Best baby/toddler cold relief - share your tips

[halfpint]

B has his first bad cold, and he's missssserable. Using the Nose Frida feels like we're waterboarding him, he screams.

So far, we've utlized:
- humidifier during naps/night (although last night the vapors and/or humidity triggered a false alarm on the smoke detector, ugh)
- Nose Frida (aka baby torture)
- Aquaphor on the nose to help with tenderness
- elevated mattress to help with sleeping (I feel like this just makes him roll to one end of the crib)
- ibuprofen for his poor little fever
- tons of water, but he's less than interested
- Boogie Wipes for snot that has found it's way out, but he hates that too

What else?  I'm sure I'm not the only one who would benefit!

[Deleted]

Nothing works.

I'm sorry. Drink. Pray. Wait.

[aspentosh]

The Nose Frida may feel like torture to him, but keep doing it. It really does help.

Vicks Vapor rub on belly, back and feet.

Humidifier (but not so high to set off the alarm lol).

[Brie]

I really like this stuff. It's basically baby Afrin. www.littleremedies.com/natural-remedies/nose-remedies/nasal-decongestant-for-kids/

It says 2+ on the box but our pedi recommended it and said it was fine after 6 months.

[soozy87]

We are going through this right now as well. We are using the humidifier and pushing liquids as much as possible. Trying to suction the nose with the bulb syringe with every diaper change also. This is day 3 and he seems better, his nose is no longer running much but he has a bad cough. He loves baths so we give him an extra long one thinking that might help him too.

Hope your little one starts feeling better soon!

[Deleted]

We do the same things you do OP. We also use saline drops in his nose to loosen the snot, then use the NoseFrida. But like @tokenhoser says, none of these remedies are particularly effective. You just have to ride it out. Buy booze.

[halfpint]

Is the booze for me, or for him?

I'm only mostly kidding.

[Ashley&Scott]

We give M a very small dose (less than suggested for his age/weight) of children's allergy meds at bedtime, as directed by his pedi. But didn't start this until he was closer to 2yo. Usually 1 or 2 nights of meds & he's on the mend.

[mandapanda18]

Same as Ashley&Scott we gave a small dose (1/4 tsp) of benadryl in the evenings when he was super sick last Dec. His Pedi approved it, and we already had it on hand due to his adverse amoxocillion reaction.