11 1/2 Month Old and Cold Meds??

NO!!! Don't give her any meds. I would take her immediately to the doc, she sounds like she is getting dehydrated and is lethargic. They need to determine what is going on.

I agree that she needs to go to the Dr. Better safe than sorry.

Take your baby to the pediatrician - or maybe a new pediatrician. It is not normal that a baby has so many colds. Has anyone considred severe allergies? Is three smoking at home? Is there a dog or cat? I never realized that i was very sensitive to smoke until the smokers that had been in my life were no longer in my life (ex-husabnd, officemate back in the day when you could smoke in offices in NYC). I realized after a few months that I no longer needed to buy a box of tissue a week at my office, and many boxes at home. Not having smokers around and suddenly I could breathe, smell, etc. My neice is highly allergic to dogs and cats and with 30 minutes of someone entering their house who has pets she begins to show symptoms. Jsut the hair / dander on their clothing is enough to make her sumptomatic.

good luck mamma - you'll get the bottom of this - we mammas know our kids best!

Have you taken her to the pediatrician? Taken her temperature? She may have a sinus infection, strep throat or an ear infection requiring antibiotics. If she's lethargic, her eating is off and her sleeping is shot -I would take her to the doctor. If there is no infection present, they can advise you on any type of meds. Please don't give her anything without consulting her doctor! Most infant and children's meds go by weight, and you need to be very careful about dosage, ingredients and type.

If it's just a cold, buy some Pediasure shakes to give her and see if she'll at least drink those for nutrients. Get a humidifier for her room and some Baby Vick's or eucalyptus oil and dab on her clothes, heels -and for the Vick's -rub a little on her chest and back. Before bed or if she's waking at night miserable, run a VERY hot shower in a closed bathroom and get it all steamy and sit with her in the steam. Give her nice, warm baths and dress her warmly, but not TOO warm.

NO!!!! There is a reason they say not to give cold medicine to a child under 4 and some say not under 6.
Sick kids lay around and don't eat well as long as she is drinking she will be okay. If if her fever gets very high or lasts longer then 3 days give the doctor a call. When they are little you just have to ride it out and offer extra TLC

oh my goodness NO. you can't give them ANY cold or cough medicine at this age. tylenol or motrin is really the only medicine you can give thats OTC that i know of. call her doctor and talk to him/her if you're concerned that she's not getting better/needs something else.

NO NO NO NO NO AND NO! Cold meds are not meant for children under SIX years old. DO NOT GIVE YOUR INFANT COLD MEDS MEANT FOR CHILDREN 6 TIMES HER AGE! The only thing you can do is the saline drop in the nose, use the nose sucker to help clear up some of the drainage, and Tylenol OR Motrin. You can also turn the shower on as hot as it will go, shut the bathroom door and sit with her in the steam (not the water). Vick's also makes an infant Vapo Rub that works really well. You can also try elevating her crib mattress at one end by putting a large pillow or rolled up blanket underneath of the mattress. If you don't already have one, gut a humidifier. I prefer a cool mist. You might also want to try to give her water instead of formula. Formula is thick and sometimes it's hard for babies to swallow when they're sick. I would get some Pedialyte (there are generic versions that are far cheaper and work just as well) and try to get her to drink that. You can also use Gatorade, just water it down a bit. You might also want to try to give it to her out of a cup with a straw as opposed to a bottle. For some reason when my kids are sick they prefer a straw over a bottle or sippy cup. As long as she's having wet diapers and is crying tears, she's not dehydrated. Chances are if you take her to the doctor, they're not going to be able to do anything for her :( Sick babies are absolutely NO fun, for them or for Mommy :(

It really just has to work itself out, giving her meds for a cold will not help if it is just a cold. I know it doesnt help her feel better. Try these and see if they help; saline nasal spray and nose sucker, cold air humidifier, elevate her mattress, warm bath, and fluids. I know you said she wasnt drinking much formula but see if you can keep water in her as often as possible, also see if you can get her to eat apple sauce or some banana. She will bounce back soon, sorry she isnt feeling well.

Use a nasal bulb and suck the snot out - -that should help. I would also consider getting her re-seen by the pediatrician to make sure it hasn't moved into her lungs and she is wheezing (sometimes you cannot tell even though you think you would be able to) or maybe to her ears. My son did the same thing at 8 mos and ended up that he stayed in the hospital 3 days because just a normal cold caused him to wheeze and have decreased O2 saturation. Ended up on nebulizer for 3 months a couple of times a day. He had decreased or refused nursing and didn't want food either -- that is when we headed to the pediatrician and ended up in the hospital. Just worth getting checked out -- just in case.

NEVER NEVER give your little ones cold medicine -- they are not meant for kids under 6 and ESPECIALLY not decongestants.

Best wishes!

If she's that sick, you need to see her pediatrician. Kids that age can be really sick, and they still play and laugh. It sounds like she's lethargic and that's not normal. I would call the nurse line for your local children's hospital, and take her to see her pediatrician. If your child's doctor doesn't take it seriously, I'd find a new one for a second opinion.

You might consider all her "colds" have been ear infections & hence she might need tubes in her ears. These will make a night & day difference. My son had infections every 3 weeks for the first 20+ months of his life. When I was finally on a 3rd opinion who said tubes, we did it & boy did it change everything! Not another cold or ear infection in almost 2 yrs now. They both fell out (one at 3 months, other at 6 months) BUT they made a huge difference. A lot of nasal drainage ALWAYS leads to ear infections. Take her to a Pediatric ENT Dr. and have her evaluated. Consider putting an allergen covers on pillow (if there's one) and on the mattress. She could have allergies. Also, consider food allergies, these could be a culprit too. Wash all her stuff weekly, change sheets often.

Hope this helps!

What has the Doctor said about this lengthy recurring "cold?"

No, do NOT use any over the counter cold meds on her. She is too young...

You REALLY need to take her to the Doctor.. right away... she really seems to be languishing... unable to eat/drink, is listless and fatigued, hardly sleeping... and suffering.
AND, watch out for Dehydration.... dehydration in a baby is VERY serious and can come on quite suddenly.

Take her to the Doctor or ER or Urgent care office, right away.
She has been like this for too long....

all the best,
Susan

No. None. Never at that age. "guessing" at a 1/4 dose is what kills babies! Take her to the pediatrician asap. Good luck.

Don't give your child any milk, milk makes the mucus thick. Only thinner fluids like juice mixed with water. Foods shouldn't be too starchy, but crackers are good with any upset stomach. Let your baby eat or drink the broth with rice. Last but not least of course make sure she does not have a sinus infection. Good luck and I hope your baby feels better soon.