Hello Hetal and Friends
Please pls help me! :(
I want to know what steps I cn take to avoid infection between my 2 kids. I hd put up this ques earlier but did not get any answers. My elder kid was fine by then so i too did not reinforce.

But now my 4 yr old elder kid is sufferring from seasonal cold, cough and fever. The younger one is just 6m.

I m a working person. When i go home, the elder kid wants to be with me. And i hv to be with little one to feed her and other things. Result, three of us end up in same room.
The elder kid, poor baby, tries to take all precautions i hv taught her in fear of being away from mother, like covering her mouth while sneezing/coughing, but sometimes she forgets and how long can that help?!

At night i tried sleeping in separate room, away from elder one. But she started missing me too much, and wd cry a lot. She is already sick, so was missing me more.
I ended up sleeping with my 2 kids on either sides. The elder one coughs and sneezes a lot in sleep.

Earlier, the elder one sufferred from viral fever and the little one had got it too. I have spent sleepless worried nights bec of the baby since she had v high temp at that time.

I want to avoid this now.
Pls suggest how i can try my best.

Thanks in advance.
jasmine jasmine replied. Very helpful inputs!!

Thank you Hetal replied. i wanted to answer your query before but it was not pssble to pen it down.and just during that time, there were some urgent queries which needed immediate attention so i couldnt make itup to reply. also, i happen to loose track of it,because these boards are very alive..one day if i it delays the posted query is lost amongst the latest ones...
neways,,sry about that.

whenever your baby/elder kid suffers from cold, start his medications at once. most of the seasonals are well taken care by regular medicines/OTC and so its not needed everytime to visit dr,,esp if its ongoing issue with kids who have regular seasonal colds,coughs.

this is all you can do to prevent the infections between siblings :
1. keep sepertd as much as you can.
2. start the medication at the first symptom of cold or coughng,,,
3. if your second baby is 6months, make sure to ask your dr about flu shot !
4. everytime you clean your infected baby nose or cough,,sanitize your hands with some sanitizer/purell or wash them nicely before you attend healthy baby.
5. m sure you must be taking care of things like washng the infected baby clothes and stuffs seprtly..
6. keep a warm mist humidifier in the room of your infected baby,,it will soothe him.
7. some home remedies for SEASONAL colds, cough and mild fever upto 100 are,,for kids above 1 year :
--1.jethimadha pwder 1tsp is mixed with appropriate amt of honey just enough to make it a paste or more if baby likes it that way.offer 2-3times a day,,or after every episode of coughin,,this will avoid sore throat and will ease mucus release.
Or, turmeric with honey,,same proportion.
if baby does not like the taste, try offering turmeric in warm cows milk.
--2.basil leaves water, to be offered instead of regular water for the infected baby.
--3.wash and disinfect thr toys as frequently as needed,esp if the kids are sharing toys.
--4. your 4 year old is old enough to be ready for learning good hygiene habits..if he happens to forget,,keep reminding him. tell him to sanitize his hands after every episode of coughing or sneezng.
--5. in your 4year old diet, include a dash of ginger and garlic,in his foods,,and make him eat that. give lots of vitamin c diet. offer your healthy baby/infant, diluted fresh juices(esp mosambi or sweet orange or gerbers apples,or boiled apple with some grape juice)..vit c makes immune strong and helps prevents to catch cold !!!
--6. every 2-3 days, wash the bedsheets, linens or pillow covers of your infected baby so that recurring infections dont occur to ne of the your kids.antibiotic wipes can be used,,this are often available in warehouses,,also wipes like clorox, lisol helps prevents infections,,
--7. if your baby is able to handle, give him some ginger juice mixed in honey in middle of the day,,if so, the next offering in the snack time will be a glass of warm milk without turmeric ! dont give too many hot foods at the same servings or alternate servings..give it a gap,,of 6hours between 2 hot foods,,
---8. make your infected baby sleep as far as away from you as well, and whenver infected baby sleeps, make sure to apply some vicks or ne cold rub that will help soothe him and sleep well. if you are in US, give him OTC cold, cough and flu medication or check the symptoms on the pack and then buy it...
ask your dr about the right dosage..mostly 1/4tsp at every 4-6hours is recmnded,,this will not only help your child recover better, but he wont fuss much and wont spread infection.
---9. let your smaller baby/infant sleep in bassinet or make him sleep on bed that is abit far from your infected baby,,let it be same room, but the bed in distant places,,or like crib abit far from the bed,,or let your 6months sleep in separte bassinet,,once he is asleep,,keep your clothes or your handkerchief next to his clothes(so that he feels your presence ) and just move the crib or bassinet abit away from the bed you and your elder kid are sleeping.
---10. avoid much of dairy servings when it comes to cold and cough with mucus..only 2-3times a day is enough. for your healthy baby, breastfeed him, this will increase his immune..
rubbing a drop of eucalyptus oil with ordinary hair oil whenever you massage in hair oil..will help your infected baby soothe in congestion and clear his colds at faster speed...

and thats all you can do,,or i know as of now,, when it comes to preventing the infections..its easier to deal with infant thn toddlers,,because infants once asleep, dont know where they are sleeping or playing,,so its easier to manage the infant..
keep them away as much as you can, get them flu shots every season without fail,,it will prevent ne severe infection to either,even if one got it by other viral reasons,,at the first symptoms of cold, cough, start treating with home remedies(only in 1-2days), then include over the counter medicine and best thing to do ne mild cold,cough,,is call your dr for ne specific otc to be given, and the dosage...
warm soups with ginger(above 2years),lots of vit c vegetables like carrots, squash,,tomatoes,often helps,,
other than that, nothn much you can do,,ask your husband if at all your one of the babies are able to sleep with him...

thats all i can think of right now,,
good luck