Advice for Sick 16 Month Old

Hi, K..
The cold is one thing. And, if you're taking him to the doctor anyway, you might want to ask about night-terrors to be on the safe side. This may not be what he's experiencing, but it might be. I am hearing more and more about these "nightmares" in young children.
Good luck!

I have asthma, and when I get a cold it's yucky. These are some things I do for me and my 2 year old daughter when we're congested. A vaporizer or humidifier with some essential oils such as eucalyptus, tea tree, menthol, peppermint etc. (Oil especially made for vaporizers and humidifiers is available in the same aisle at the store).

Baths with some drops of similar essential oils or essential oil bath salts (try to get the bathroom nice and steamy, it'll loosen up the crud.) You could even put minty tea bags in the bath water. This is very soothing for those times in the middle of the night. (Just be careful that the oils in the bath are not too strong and don't get rubbed in the eyes)

I also love to rub oil with drops of similar essential oils on my chest, throat, and feet (then put socks on). You can do this a few times a day especially before bed. Massaging it in the chest area can be soothing and helps to loosen up crud. Massaging it in the throat can help to ease soreness.

A warm water bottle or something similar on the chest can be soothing.

There are some herbal remedy teas for kids in the health food section that are helpful too.

Cut out sugar and dairy until the congestion clears.

Hope some of this helps!

I would guess it is an ear infection. They are excruciatingly painful. If not that, then something is causing him PAIN and not just discomfort from not feeling well. I hope you were able to get into the doctor!

I know it is a little late but, for the next cold...Since my son has been 3 months old, when he gets congested, especially nasal, we did an old trick that my mom used on my brother and myself. Most doctors tell you to suction their noses. I don't know about you, but it does not work very well, and it is very uncomfortable for my son. I mix 1 cup of warm water with 1/8 tsp salt. Mix it well. Suck it up in a bulb syringe. Hold your child's head over the sink, with either ear facing the bottom of the sink, tilting the top of his head slightly down towards the sink. You might need someone hold his hands and feet because it will seem scary for him. As you hold his head steady, squirt the warm salt water in the nostril closest to the ceiling. The water travels through one nostril, through all of his nasal sinuses, and out the other nostril, down the drain. Not only does it clear his sinuses of mucus that will sit there and turn into bacteria, it dialates his sinuses, which allows him to breathe sooooo much better! He cried terribly the first two times, but after that, he actually smiled because he knew that great relief was on the way! If you don't believe me, ask your doctor. It works miracles!

This sounds like more than a cold to me- if he is not comforted by you...my 22 month old has a little cold (or allergies) right now- just keep doing the saline- humidifier, etc...) It takes a night or two for mine to be able to sleep again- Iknow how tiring it can be- atleast one of my kids has been up at 5:30 am this week (husband out of town too) it's that time of year. Also- if you notice something coming on- give him some elderberry syrup- it's natural- you can get it at Harrys, Whole foods or any natural health food store- it's called Sambucal or Sambucor....I think thye just changed the name. But give it as directed and it usually takes care of the problem in a couple or three days (much shorter than the average cold lasts). Also- is he teething? my first child was a horrible teether- that also causes pain, fever runny noses, diarreah..etc..- I know it's hard- but try eliminating milk and milk products while he is sick- they are mucus causing foods...try watered down juices and ice water for drinks and lots of fruits and veggies!
Good lUck!
Nikki

I'm glad you are checking with your doctor, because I am sure there are plenty of Moms out there that might disagree based on the "latest facts" (have you ever notice things in the pediatric world are cyclic?!). At times like this when your child is demon child (and most of us HAVE been there once or twice - you have my sympathy!) because of so much pain, I would give my girls the cold medicine appropriate for their symptoms. We used the nasal "booger-getter" and the saline solution, but that only went so far. If your child is so congested he can't breath, a decongestant is pretty much common-sense. The important thing is to get the dosage correct. At the time, we were being seen at a military hospital for our care and the girls' could "prescribe" over the counter medicine and therefore have the correct dosage labeled right on the bottle. Your pediatrician should be able to tell you the right dosage. I hope your little one is feeling better soon and you are able to get some much needed rest!

At the very first onset of a bit of a runny nose, I would give your child (I do this with mine) something called, Emergen-C. It's a fizzy powder drink mix that you mix with water or whatever. Each packet has 1000mg of Vitamin C. I put 2 packages in a 9oz sippy cup and give it to mine. The runny nose stays away as long as I give 2 packets in a sippy cup daily. It's wonderful stuff! You can get it at Wal Mart or a health food store. Wal Mart has just a few flavors, but there are more at the health food store. You can get the Super Orange at Wal Mart and that is what we use. There are Pink Lemonade, Cranberry, Raspberry, Tangerine, etc.

Anyway, Vitamin C also boosts the immune system as well as reduce the inflammation (colds).

Other things that I have done with my kids (we are hardly ever sick) is give them an immune booster when the first onset of sore throat and it's gone by the next day. We pretty much get all of our stuff at the health food store. I usually open up the capsule and put it in orange juice for the little ones. We use the NOW brand of Beta Glucan which has 100mg of Beta Glucan and 160mg of Maitake Mushrooms in it.

Another great thing to have around the house is (well there are more, I could write a book.lol) some probiotics. This will put the good back in the body and help him fight off what he has. If it's an ear infection or even just pain, an herbal formula called Ear and Nerve found at www.herbsfirst.com is wonderful!

But honestly, I would get to Wal Mart and get the Emergen-C. It's in a box in the vitamin section. It will take a bit to get caught up with your son, but keep it going. Catching anything early on is much easier to remedy than when it gets worse.

Good luck!

I agree it could be an ear infection, and elevate his mattress and get out the baby vapor rub, put it on his chest, and on his feet and put some socks on him so the stuff won't get everywhere.

Oh, I feel your pain! It's so horrible to not be able to comfort your child when they are sick. I would definitly go to the dr and rule out an ear infection...because nothing hurts worse than that, and the times my 22 month was out of control upset (cried when I held her and cried when I put her down), it turned out to be an ear infection. For the congestion, sounds weird, but I rub vicks baby rub on her feet (put socks on or footie pj's) and on her back and chest. Try ibuprofin instead of tylenol tonight and alternate the two. You seem to be doing everying right. See what the dr says today, that should help. Good luck and know this too shall pass!!

Hi K.,

Try putting an herbal vapor rub on the bottom of his feet. I know that may sound weird, but it works and it is absorbed into his system and opens his sinuses to help with his congestion and cough if he has one. Put it between his toes, especially big one and 2nd toe, then on bottom of feet. Try to use a natural one since it is being absorbed into his system, I have one if you need it. Do this every night when he has his cold and you will see a difference!
Good luck,
K.

Cold vapor - not hot. Wild Cherry bark syrup at health food store will help break up the congestion and thus reduce throat pain. Johnson vapor bath could help a little or even epson salt bath. I always try to get mine sitting up at night, he is so small, if you hold him in bed supported by a bunch of pillows maybe he will sleep better (you won't get much, but I am sure your not anyway, at least he will feel a little bettter :) ).

The bad diaper - is that unusual? That may indicate a viral? Add a cod liver oil every day to help increase immune and fight the cold.

Best I have other than finding a great naturalpath or homeopath - which is usually what saves us. Hope he is better very soon! J

There may be more to it than a cold. Maybe an ear infection? The only time I have ever seen my daughter turn into the "demon child"(when it is not a terrible 2's tantrum, that is) is when she has had a double ear infection and as soon as I got the numbing drops from the doctor, it stopped. Her ears just hurt her so badly that she couldn't sleep or get comfortable. She also had a low grade fever, diarrhea and congestion. Let us know what happens and good luck with the pediatrician today!

I'm sorry you had to go through this. I have one of my kids that has done this several times. You just have to keep trying different things to find what suits him because every child is so different and comforted by different things.
As far as the cold goes I always thought it was wierd, but was desperate one night and tried the vicks on the feet with socks and it helped. The diarrhea might be making his behind sore which after being in the hospital many times and having some nasty diaper rashes told us that you can clean it with mineral oil on cotton balls then coat it with vasoline. That worked better that all of the different creams we tried. Also a warm bath with you or your husband holding him might calm him down. My son got like this when he had ear infections. Usually we would each take turns sleeping with him in his room.
I would definitely get a doc appt just to find out why he is so miserable - there is a reason.
Good luck and just keep trying all the different advice you get til you find what works for your son.

I have an 18 month old little girl. My pediatrician advised me to elevate one end of her mattress by placing four folded towels at one end so this helps keep her nasal passages from becoming blocked so quickly. It really helps her sleep and breathe better. Make sure you elevate the end his head is on. I just stack two towels side by side at one end to slightly elevate the crib mattress. Hope this helps.

It's good that you are taking him to the DR. I would think the panic in him was that he could not breathe and comforting him won't help when you need air. He may be asthmatic??just a thought. Or he may have strep and a very sore throat?
Don't give him anything except what your doctor suggests. I think anything you can do to keep from upsetting him more has got to help. Of course you need to change his diaper.
Colds are the pits, putting it mildly. I know how I feel when I have one and I HATE THEM and detest who gave it to me. So with that said...I will wish you luck tonight.
Babies and colds break my heart in two!!!!!!!!!!!!

HI K.,
With what you have listed, I would guess your child is reacting to teething, ear infection or vaccine reaction. Is he tugging on his ears at all? If not, I would lean more toward the others. Elevating the mattress is going to give very little help if any. When you have fluid in your ear, it is because of incresed fluid (from the congestion) not being able to properly drain. When a persons cervical vertebra are misaligned, it puts direct pressure on the eustation tube (ear tube). This is when some people run for the antibiotic. 90% of ear infections do not need an antibiotic and more times than not, result in a repeat infection within a couple months. He certainly needs an immune system booster. The vit c is great along with probiotics and a good vitamin. I am a Chiropractor myself so of course my child has always recieved this care. We use natural care and have not had the slightest of problems. If my child went through what yours did, I would get her adjusted right away and increase on her fluid. At 16 months I would stay away from dairy for awhile, at least until a few days after the infection is gone. Milk/diary products increase your saliva and make you produce more mucus, result is something you dont want when your congestion. My daughter had a double ear infection when she was 9 months. Her treatment was getting adjusted by Chiropractor 3 days in a row. It was COMPLETLY cleared on the third day. She wasnt in pain because the adjustment took the pressure completly off of her tubes and allowed the body to work how it should. This could be why he was in so much pain, even after the tylenol. I tell you this because it works and other treatments or a joke to us! I believe in fixing the body from the inside out, not vise versa. I wish you the best and hope he is feeling better soon!

I have a 3 year old son, and although we have never let him sleep with us on a regular basis there have been 2 or 3 times when he is really sick that I have slept with him or we have both slept on the couch with some cartoons on all night. I think as long as this does not become a habit you will be fine. When he is starting to get better get right back into his normal bedtime routine. He may have trouble the first night in bed alone, b/c they are such creatures of habit, but after that night he will be fine. Sometimes you just have to make other arrangements when they are sick. If you do decide to sleep with him, holding him upright or proping him on pillows may help.
Also, a little cold remedy... it has always worked for me in preventing the cold from moving to ear infections. Whenever my little guy gets a cold I have, atleast 3 times a day put a saline solution up his nose. Now he hates this more than anything, but it really helps in the long run. I boil 1/2 cup of water with a 1/2 tsp. of salt for about 3 minutes. Let it completely cool and then you can use it for about 3 days. (you can always buy it in the store, but this solution works just fine!) Hope this helps... good luck I know its the pits!!