Can babies take medicine when they have a cold?

Written by Zhang Xian Hua
Pediatrics
Updated on April 03, 2025
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Babies can certainly take medicine when they have a cold. However, if the symptoms are mild and the general condition is good, and the baby can eat and sleep well, it might not be necessary to medicate. It's important to pay close attention and there might be a possibility of natural recovery without medication.

If the symptoms of the cold are severe, it is necessary to take medicine, because if it is not controlled in time, it may lead to new infections. For example, a secondary bacterial infection could develop, and there is also a possibility that a cold in the upper respiratory tract could progress to the lower respiratory tract and cause pneumonia, which poses a significant risk. When choosing medications, we generally need to opt for those safe for infants, and avoid any medications contraindicated for infants.

(The use of medications should be under the guidance of a professional doctor.)

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