How to Make This Cold Go Away Permanently

Updated on June 08, 2009
G.H. asks from Fort Lauderdale, FL
22 answers

Hi mommies,
I need your help badly, my 15 month old son has had a chest cold from as long as I can remember, and because of it he gets fluids in his ears frequently and sometimes an ear infection. He seems to get another cold about every two weeks after getting over a full blown cold. the Doctors say he is fine, there is nothing to be done, and one suggested we treat the cold with CPhen for 5 days & saline drops, tried that, still did not work, now he has the runny nose, constantly coughing, & congestion again which is keeping him up. I tried vicks, vaporisors, saline, I suction him often as well & I don't know what else to do. I hate to see my baby sick all the time, any suggestion is appreciated.

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So What Happened?

Thank you all so much for the responses, it seems you all have come to the same conclusion, allergies, so I am going to take all your suggestions and see what happens. I have already stopped with dairy products, I am going to get an appointment with my dr to see if they can rule out allergies. I am going to the whole foods store with a friend to see if they can recommend something natural, and definitely going to try more natural cleaning products & do more research. My son & I thank you all very much

Featured Answers

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K.G.

answers from Miami on

is he in day care? that could be what is keeping him sick. My daughter was like that and we had to switch schools, or find someone to watch her at home.

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S.M.

answers from Miami on

CPhen has always worked for my kids. Try getting a second opinion. Maybe it could be allergies or something besides a cold.

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J.C.

answers from Pensacola on

If he is sick all the time, especially if it extends into summer, something is wrong. If you're doctor won't listen get another one. I would suspect allergies because I have severe allergies and it always feels like a cold that won't go away.

First, check his environment. If anyone is smoking in the house get them outside immediately. Second hand smoke is what caused my asthma and probably increased my allergies.

Does your house have old carpet? Carpet is very bad for trapping allergens and there is not much you can do except pull it up (NOT while the baby is inside). Also, have your air conditioning ducts ever been cleaned?

If you can't do anything about carpet and ducts (expense or you are renting) you may want to try a room air filter. They are expensive but if it it helps it will be worth it.

I would also try to reduce or eliminate any chemicals or other pollutants in the home and consider seeing an allergist. Cleaning products like bleach and lysol can cause irritation in sensitive people. There are tons of recipes for chemical free cleaning products on the internet and I use several if you want to email me. If you use any air fresheners or candles you could try not using them for a couple of weeks and see if he gets better. You could also switch to scent free detergent and skip the fabric softener.

All of these things have helped me go from sick all the time and on several medications to rarely sick and only using my allegra a few times a year.

I hope something helps, it's miserable when your kids are sick and you can't help.

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T.B.

answers from Boca Raton on

My (then 15 month old) son had a continual cold, too... after I brought him to the doctor for a peanut butter allergic reaction and he was put on Benedryl/Zyrtec for two weeks his "cold" disappeared. I would definitely explore allergy diagnosis/treatment with an MD.
Good luck!

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K.M.

answers from Orlando on

Have you looked into this being a possible ALLERGY problem?

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K.C.

answers from Orlando on

maybe it's allergies???

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L.A.

answers from Tallahassee on

Have you taken him to an allergist? My allergist changed our lives for the better!

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L.V.

answers from Miami on

You may want to try a decongestant like Dimetapp or Triaminic. If you don't dry him out it is never going to go away. Talk to the Dr. because they do have a strong Rx decongestant, I just can't remember the name. It worked for my son who had the same basic symptoms. It could also be environmental allergies and the decongestant will cover that base as well just not as effectively.

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S.W.

answers from Miami on

Has he been checked for allergies? Check the day care and your home for allergens: a/c filters, bedding (feathers and wool), pets (cats and birds, hampsters and most dogs), laundry detergent...foods...household cleaners, perfume, etc
Check with your loacl health food store for a quality childrens' vitamin/mineral supplement to boost the immune system.
Blessings, S.

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D.M.

answers from Daytona Beach on

I don't know if this will work for you but I had the same thing with my son. He is now two years old. We finally went to a pulmonary doctor and he is now on an allergy medicine which seems to be helping and breathing treatments as needed. He hasn't needed one since we went.

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E.G.

answers from Boca Raton on

G., before going to more meds, start with the basics: diet and environment. I will tell you right off the top, I am a Shaklee Distributor and highly recommend our children's natural nutritional products, as well as our earth friendly, non-toxic cleaners. I won't go into detail here, because as mom's we do our own research. I invite you to research the products on our web site at http://www.NaturalSolutionsLLC.net. Under "Nutrition" click on "Children's Health". From there you can also look at our entire product line of green cleaners for your house, laundry, kitchen and more. And, they actually work!

I'm very proud of our company and feel very comfortable recommending all of their products, especially for our youngest family members.

Take care.

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S.C.

answers from Boca Raton on

tell your doc you really would like to go see a ears nose and throat specialist, fluid can also make hearing muffled, that was my sons case. also with some insurances you don't need a referral. really your doc should not mind it is not hurting anything for you to see a specialist

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D.P.

answers from Pensacola on

He might have allergies. My son had a bunch of them when he was very young. He was very allergic to dust mites, dogs, cats, olive trees. You might want to ask the doctor if that could be the problem. I just can't see it being a cold. My son's doctor put him on Benedryl and he did fine.

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T.B.

answers from Miami on

You say he's getting sick every two weeks. Are you certain he is not suffering from allergies? Is it a real wet sounding cough that you hear or is it just perhaps a tickle in his throat making him cough? I'd rule out allergies by talking to your ped. Good luck.

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K.M.

answers from Boca Raton on

I went through the same thing with my daughter for a few months. They put her on antibiotics then 2 to 3 weeks later the same thing would happen. I read on here actually about a child who had the same thing and it was a sinus infection that was not going away with 1 treatment of antibiotics. I spoke to the dr. about it and we treated her with back to back doses of antibiotic (20 days) and it finally was gone. Hope this helps.
Also keep doing saline so it doesnt get caught up in the ears.
Km

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G.S.

answers from Miami on

I know this may seem totally left field, but have you taken him to a chiropractor?
Reason I ask is that I used to have colds that seemed to last forever and when I started going to my chiropractor my colds as well as my migraine headaches and my painful periods stopped dead in their tracks.
I knew that I'd get a stiff neck and stuff like that, but it turned out that that was just a symptom of my body being out of alignment.
I now go twice a week, I've got my hubby and my (almost 2 years old) son and my mother-in-law going too.
Let me tell you, I can not sing praises enough for them.
My family life has improved dramatically.
Dramatically.
My hubby is more focused and calm.
My son has a normal-person gait (not your typical baby-waddle) and runs, climbs, jumps WAY AHEAD of schedule and get this, actually sleeps though the night!
My mother-in-law is a MUCH NICER PERSON now.
She was always a complete wretch. She'd start fights and was over all nasty with everyone, family and friends of ours alike. Now we do things together, she volunteers to help out with things. She can walk and sleep without pain... It's made a dramatic improvement in my life.

My mantra is to share the wealth.
If something improves your life and makes you happy, share it. If you can bring happiness into someone elses life without imposing, it is all the better.
Share the smiles, pass the ice cream. :)

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L.B.

answers from Miami on

I had a similar situation with my daughter for her entire first year of life. We moved to a new house when she was one and she miraculously got better. We found out that our previous house had mold that was unseen and behind the walls. I don't want to scare you, but it's just something to think about as it had never occurred to us and we felt terrible after we found out. Best of luck!

V.W.

answers from Jacksonville on

I really hate to mention this.. because I am not usually one to jump on the "allergies and dyes" bandwagon... but it's possible he could be allergic to cow's milk. Did the non-stop colds start when he switched from formula to milk? I used to assume that milk allergies only took the form of upset stomach, loose stools.. that sort of thing. That is a lactose intolerance, though. If he is allergic to the milk PROTEINS, then it could result in constant runny nose, congestion, coughing, etc. I am not saying that IS what is doing it, but it is something you might consider looking at. Try taking him off milk products for a few days. If he is all congested, it's better to drink a gatorade type drink or juice or water or some other hydrating beverage that is not dairy based anyway.
If he does have a milk protein issue, he should begin to clear up within 3 days or so, I would think. If he clears up, but you think it is coincidental to stopping milk, re-introduce them and see if the "cold" comes back again.

Aside from that... adding a cool mist humidifier might help him at least sleep better at night. (Be sure to change the water frequently to avoid mold/mildew growth).

Sometimes, they just get exposed to one cold virus after another, though.. and there's not much you can do but try to soothe the symptoms as much as you can. Once he's "down" it is much easier for the next cold virus to attack his weakened immune system. And there are LOTS of them out there.... he will slowly build up immunities, though. The frequency with which he catches them should level out in the next year or so. Just think how many sick people and viruses you come in contact with over the course of a week (between work-doors/telephones plus actual sick people, grocery store, walmart, gas station, etc). Now realize that even if YOU don't get sick, you might still be exposing your little one to the virus when you come home, only his little body hasn't developed immunity to that particular bug yet. Also, if he is in a daycare setting, all the other little kids are bringing in what THEY are exposed to as well. Don't feel guilty, just be aware. Wash your hands with soap and water when you leave work and wal-mart behind, and pick up your little man with clean hands. Wash HIS hands as soon as you can after picking him up... hand washing is the single most effective defense against cold viruses.

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D.G.

answers from Boca Raton on

Sounds like allergies to me, not a cold. My daughter has them and some days she cant breathe well, she gets stuffy and coughs. Its awful. Be sure it is a cold before you proceed.

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S.S.

answers from Orlando on

Try taking him off cows milk for a week or two and see if it helps. If it doesn't you might want to try eliminating the other foods that trigger allergies: wheat, corn, tree nuts, peanuts, eggs.

I know you asked about a cold but having mucous build up and congestion and fluid in the ears can all stem from allergies.

Sandee

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B.T.

answers from Daytona Beach on

Hi,

Have allergies been ruled out? Dust, dairy, pet dander?

If so, I suggest using a saline slution daily to clear the air passages, ENTsol is the best, tho a bit $$, Neill's is also good, for little ones there is a nasal gel available at most drug stores. Additionally, purchase xylitol nasal spray,(usually at health food stores) and use daily following the saline rinse. The xylitol prevents ear infections very effectively.

Good Luck

B.

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J.P.

answers from Port St. Lucie on

I would look into giving hima Vit D supplement- it does wonders to strenghten the immune system- you can get them in chewable form or liquid.

Good Luck!

Jill

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