Vaporiser

[Norman]

Can anyone give me some advice on a vaporiser to help with the symptoms of a cold. My son is approaching 8 months and we seem to be constantly battling the daycare sniffles. I was thinking of trying a vaporiser.

Also, I recently heard that rubbing vicks vapour rub on children was bad due to the petroleum products it contains. Apparently they are absorped and stay in your system for years. Has anyone else heard this?

[rynosmum]

There's a vicks formulated just for babies - it's a more diluted version with some other fragrances in it as well so give that a try. I think it's called Baby Balsam.
I haven't heard that the petroleum products cause any issues....

I bought a vaporiser from my local chemist (it was about $40-$50 I think) but I'm not sure of the benefits that came of it. I put it on in his room and more recently, put some eucalyptus oil in it which seemed a bit better.

Also, I was told to elevate the head of the mattress by putting a couple of pillows underneath it but now DS tosses and turns all night so I don't know which is the top end anymore ! :confused:

[Moorish]

Hi there,

I've also heard that it's not safe to rub vicks straight only baby's skin, more so because of it's strong formula it can burn if bubby has sensitive skin.

I often use a vapouriser when my kids arn't well with colds or runny noses etc as the keep the room moist & relieves coughing by baby breathing in moist air, not dry. Vapourisers also help keep the nose from being blocked so baby can breath easier, like how mum used to make me stick my head over a bowl of steamy water with a towel over my head! Apart from putting pure vicks into the vapouriser water, there are things like eucalyptus oil & chemists blends that are specially designed not to damage your vapouriser too - Amcal have a chemists own that's only about $5 or so & really effective.

Just remember to place an old towel at the base of your window to catch the condensation & leave the babys door open slightly to let the air circulate a bit. Hope this helps!

[LucyE]

We've got a Vicks vaporiser which I've found helpful when DS has the odd cold and was really good during winter when we had the R/C heating on which dries out the air too much. Look for one that doesn't heat the steam up too much that it can cause burns as well as auto shut off features so you don't risk it over heating with no water in it.

I'm also against using petrochemicals on bubs but if you do want to use Vick's Baby Balsam (or similar) try putting it on their singlet so that it's no against their skin. I would also be wary of using any essential oils on a baby without professional advice. They are very sensitive, but that's just my opinion :) Hope your son is better soon :)

[~Chick79~]

I had my little boy up at the hospital yesterday cause he has had a cold over the last two weeks and while i had him checked out by my doctor last week and there was no sign of any infection it has since developed into a chest infection.

The doctor at the hospital said using a vaporiser is actually more effective then rubbing vicks on the chest. Last night we used one for the first time and just added a few drops of eculytpus (sp) oil and what do you know... we had a full nights sleep! We didn't even hear him cough!

[Sarie]

I've used the vapour rub with both my kids, but I actually put it in a tissue then put the tissue in Nathan's pillow and under the sheet in the cot for PJ. It certainly helps to clear them up and to help them sleep. I can't remember, but I don't think you're supposed to put it on bubs under 12mnths, but it could be 2 years - not sure, it would tell you on the lable though.