It’s finally spring – halleluiah! This past winter was the absolute worst we’ve experienced in terms of a constant cycle of sickness, so we’ve been counting down the days until spring. Spring means fresh air. Opening the windows. Getting outside. No more colds or flu, right?

Ha, I wish.

Last year was one of the worst flu seasons on record with the highest death toll in decades. This year proved to be another doozy, with the flu season stretching out longer than normal, and another few weeks of flu are expected by the CDC.

Adults 65 and older are the largest group of people needing to go to the hospital for flu but the second largest group is children 4 and younger. Children 2 years old and younger are especially vulnerable, which is why I’m still on high alert.

After back-to-back cases of bronchiolitis, I’m not taking any chances with Emmy’s health. So these are a few tips I’ve collected from our pediatrician, Children’s Hospital, the CDC and FDA. Hopefully this can help your family get across the finish line of this awful cold + flu season! As always, please note that this is NOT intended as medical advice – always contact your pediatrician with any questions about your child’s health and medications, especially if your baby is younger than 6 months old.

Options for Infant Cold Symptoms:

Here are a few alternative treatments from the FDA for infants to help with cough and cold symptoms:

• A cool mist humidifier helps nasal passages shrink and allow easier breathing. Do not use warm mist humidifiers. They can cause nasal passages to swell and make breathing more difficult  
• Saline nose drops or spray keep nasal passages moist and helps avoid stuffiness  
• Nasal suctioning with a bulb syringe — with or without saline nose drops — works very well for infants less than a year old. Older children often resist the use of a bulb syringe  
• Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can be used to reduce fever, aches and pains. Parents should carefully read and follow the product’s instructions for use on the Drug Facts label  
• Drinking plenty of liquids will help children stay hydrated.

We’ve tried to put all of these tips into practice at our house and we religiously used saline drops + the Nose Frida on Emmy every night to help keep her nose clear. When it comes to a fever though, especially with the flu when kiddos can’t keep anything down, we rely on FeverAll. You can read the full post I wrote about this must-have.

FeverAll is the #1 doctor recommended suppository brand, with fewer inactive ingredients than other infants’ fever reducer (vs Infants’ Tylenol or Motrin). It also has no parabens, high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors or preservatives. This medicine was recommended by our pediatrician and has been an absolute lifesaver for us several times this year. If you are interested in more information about FeverAll, here a few resources that might help:

• For more information on FeverAll and current coupon offers, visit FeverAll.com
• LIKE FeverAll on Facebook for tips and giveaways 
• Check out the series of FeverAll® Hot Topic videos featuring pediatric nurse practitioner, mom of two, and member of the Mommy MD Guides team Megan Jolin (FeverAll is a Mommy MD Guides recommended product)
• Follow FeverAll on Instagram
• Follow FeverAll on Pinterest

Hopefully your families have fared better than ours did this cold + flu season, but if not, rest assured that summer is just around the corner!