Fevers to Rashes: A Guide to Baby’s First Illnesses

Babies don’t talk so they can’t tell you when they’re sick or what’s wrong with them when you know they are.  So how do you know how to treat your sick baby?  Or how do you determine if your baby has a rash or a food allergy?  This quick reference guide will help you decide when it’s time to take your baby to the doctor or how to treat them if you don’t.

Pain killers
As with any medicine, you should always check with your child’s pediatrician before administering pain medication.  Your baby may be too young for pain killers and because they are so small, they need a very specific dose because they can be given too much all too easily.  Pain killers may be used to treat discomfort from teething, ear infections or a variety of other painful things.

Diaper rash
Diaper rash can look like small dots of red or severe red bumps with blisters.  There are a variety of causes for diaper rash, but the most common are wetness and friction.  Try applying a rash ointment to the areas of discomfort.  If the rash does not clear within 72 hours, go ahead and call a doctor because it may be a different yeast type of rash that may need to be treated by a doctor.

Ear infections
Ear infections are very common in children under two.  There is a part in the ear, called the Eustachian tubes that allow air to circulate in the ear.  These tubes are often too small in an infant’s ear so they don’t always work properly.  Signs of an ear infection can include your baby tugging on her ears, fever, grumpiness, trouble sleeping and lack of appetite.  Contact your doctor if your baby has signs of an ear infection.  He may wish to treat the infection with antibiotics which help kill off the bacterium that builds up in the ear.  Occasionally, your doctor will have you wait it out, treating it only with pain killers to help reduce the discomfort.  This helps the body rejuvenate itself and learn how to heal itself.

Colds
You know the symptoms of a cold, you’ve probably had one this year.  Colds are characterized by a runny nose, watery or red eyes, a sore throat and possibly a cough.  Always contact your pediatrician if your baby is under 3 months of age or her cold last for more than 10 days. Otherwise the best treatment is rest, lots of liquids and love. 

Food allergies
Symptoms of food allergies can range from mild to severe and may cause rashes, hives, diarrhea, abdominal pain, anaphylaxis among other symptoms.  Food allergies are very serious and this is why it is so important to introduce foods one at a time to your child so you can pinpoint the food that caused the allergy and avoid it from that point on.  If you are unable to determine what caused the allergic reaction, your doctor may be able to run tests to help determine your baby’s allergies.  The good news about allergies is that most babies outgrow them by the time they are 3 years old.