Is your little one having the sniffles? Don’t worry, a cold is a common childhood condition and perfectly manageable
<div class="ExternalClass034E253910784ECA9AB4D5DBDF3D0BB8"><div><p>
By Health Promotion Board in collaboration with Dr. Yvonne Ng, Senior Consultant, Department of Neonatology, National University Hospital.</p><p>The little one having the sniffles? Don’t worry, a cold is a common childhood condition and perfectly manageable! </p></div><div><h2>What Are Cold Symptoms?
</h2><p>Common cold symptoms include sneezing, coughing, a blocked and runny nose, mild fever, as well as watery eyes. If the little one continues to be active, eats and plays as usual, it’s probably a cold. This means that your child most likely has an infection that affects the upper part of his respiratory tract (nose and throat) but not his lower airways and lungs.
</p><h3>Is it something more serious?</h3><p>Look out for the following
<span style="color:#ed0033;">red flags</span>:
</p><ol><li>High fever (38.0 degrees Celsius and above)</li><li>Breathing difficulties</li><li>Audible wheezing
</li><li>Very poor appetite</li><li>Lethargy</li></ol><p></p><p>These could be caused by more serious infections of his lungs or airways. Brin him to the doctor when you notice any of the red flags mentioned above.</p><h3><span style="color:#ed0033;">BIG RED FLAG!</span></h3><p>Bring your baby to the emergency department if your child has bluish lips, or is gasping for air.</p><h3>Is it an allergy?</h3><p>
<a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1237/baby-when-allergies-occur" title="When Allergies Occur">Allergies</a> do not cause fevers. Classic symptoms of Allergic Rhinitis/Allergic Conjunctivitis are:
</p><ol><li>Itchy, watery eyes and nose</li><li>Repeated sneezing attacks</li><li>Itchy skin</li><li>Consistently clear mucus from the nose </li></ol><p></p><p>These types of allergies usually occur in older children (aged one and above). </p><p>
<strong>Related:
<a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1668/9-common-issues-babies-face" title="9 Common Issues Babies Face">9 Common Issues Babies Face</a></strong></p></div><div><h2>What Can I Do for My Child?</h2><h3>Bed rest and fluids</h3><p>The best remedy for a cold is plenty of rest. Also, continue to breastfeed your baby. He might throw a little baby fuss during feeding, especially if his nose is blocked. It’s important to remain patient and keep trying!</p><p>Infants below one will need more frequent feedings to stay hydrated, so feed him small amounts of milk throughout the day.</p><p>Do not give any medicine to your baby without consulting your paediatrician first. In general, no oral cough and cold medications are given to infants below one year old.</p><h3>Breathe easy</h3><p>You can use saline nasal drops or spray to clear mucous from baby's nose. Your doctor may prescribe nasal decongestants (a drug used to relieve nasal congestion) to help him breathe better.</p><h3>Prevention is better than cure</h3><p>Here are some simple things you can do to reduce your child’s risk exposure. </p><ol><li>
<a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1252/baby-washy-washy-clean" title="Washy Washy Clean">Keep those hands clean!</a> This applies to you, your child, and anyone else that comes into contact with your child. </li><li>Avoid coming into contact with people who are ill.
</li><li>Continue breastfeeding your child—breast milk boosts his immunity.</li></ol></div><div><hr /><p>
<strong>Read these next:</strong></p><ul><li>
<a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1248/baby-keeping-your-child-safe" title="Keeping Your Child Safe">Keeping Your Child Safe</a></li><li>
<a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1192/baby-care-of-your-newborn-to-have-and-to-hold" title="Care of Your Newborn: To Have and to Hold">Care of Your Newborn: To Have and to Hold</a></li><li>
<a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/849/creating-a-loving-relationship-for-your-child-and-your-newborn" title="Creating a Loving Relationship for Your Child and Your Newborn">Creating a Loving Relationship for Your Child and Your Newborn</a></li></ul></div></div>
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<div class="ExternalClass7F031914C6D44392B90989D91ED0FC1A">Established in 2001, the Health Promotion Board (HPB) has a vision to build a nation of healthy people.
HPB implements programmes that reach out to the population, specifically children, adults and the elderly. These programmes include health and dental services for school children, BreastScreen Singapore, AIDS Education Programme, CervicalScreen Singapore, Childhood Injury Prevention Programme, Mental Health Education Programme, National Myopia Prevention Programme, Physical Activity, National Smoking Control Programme, Nutrition Programme, Osteoporosis Education Programme, Workplace Health Promotion Programme, HPB Online, HealthLine, Health Information Centre and HealthZone. New programmes will also be initiated over time to address health concerns among the community.</div>
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Q&A: Is My Child Having a Cold?
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