Luckily, mine don't get sick that often. But since I have two, the challenge lies in 1--trying to keep the other kid from catching it and 2--keeping the well child from climbing the walls out of sheer boredom.

For the sick child, usually just supportive care. Lots of rest, non-milk fluids, some Tylenol to keep them comfortable. We've tried children's cold remedies in the past (Benadryl, Pediacare) with little to no success. Baby Vicks on the chest and nose at night seems to help them breathe clearer so they can sleep. And astragalus drops in their juice for respiratory illnesses.

Hope baby J feels better soon! Summer colds are a drag!

HC//Thanks Kayris for the tips. BAby Vicks sounds like it may work. Is that ok to use at seven months? I could check with doc, too.

Definitely the least fun part of being a parent or kid. A very warm bath in the morning and before bed will help drain the fluids out of his head. Just be prepared with a wash cloth to keep wiping the nose.

Squeeze some lemons and heat with sugar, salt and water to create a helpful fluid. Keep the house cool enough to administer the warm lemonade from time to time. And of course, a shot of kiddie Tylenol before bedtime or nap, because sleep is the best medicine. You and the spouse should self-administer margaritas in moderation after he goes to bed;)

HC//Jim, I second the margaritas!

Get the Nosefrida Snot Sucker from Whole Foods! or Amazon. It was a lifesaver for my now-11 month old 3-4 months ago and it actually made my little girl giggle (I also crossed my eyes with a silly face while I did it--which helps). She's smart enough to bat and pull it out of my mouth and her nose but when I made it a game--and she felt the incredible relief she lets me use it.

For extreme congestion, we also use Baby Vicks under the nose and the Vicks room vaporizer plug-in in addition to a humidifier.

Good Luck!

Nosefrida aspirator has been great for us, it was recommended by the nurse when we first had our baby...works great without having to bother your baby too much. I like that you can use Nosefrida only, you don't really need any medications because it keeps the nose so clear for so long. I got mine on Amazon but they have them in lots of other stores, like Whole Foods.

We found that the big issue is getting baby to sleep soundly with all of the congestion. We used a cool air humidifier in the bedroom, and allowed baby to sleep propped up (e.g. bouncy seat or car seat) for naps. If all else fails, sitting with baby in the bathroom while running a hot shower can help clear out the runny nose/congestion for a few hours.

HC//Sleeping for baby J. has been the most challenging part with all that congestion. The shower trick sounds promising. Thanks!

I have two Children one is boy and one is daughter and luckily I didn’t face any problem regarding my Children. But to handle sick child mother love is the best solution for the baby. Mother is one who can understand baby much more than any other.
Thanks for giving us nice information.

Vicks makes plug ins which are little night lights that plug into an outlet and distribute vapor throughout the night- if you don't have a humidifier that can take medicine you might want to try those. They have helped my daughter sleep when she is stuffy. And lots of cuddling of course!

We have had to use a nasal aspirator on my son (now 2) more times than I ever thought possible. What finally worked was a product called the Nosefrida. You can find it on Amazon. I don't endorse products often as must haves, but this is one! It looks really gross--you put one end in the nose and suck out the boogies (there's a filter that keeps you from sucking anything in). Squirt a few saline drops up there first, and you can really clear them out. Supposedly it's gentler on the kid. This is one baby item I wish I'd known about from the newborn days on! I probably got it when he was about a year old, and he mostly doesn't mind getting his nose cleaned out now. It's the only thing that helped him sleep many nights. Good luck! He and we were constantly catching each other's colds from daycare for the first year, but I have to say our immune systems have really improved since then!

HC//Meghan, you're the second or third person to recommend Nosefrida. I'll try it and report back. Thanks!

Add me to the Nosefrida chorus. I am glad so many other people seem to know about them. I tried the bulb nose aspirator once and knew it was not for us. I couldn't tell if I was actually helping. As gross as it sounds, you can clearly see the mucus you are getting out with the Nosefrida. Haven't had to use it in a while, but I know right where it is if I need it.