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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffUnfortunately, there's no cure for the common cold. Antibiotics don't work against cold viruses. The best you can do is take steps at home to try to make your baby more comfortable, such as suctioning mucus from his or her nose and keeping the air moist. Again, call the doctor at the first sign of illness if your baby is younger than age 3 months.
If your infant has a fever of 100.4 F (38 C) or higher and seems uncomfortable, you can give him or her acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) in doses appropriate to your child's age. This can provide some comfort. Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) also is okay, but only if your child is age 6 months or older. Do not give these medications to your baby if he or she is dehydrated or vomiting continuously. And never give aspirin to someone younger than 18 years of age, because it may trigger a rare but potentially fatal condition called Reye's syndrome. Also know that such products are not capable of killing a virus.
Do not give your infant over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold preparations. These products don't appear to benefit infants and may cause serious and potentially life-threatening side effects in them. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has strongly warned that they shouldn't be used in children younger than age 2. And in October 2008, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association — with the support of the FDA — went a step further. They volunteered to relabel products to indicate they shouldn't be used in children younger than age 4.
- Stopping germs at home, work and school. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/germstopper/home_work_school.htm. Accessed Aug. 5, 2008.
- Common colds and young children. American Academy of Pediatrics. http://www.aap.org/pubed/ZZZN097VA7C.htm?&sub_cat=107. Accessed Aug. 5, 2008.
- Pappas DE, et al. Patient information: The common cold in children. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 6, 2008.
- Common cold. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/commonCold. Accessed Aug. 6, 2008.
- Klein JO, et al. Patient information: Ear infections (otitis media) in children. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 6, 2008.
- Public health advisory: Nonprescription cough and cold medicine use in children. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/advisory/cough_cold_2008.htm. Accessed Aug. 7, 2008.
- Hoecker JL (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Aug. 8, 2008.
- Feeding infants: A guide for use in the child nutrition programs. U.S. Department of Agriculture. http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Resources/feeding_infants.pdf. Accessed Aug. 15, 2008.
- FDA statement following CHPA's announcement on nonprescription over-the-counter cough and cold medicines in children. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01899.html. Accessed Oct. 9, 2008.
- Statement from CHPA on the voluntary label updates to oral OTC children's cough and cold medicines. Consumer Healthcare Products Association. http://www.chpa-info.org/10_07_08_PedCC.aspx. Accessed Oct. 9, 2008.
