Yes, your baby may pass on a cold before he starts to become obviously sniffly and irritable. In fact, your baby's cold could be contagious from a few days before his symptoms appear, until all his symptoms have completely cleared up.
The common cold is an infection of the mouth, nose, and throat (upper respiratory tract). A cold may be caused by one of many viruses. Because your baby's immune system is still developing, he's more likely to pick up colds than older children or adults.
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Your baby will have so many colds during his first year that it won’t be practical to keep him away from others every time he's a little under the weather. Just let visitors know before they arrive, and tell anyone looking after your baby so they can be ready with tissues to wipe his runny nose.
The common cold can be dangerous for some people, though. So if you suspect your baby has a cold, try to keep him away from people with serious health conditions, or anyone with a weakened immune system (such as those undergoing chemotherapy).
One of the best ways to stop a cold from spreading to the rest of the family, is to encourage everyone to wash their hands as often as possible. It's also worth getting into the habit of washing your baby's hands regularly with warm soapy water. Hand sanitiser is useful if you can't get to a sink, but it doesn't kill most viruses.
If you notice your baby's about to cough or sneeze, cover his mouth or nose with a tissue if you can. And once you've wiped your baby's nose with a tissue, be sure to throw the tissue in the bin straight away, and then wash your hands.
You might also like:
- Learn all you need to know about caring for your baby's cold.
- Find out when to take your baby to the GP.
- Discover the signs that your little one is too sick for nursery
- Do you know the difference between cold and flu? Get the lowdown.
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