How to take care of a five-month-old baby with a cough and runny nose

Parents should not ignore the cough and runny nose of a five-month-old baby. They should pay attention to comprehensive treatment. If the condition is mild, natural treatments can be used, such as hot compresses, breast milk drops, and head elevation. If the condition is serious, drug treatment is required. Some antiviral drugs can be selected. During treatment, family care should be done well. You can help the baby rub his back to promote physical recovery.

The immunity of a five-month-old baby brought from the mother is almost exhausted. If the physical fitness is not very good, it is easy to get sick and catch a cold, especially the baby will have a cough, runny nose, etc. The baby is uncomfortable, which will make parents extremely worried. Let's take a look at what to do if a five-month-old baby coughs and has a runny nose?

1. Natural remedies

(1) Hot compress

The nasal mucosa shrinks when heated, and the nasal cavity will be less obtrusive. If the baby's cough is severe, parents can try some methods to stop the cough, such as filling a hot water bottle with about 40°C hot water, wrapping it with a thin towel, and applying it to the baby's back near the lungs. This can accelerate the expulsion of cold and quickly stop the cough.

(2) Breast milk

The warmth of breast milk can temporarily clear the baby's nasal cavity.

(3) Lift your head: Slightly relieve nasal congestion symptoms

If the baby's nose is blocked, parents can put a towel or two under the child's mattress and slightly raise the head to relieve congestion, but never let a child sleep directly under a pillow or mattress, which can easily lead to suffocation or spinal cord injury.

(4) Helping your baby squeeze out mucus is the most effective way to help your baby breathe smoothly.

2. Reasonable drug treatment

If a five-month-old baby has a cough and a runny nose, do not use antibiotics casually. Instead, choose some antiviral drugs because colds are caused by viruses.

3. Home Care

Before going to bed at night, soak your baby's feet in warm water until the baby's forehead sweats a little, then drink more warm water and go to bed as soon as possible.

After going to bed, you can lie between the clothes and rub the baby's back up and down. The heat from rubbing the back can prevent colds. If the baby's nose is a little stuffy, you can rub the baby's ears until they turn red, which is also good for treating nasal congestion. In addition, for babies over one year old, add a thin slice of ginger to the soup, and give the baby something light for the next meal, such as porridge, noodles, etc., to supplement comprehensive nutrition.