11 month old with a cold - anything I can do?

[chloemegjess]

We have some vicks (cheap version) and she has had some calpol.

Is there anything else we can do? She has a really runny nose and is just not herself. She is also not sleeping very well.

Any ideas? Have put an extra layer on her to help keep her warm (she doesn't have a temperature at the mo).

She is not happy doing much which is very unlike her as she is usally very active and very happy.

Albas (sp) oil on a muslin/tea towel.

I have got one capsule of Olbus (or something similar) so one dose which I will do for her when she goes to bed. If it wasn't sunday I would have got some more today.

She is usally not bothered by a cold but she is def not herself today.

You could raise the head end of her cot slightly by standing the legs on a book, or similar. That might make her less congested

If she is coughing then putting a slightly damp tea-towel or flannel on a radiator may help as the air in the room will be moister.

She turns around in her sleep so can't really do that as she might end up with the oppposite - legs at the higher end.

Had an AWFUL nights sleep last night - couldn't get much worse. Didn't go to sleep at all until nearly 7am this morning! Then slept for 2 hours and then got up! Poor baby is so tired!

Really need us all to get some sleep tonight as Dh is back to work (does shifts) I am childminding from 7.30am and also she needs the sleep to help get better.

I am off to tesco in a bit, is there ANYTHING anybody can recomend for her? Mainly to help get some sleep?

Am I right in thinking that she is too young for calpol night? She is one this month?

Sorry, bumping out of desperation!

Anybody?

You need medised - it is a godsend. It is paracetemol and also some antihistamine (sp?) which aids sleep (knocks them out) and also dries up the snotty nose a bit.

You can give it from 3 months - it's the same as calpol night but I think tastes nicer.

Good luck - take her to docs if you get too worried - they won't mind looking at one so young, just to give once over.

You could also invest in a steam vaporizer - they just keep the room nice and humid.

I know how you feel it's awful when they are this grotty with something like a common cold - it can be so debilitating - but keep and eye on it. DD had similar at a similar age and docs kept dismissing her and she went through 4 sets of antibiotics before eventually being admitted to hospital with bloody pneumonia.

Not trying to frighten you, just want to reassure you that you are not over reacting and that a visit to the GP is always worth it for some peace of mind when they get this bad with a cough or cold.

I knew I would get a good responce AFTER I have been to the huge tesco with a pharmacy! Seems to be coughing now too. Got some proper Vicks rub (We had the cheap one before and compared the 2 and Vicks seem a lot stronger - 5 times the price though!).

Also got some more Calpol and Neofen incase we run out.

Might have to go and get some Medised tomorrow then.

Also got some Olbas oil and have put it on a wet cloth on her radiator.

Seems to have gone to sleep ok but was shattered and not right at all. I am Childminding tomorrow and have wondered about Phoning to say she is too ill, but it is only for half hour in the morning before school, which is when Dh will be home and can keep DD upstairs - she will probably be asleep anyway. And then 2 hours after school, but I think I will just try and walk the school run if it isn't raining which will take up a lot of the time and will get her some fresh air.

Will see how she is tomorrow before ringing the doctor, the last hour or so before bed, she had clear runny snot rather than the thick greeny/yellow stuff so hoping that is a sign it is clearing up?

Sounds like it's just a really rotten cold - clear snot is a good sign, but it makes them cough something rotten - my DD 3 has the same thing at the moment. Because it's clear, it's runnier and at night, when they are horizontal, it trickles down their throat and that's what makes them cough more at night - such a nightmare.

Seriously - worth investing in medised - i wouldnt' be withouth it. In fact, I'd say it would be my desert island item if marooned with my kids. It's just great for nightimes with any kind of pain, teething, or fever, and particularly with stinky colds.

Hope she gets better soon. Looking on the bright side, at least she should be well by xmas, and not poorly over the holidays.

Hope you get through today ok.

Do you know what the age is for Medised? I have now caught it and feel awful and now realising why she has been so miserable. I have been running to be sick and didn't even make it to the bathroom before I threw up this morning Have got DH to phone in sick as I don't think I am up to looking after DD.

Although being pregnant I might have been getting it worse than usual. I also have a headache, sore throat etc so I am guessing DD has a headache too but can't tell me! Poor baby.

DD has a really croaky voice and is really chesty today too.

Want to take her to the Doctors but I am not well enough to drive . Dh doesn't drive and not sure I want her going on the bus when like this. I am waiting to hear back from my mum who might take her.

Hope your right about being better by Christmas!

Oh sweetheart - poor you.

My wee one has this too at the moment (DD 6mo).

We had a horrid night last night: lots of coughing, and waking up crying because she couldn't breath through her nose.

Poor little things, yours and mine.

I'm going to get some Vicks to put on her feet (Mumsnet tip!). Hope it makes a difference.

Keep a lookout for wheezing, btw - could be RSV/bronchiolitis, which can get quite serious, quite suddenly.

Hope you BOTH feel better soon.

She has been a bit wheezy. My mum can't take her to the doctor. Think maybe I will just go? Would feel awful if it was more than a cold and I didn't do anything about it.

Vicks on feet? Never heard that one! I have some but have been using on chest and back because thats what is said on the pack, will try the feet though! Do you know why it work on the feet? Just out of interest? Can't do any harm to try!

If I go to the Doctors, I can get some Medised too as long as she is old enough. There is a Chemist near by

Apparently - according to Mumsnet lore - Vicks on feet (plus socks) = one big cough, followed by peace! Something to do with circulation [dunno]. Recommended at nighttime.

If you are in any doubt, pop to your GP: at least it'll put your mind at rest.

I have just looked online and Medised isn't suitable for under 2's . Not really sure there is much point in going to the doctors or not as there isn't anything they can do?

Chloe - are you sure about Medised? My bottle says suitable from 3 months - my DS is 15 months and has it - in fact both my DC's had it from as soon as they started teething (dd was 4 months!).

Let me do some googling.

Ok - this is VERY confusing. If you look online [http://www.expresschemist.co.uk/product_6757_medised-infant-sugar-free-colour-free-200ml.html here] you are right - it would seem that as of March this year, an ingredient in it has made it newly classified as not for under twos - but as you can see from the enlarged bottle - the packaging still says suitable from 3 months.

You're call I suppose. If you're DD was born two years ago, you would have been blindly giving it to her as I have done. I am not going to stop using it, but that's my own decision. It's difficult since you have never used it before.

I think I'm going to post this news elsewhere as I'm sure other mums will want to know. Good luck

Sorry - link here

Go to the doctor if you are worried. DS is 14 months and has a horrible cold at the mo. He was really lethargic over the weekend so I took him to the doctor yesterday. DS was actually perking up yesterday and looked pretty lively at the docs so I felt like a bit of a fraud but the doctor listened to his chest, took temperature and looked in his throat and said it was just a bad cold. Took 5 mins but put my mind at rest. The doctor didn't seem to mind either.
Horrible isn't it? The only thing that works for DS is letting him sleep on my chest so he's upright. My shoulders are covered in snot!

Yes Chloe - I have taken both DS 15 months and DD 3 to the docs in the last 10 days just for some peace of mind really - it's so worth it.

DS had a rash and bad cough - turns out just a reaction to MMR a week ago, and chest is clear, so now I'm happy.

DD had finished some antibiotics for a chest infection that went to her ear. The cough came back and with a streaming nose - lots of coughing so she was getting really distressed. I just took her back to make sure the infection had not recurred. It hadn't, so again, really worth it for the peace of mind. The docs don't mind when the DC's are so young. They can tell if there is a proper infection in the chest or wherever, or if it's just something they will be able to ride out on their own.

Well just got home from the Doctors, and as usual she wasn't much help. Really need to get onto changing doctors.

But she did say give medised. I asked about the 2 year thing and said the medised website says 2 years and she said to ignore it and she will be fine. I have just got some and given her 5ml before putting her down for a sleep. She went straight away which is the first for the last few days.

BUT the doctor also said to give Medised AND Calpol - surely this isn't right? They are both Paracetamol? I will combine Medised and Nerofen but surely not 2 paracetamol products? And it says on the bottle not to take with other paracetamol products! I am a bit concerned about this, as for all she knows, I have just given my DD a double dose of paracetamol??

You're right that normally you shouldn't double dose on paracetemol - but you can double up with ibruprofen.

However, these dosages on bottles are given as guidelines for parents who are administering. If you're GP makes a medical judgement that your LO is big enough and sick enough to need a double dose on this occasion then I wouldn't worry too much. Not something to do generally, but given how sick she is the sleep it will give her will probably really help her.