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Original poster

Small babies catching colds....

20 replies

welshmum · 04/10/2004 11:08

At what age do little babies start catching colds?
My niece has had a cold for a little while, she's 13 weeks - should she be kept away from her cousin (who's 2.5 and always seem to have a cold)? Any tips on how to handle this - I can feel my sister becoming more paranoid and me more defensive.

OP posts:
zebra · 04/10/2004 11:27

I thought that winter babies caught colds almost from birth -- I remember the MW commenting on snuffly DS soon after he was born (November). DD (October baby) was similar. She spent her whole first winter with a cold/cough, but has been pretty resistant since. My youngest (born this sumemr) is only just starting to catch colds, but that's because the cold season is only just starting....

Anyway, if you sister is going to give you grief I'd keep away from her, but otherwise I think it's normal, they have to start building up antibodies sometime.

Distracted · 04/10/2004 11:32

With my first dd she only caught 1 cold during her first 6 months, although she was born April, so it was mostly summer. Once she started nursery at 6 months she had a permanent cold all winter.

First child was therefore quite shielded from bugs, but expecting number 2 now and I know this one will get colds from day 1, partly because dd1 will be bringing colds home from nursery all the time and it will also be winter. Oh it's going to be fun . Having said that number 2 will build up antibodies quicker and perhaps won't be quite as ill when he/she starts nursery. My first dd had so many illnesses during the first 6 months at nursery, it was horrible - so maybe it's better if they're a bit more exposed as babies.

SofiaAmes · 04/10/2004 21:56

It really varies from child to child. My ds and dd were both bf for 11+ mo (exclusively to 6 mo). Ds started at a childminders at 11 mo and dd at 3 mo. Ds had at least 6 or 7 colds in his first year even though he had no older sibling to catch them from and dd only had 1 even though ds was always ill.
Colds are generally passed by touch so I think I would probably try to keep an ill 2.5 year old with a cold from kissing or handling a 13 week old. I don't think that would be a great hardship on him. There is no reason though why they can't hang out in the same room. Just do a lot of handwashing (for you and your sister too) before handling one child after another.

GeorginaA · 04/10/2004 22:00

I'm in this dilemma. My two seem to have permanent colds at the moment, and a friend of mine is a first time mum with a 2 week old. She could probably do with some support right now, but also the last thing she needs is for her newborn to get a cold so young (well, he probably will get a cold fairly soon, it being the season and all - but I'd prefer it not to have been my fault!!). Once baby gets past about 3 months and can be calpoled and karvoled I consider them fair game

Flik · 04/10/2004 22:06

Thing is, colds are so common you can never really say who they've been caught off. I used to keep dd1 away from others with colds (it must be a first time mum thing) but could'nt do that with dd2 as dd1 was at nursery/school and felt like constantly had one, so dd2 has always had them too right from early on.

wizzysmum · 04/10/2004 22:14

I agree, Flik - I was much more careful (paranoid!!) with dd1. Dd2 had chest infection at 3 weeks and very very ill (as her twin died at 24hrs that wasn't a great Christmas). I had a vision of her always being the sickly one but apart from being a primadonna she's pretty tough. All 4 are winter babies and I've given up worrying now as the baby is 8 months and you can guarantee that one of the others will bring home colds from school pretty regularly

GeorginaA · 04/10/2004 22:25

wizzysmum I am so sorry to hear about your poor little one - can't even begin to imagine what that must have been/still is like for you.

I'm not sure the fear of colds for small babies when you're a first time mum is all paranoia. You really are adjusting to so much with a newborn first time around, that you really don't need any additional stress. Everything they do is already "oh f**k, is that normal?!!" without panicking about bugs doing the rounds as well.

Well, that's my reasoning for staying away until my friend's baby is a little bigger, anyway.

wizzysmum · 04/10/2004 22:28

Good for you GeorginaA - there's nothing worse than a sniffly baby when you can't do anything much to help or explain. Here's wishing you a sniffle-free winter.

Flik · 04/10/2004 22:40

Probably best to stay away like you say. It's not like you can tell she overreacting and it's going to happen sometime. First time mum's don't appreciate that and I was admitadly the paranoid and touchiest I've ever been at that time.

wizzysmum · 04/10/2004 22:57

PS Thanks for sympathy GeorginaA - we're a happy 4 kids family now but if anyone has bereavement/heart defect worries do point them my way and I'll try to help.

misdee · 04/10/2004 23:12

well dd1 caught her 1st cold at 10days old and couldnt feed, i had to get nasel drops for her. cant remember when dd2 was 1st ill, wasnt till she was fair bit older tho she did catch nits at 6weeks old. that was fun as she had about an inch of thick black hair that i had to gently comb thro each day.

misdee · 04/10/2004 23:13

whizzymum sorry to hear about your little one.

wilbur · 05/10/2004 14:57

welshmum, it's miserable when then little ones get colds, but if it would make your sister feel any better I saw a paediatric immunologist when ds was a baby and he told me that for a baby to have 2 or 3 big snotty colds before their first birthday was actually ideal as it really primed the immune system for bigger bugs to come. Obviously every baby is different, but if your niece is otherwise healthy, now she's past the newborn stage, I would have though she should be fine to play with her cousin.

secur · 05/10/2004 15:08

Message withdrawn

Grommit · 05/10/2004 15:21

My ds got one at about 4 weeks!

Original poster
welshmum · 05/10/2004 15:57

Thanks all. I think I'll say to my sister that she's welcome to keep away from us if she wants to. But that if we all wash our hands and try to keep my dd from kissing hers it shouldn't be too bad. (of course my dd can't keep her hands off the little one ' can baby x come on my lap?'ad infinitum)

OP posts:
handlemecarefully · 06/10/2004 12:39

Handwashing alone won't protect -colds are also transmitted through sneezing and coughing. Aerosol size droplets of cold bug can hang around a good 20 minutes after a sneeze, so a baby can pick up a cold in any public place really....

Uwila · 07/10/2004 10:12

My GP told me when dd was a few months old and had a cold that it was actually good for her. I looked at him like he'd fallen off another (less intelligent) planet. And he said that while it's no fun for me or her, it helps to develop the immune system and it is actually good for babies to get minor illnesses like colds.

I realise this is little consolation to you, and none at all to the baby. But it might have some truth to it.

Nannyto2g · 25/03/2019 11:06

THI...Transient hypogammaglobulinaemia of infancy
.. Good morning.. my 7 month granddaughter had just been diagnosed with THI.. has anyone had any experience of this.?. basically it's a low immune system, which means she is liable to catch anything going.. she's been ill on and off since birth, this is the second time she has has broncilitus (?).. but at least noire we know why she is always I'll. Lots of antibacterial wipe and spray to be used.. hour you're all well. X

Nannyto2g · 25/03/2019 11:07

Sorry for some of the spelling.. silly phone lol

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