room of the baby. A cool humidifier helps to clean up the nasal passages and reduces congestion.
• Clean the toys of the toys of the infants so as to make them germ free.
• Keep the infants far away from the sick members of the family.

It is advisable to check out your infant with the doctor if the problem persists for longer periods of time. Also do not give any kind of medicines to the infants without consulting the doctor.

Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Can the common cold and cough kill the infant?
Solution: No, the common cold cannot kill the infant. However, it better to take certain precautions to protect the infant from the common cold and cough. An infant generally acquires a lot of antibodies from her mother before she was born and breast feeding the infant provides him more amount antibodies. However, if the problem persists then it is advisable that the infant must be taken to the doctor for the cold treatment.

Question 2: What are the causes of common cold and cough on the infants?
Solution: One of the main causes of common cold and cough on infants are the viruses. Rhinovirus is a main culprit that leads to common cold and cough among the infants. They usually enter into the infant's body through their nasal passages or through their mouth.

Question 3: What are the precautions that should be taken to prevent common cold and cough among the infants?
Solution: Taking certain precautions can go a long way in preventing cold and cough among the infants. The infants must be kept away from the sick people so that they cannot catch the illness. Also feeding the infant's with the mother's milk is one of the most prominent ways of cold prevention.

Question 4: Why do infants are affected with common cold and cough so often than the adults?
Solution: Infants are most prone to common cold and cough problems than the adults. One of the prominent reasons for this is that the immune system of the infants is not well developed at that age that makes them prone to other diseases as well.