HELP!!! My Son Has Come down with a Cold

I think as long as he covers his mouth when he coughs and he washes his hands, then I think the babies would be ok. I completly understand where you are coming from. My 2 yr old came down with a really bad cold right after one of my close friends had a baby. I just didn't let him touch the baby unless I knew his hands were clean. I hope I helped you. Good Luck and Merry Christmas!

I don't know how you feel about cold medicine, but if it was me I would just gim a good dose to control the symptoms and maybe give him some airborn JR to help him fight it faster. Also give him a squirt of germ x on his hands every hour, and keep him away from the newborn babies. It's stinks kids always get colds at inconvenient times! My 3 year old caught a cold the day I gave birth to my son! Frustrating...
ps. I also tried that vicks vapor rub on the feet for my newborn and it worked GREAT!

Keep hands washed and don't let them drink after each other, and don't let him kiss on the babies. Colds happen and if one of the other kids gets sick in the end well it will help them to fight off colds later. The babies maybe fine anyway they still have some of there moms anti bodies that help them fight illness.

Colds will always happen and I agree that it's not fair to send him away for a family holiday gathering. I think I would tell the parents of the newborns though so they can make their own decisions. When my son was born I was nervous about him being around people anyway, so I would have appreciated the information so I could plan accordingly. At least that way they can do take extra precautions (extra wipes used on things, extra careful with who's around them, extra handwashing, etc.) if they do decide to attend. Also, you might want to talk to your son about staying away from the babies to do his part for keeping them well too.

As for the other children, it sounds like they're older and probably more immune to stuff. I would probably still reinforce to your son to wash hands frequently and make sure he covers his mouth (with his elbow) when coughing and all that kind of stuff.

Good luck with your gathering! Hope everything goes well!

Don't fret!!! It is winter, half the kids there will have colds. Luckily, they are little babies and will be with Mom/Dad and sleeping mostly. Just tell your son to wash his hands when he thinks about it and not to touch the babies faces/hands (maybe have some Purell hand sanitizer around for when you think of it.) And let the parents of the babies know also. No big deal!!! Kids are kids are kids- they get and spread germs/colds. If I avoided family and friends when any of my three had a cold, I would NEVER leave the house between November and February!!

P.

R.,

If your son's symptoms have just started, run out and get some Zicam nasal swabs. They will help the severity and length of his cold.
Run a humidifier (w/vicks) if he is congested all night. Run a cool mist one when everyone is over too. Just tell them it has helped to keep the stuffy noses away with the dry heat from running the heater, etc.
Other than that, treat his symptoms as needed with OTC medicines. Keep him as far away from the babies as possible, and remind him to wash his hands often.
I can promise you, he probably won't be the only one there with a cold or sinus issues. This crazy weather seems to have caused a rapid spread of upper respiratory stuff.
Relax, and good luck!

I agree with the others- just call and let the parents of (any) children know that your son is sick. I wouldn't just call the newborn parents. If I took my 3yo to your house and your son was sick, I wouldn't be happy that you didn't let me know, first. See, when my son gets a cold, there's a lot of vomiting included. He has a very sensitive gag reflex and the phlegm hits it, causing vomiting often. A cold is not just a nuisance in our household- it's ugly! Please let all the parents know, then let them decide whether or not to come. It's not fair to your son to send him away from his own house when there's going to be a gathering there, but it isn't fair to any parent to expose their children to a cold without warning. As innocent as most colds can be, some people are prone to developing serious side effects or secondary infections (pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections, ear infections). By the way, my doctor has always told me that colds are contagious for 5 days from onset of symptoms.

I would just let the parents of the newborns know that he's got a cold. Make sure you have plenty of hand soap and strategically place bottles of hand sanitizer gel around the house.
With 35 people around, the newborns' parents will likely be taking precautions anyway. As long as the babies spend most of their time in their infant carriers, or in the arms of germ-free adults, and you remind your son to steer clear of them, it shouldn't be a problem. You could start now by helping him to remember to wash his hands after every time he blows his nose, etc. Also, you may be able to give him over the counter cold medicines that could help dry up a runny nose and suppress a cough for the evening.

I learned this right here on Mamasource. LOL! Put vics vaporub on his feet (I use a generic brand), then put socks on his feet and let him sleep like that during the night. You will near little or no coughing during the night, and he will sleep very comfortably. Then, when he wakes up (this is my addition), give him a Claritin Redi-tab to help with the runny nose, sneezing, coughing etc. I got my asthmatic child through her last real cold this way, and she normally translates any cold into bronchitis/pneumonia, so I will be using this method from now on!

Have a Great Day!
L. Santiago