Symptoms of a cold in an infant generally start with a low grade fever and nasal congestion. Infants get all plugged up inside and then two to three days later generally start having a lot of post-nasal drip, increasing a cough and causing a runny nose.
The symptoms of a cold are usually worst during the first 10 days. However, some children continue to have a runny nose, congestion, and a cough beyond 10 days.
Most often, you don't need to call or see your child's doctor. You do need to call your child's doctor if your child develops a complication. Examples are an earache or if the symptoms last too long. The normal cold lasts about 2 weeks.
The stages of a cold include the incubation period, appearance of symptoms, remission, and recovery. The common cold is a mild upper respiratory infection caused by viruses.
Most cases are mild, but for some children, an ordinary cold or flu can quickly turn into respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Severe cases may require emergency department treatment or hospitalization.
The only sure way to know for sure whether you have RSV or a cold is through an RSV test, traditionally administered by a doctor or other healthcare provider.
seems sick, shows signs of RSV and is less than 6 months of age or at high risk. has thick mucus from the nose or mouth that is yellow, green or gray.
Within 7–10 days , people will usually start to recover from a cold. Symptoms begin to ease up, and people will start feeling better. People may also find that they have more energy and are more able to carry out tasks as usual.
The usual recovery period for a cold lasts seven days. 3 Cold symptoms may linger for up to two weeks but ought to improve during that time. 2 While two weeks may seem like a long period, the cold is usually worst at the start.
Try to make your baby more comfortable with measures such as making sure he or she drinks enough fluids, suctioning nasal mucus and keeping the air moist. Over-the-counter (OTC) medications generally should be avoided in babies.
Days 3 to 5: Cough and More Nasal Congestion
Nasal symptoms continue to develop, peaking during the third and fourth days. You may notice that mucus from your runny nose has become thicker, with a yellow or green tinge.
Q: Is it dangerous for a baby to sleep with a blocked nose? A: While it might be comfortable for your baby to sleep with a congested nose, it's considered safe for most children.
Days 5-7: Energy and congestion improve. 1 week+: Cough usually tapers off after a week, but can take up to 3-6 weeks to fully resolve.
Days 4-6. Common cold symptoms mean that, because of your snotty situation, come days four to six you may also develop a mild cough. Due to inflammation around the airways, the cough may persist after your other symptoms are long gone.
Stage 1 of a Cold: First Signs and Symptoms
Stage 1 of a cold lasts for approximately the first one to three days of your illness. The first symptoms to show up after the incubation period are usually irritation in the throat (a scratchy sensation in the back of the throat), followed by a sore throat.
DAY 4 to 7:
In the peak stage of a cold, your symptoms may reach their maximum intensity, resulting in effects such as a runny nose, cough, sinus/nasal congestion, body aches, headache and fatigue. In some, cases, this may also lead to a fever.
Most children with mild colds who have no fever and who feel well enough to go to school or childcare do not need to stay home.
What Are the Symptoms of RSV? Initial signs of RSV are similar to mild cold symptoms, including congestion, runny nose, fever, cough and sore throat. Very young infants may be irritable, fatigued and have breathing difficulties. Normally these symptoms will clear up on their own in a few days.
Children with RSV typically have two to four days of upper respiratory tract symptoms, such as fever and runny nose/congestion. These are then followed by lower respiratory tract symptoms, like increasing wheezing cough that sounds wet and forceful with increased work breathing.