Parents don’t give medicine to American babies when they have colds. Is it really the mother’s fault?

Su Bao\’s first cold was when she was eight months old. The runny nose on the first day turned into sneezing and nasal congestion. We immediately went to the pediatrician\’s clinic, and the pediatrician\’s diagnosis was: no injections, no medicine, let the baby recover on its own. Nani? Su\’s mother was a little confused at that time. She thought it was normal to take injections and medicine after catching a cold. What was the point of letting such a small baby get better on her own? As a result, the pediatrician said that Su Bao’s type of cold was a common cold (not the flu), and he actually didn’t need to see a doctor. In other words, it’s useless to see a doctor. They won’t prescribe medicine for you anyway… Then the pediatrician explained to me that 6-12 colds per year are normal for babies under 3 years old. Colds are also a process of strengthening the immune system. She gave me some information about what situations need to be seen by a doctor if the baby has a cold: refusal to eat or extreme lethargy, listlessness, extreme irritability, crying all the time and being difficult to soothe, abnormal breathing, or chest and ribs sinking and coughing accompanied by chest ringing during breathing. or severe coughing leading to vomiting. Babies aged 0-2 months have a fever; babies over 2 months old have a fever reaching 39 degrees, or the fever does not subside for 72 consecutive hours. They always scratch their ears or express earache and a cold that does not improve for more than a week. If the above symptoms do not appear, Moreover, the baby is in good spirits after catching a cold, so it can be basically judged that it is a common cold and does not require medical treatment. Of course, this is just a general principle. You should also trust the mother\’s intuition. If you feel something is wrong with your baby, you should seek medical treatment in time just in case. When the baby catches a cold, the whole family will be very worried. At this time, the elderly may advise the mother out of concern: \”Look at how pitiful the baby is, take some medicine!\” It seems that if you don\’t give the baby medicine, you are not a mother. At this time, mothers are always very stressed. Should they give their babies medicine? Can babies take over-the-counter cough or cold medicines? Subao’s American pediatrician clearly told us that cold medicines on the market cannot be given to babies! Regarding this, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also has express regulations that because the ingredients in cold medicines are dangerous to babies, children under two years old are prohibited from taking cold medicines, let alone taking antibiotics indiscriminately. So if I don’t take medicine, will I just watch my baby suffer? of course not. Su Bao has had colds seven or eight times since she was born. The following methods without taking medicine have helped me a lot: Bathroom steam and humidifiers to increase humidity can help relieve the discomfort of colds. When Su Bao catches a cold, we will Place a humidifier in front of the bed. You can also turn on the hot water in the bathroom before the baby takes a bath so that the steam fills the entire bathroom, which can stimulate the baby to expel nasal mucus. It should be noted that the bathroom will be very hot when using the steam method, and the temperature difference between the inside and outside of the bathroom may be large. Please be careful to keep warm after washing. Saline drops, wipes and sprays are very uncomfortable and helpless for babies who can’t blow their noses yet. When Su Bao had nasal congestion for the first time at eight months, I used a nasal aspirator. It looked like this: My parents have a clear love-hate relationship with nasal aspirators. Some people think they are magical tools, while others think they are not useful at all. I belong to the latter group. Su Bao has a stubborn personality. When we tried the nasal aspirator many times when she had a cold, she was very resistant and her crying got worse, so she gave up. But I found a good substitute, physiologicalSaline drops. This drop is not medicine. The formula is just salt and water. To use it, hold the baby and tilt the head back a little, and then drop it into the baby\’s nasal cavity. This will stimulate the baby\’s instinct to expel mucus. Although Su Bao didn\’t like this method very much, at least he wouldn\’t cry and resist like he did with the nasal aspirator. The other is saline spray, which has the same formula as drops and the same principle, except that it does not require the baby to lean back and can be sprayed directly into the baby\’s nasal cavity to help discharge nasal mucus. The two bottles on the right in the picture below are the two saline sprays and drops commonly used in my home: △ From left to right: Boogie Wipes, Boogie Mist, Little Redemies Saline Drops. In addition, when the baby has a runny nose, we will wipe it with a tissue, but Too much can easily turn the baby\’s nose red, so I discovered the saline wipes on the left in the picture above. When you use this to wipe your nose, it won\’t irritate the baby\’s skin like dry paper towels. One pack is enough for every cold. The disadvantage is that it is a bit expensive. It costs four or five dollars a pack in pharmacies (first left in the picture above). It is available on Amazon in the United States. For sale, you can buy it overseas yourself. Elevate the baby\’s upper body. Babies often have symptoms of nasal congestion when they have a cold. Nasal congestion is the most likely to cause the baby to be irritable because it is difficult for the baby to breathe while drinking milk and sleeping. Elevating the baby\’s head and upper body can help the baby breathe: However, I would like to remind everyone that never put a blanket or pillow directly under the baby\’s head, as there is a risk of suffocation. The correct way is to place it under the mattress. A few books or blankets. You can also try placing your baby in an angled soothing rocking chair: Before Su Bao was 1 year old, she liked to suck her fingers to soothe herself when sleeping. When she had a stuffy nose, it would be difficult to take naps during the day, so I would put her in a safety seat. , drive out so that the baby stays in a sitting position and is less prone to nasal congestion. Another method that has been tried and tested is to turn on the radio in the car and adjust it to a station without a channel. Su Bao will fall asleep quickly. I heard that the principle of this method is that the white noise from the radio is very similar to the sound of blood flowing in the mother\’s womb, and can calm the irritable baby. The first cold soothing balm and sleeping balm I like very much is called Badger Night-night Balm (Badger brand organic sleeping balm, first left in the picture below). The main ingredients are ginger, lavender and rosemary extracts. In fact, it mainly contains The purpose is to help sleep, not for colds. When babies have a cold, they will inevitably cry out of discomfort, which affects their sleep. This ointment smells very good, and the lavender ingredient in it is applied to both sides of the baby\’s nose. It is said to help calm the baby\’s emotions, but some people say it is useless. I don’t know if it’s a psychological effect, but I think Su Bao would sleep better than usual if he used this when he had a cold. I specially found it to take a group photo: △From left to right: Badger Night-night Balm, Honest Co. Organic Breath Easy Rub, Vicks Baby Rub. Another item that helps babies overcome colds.The magic tool is a baby cold soothing ointment that is commonly used in American families. It is called baby chest rub in English. As the name suggests, it is applied on the chest. This is not medicine. The main ingredients are Vaseline, coconut oil, tea tree extract, etc. It was recommended to me by Su Bao’s grandma. I heard that Su’s father used this when he had a cold when he was a child. I have to say that this ointment is really miraculous. After rubbing the palms of your hands to warm it, apply it on the baby\’s chest, back, soles of feet or neck, and it can calm a crying baby. I have used two brands, one is the well-established Vicks BabyRub (bottom right in the picture above); the other is Honest Co.’s organic nasal congestion soothing balm (top right in the picture above), and the results are very good. If my baby has a stuffy nose, I will apply it under her nose and on both sides of her nose. The mint scent can relieve nasal congestion, and I use it even when I have a cold. It is very uncomfortable for a baby to have a cold and cry because of discomfort, and for parents to be unable to help. Therefore, it is best to remember to wash your hands frequently when going to public places, exercise regularly outdoors to enhance your immunity, and nip the disease in the bud. If your baby has already caught a cold, don’t panic. First, determine whether it is the common cold mentioned above. If so, remember to feed breastfed babies frequently. Non-breastfed babies over 6 months old should replenish water appropriately and pay attention to rest. Finally, remember not to take medicine randomly. Scientific parenting is a true mother. I hope that the care experience I shared in today’s article can help everyone tide over the difficulties with their babies and recover as soon as possible.