How to protect baby during respiratory illness season

Keep track of what illnesses are going around

Here at Public Health, we track respiratory illnesses in Dane County. You can keep an eye on which illnesses are trending in our community by checking our dashboard, which is updated weekly on Thursdays.

When baby is sick, safe sleep environments matter even more

Safe sleep guidelines for babies have evolved over the years, with an update just recently in 2022. 

If you’ll be helping to take care of a sick baby:

• Be sure they have their own firm sleeping space free of stuffed animals, blankets, and pillows. These items may accidentally block baby’s nose and mouth, making it more difficult for them to breathe when they’re sick!
• Have the tools on hand to help keep their little airways clear. You’ll need a bulb syringe or nasal aspirator, and a humidifier (a DIY steam treatment by running hot water in your bathroom also works!).

Here are other important guidelines to follow when a baby is sick:

• Comfort and cuddle them while they’re awake, then give them their own space while they sleep.
• Keep their head and chest upright during awake times.
• Use a bulb syringe or nasal aspirator to clear their nose before they go to sleep.
• Limit their feeding to awake times. Babies love to fall asleep while they’re eating, but when they’re sick, don’t let them do this.
• Put them to sleep flat on their back, even if they like to sleep on their tummy or in a swing. And if they roll onto their tummy, re-position them back on their back. It may feel counterintuitive when they’re sick, but back sleeping helps keep their little airway clear.
• Limit their exposure to other environmental factors when they’re sick, like cigarette smoke, cooking fumes, dust, incense, and other types of smoke. 

Know when to seek care or call 911

Lastly, know the signs that a sick baby needs to be seen by a healthcare provider:

• Fever in an infant younger than 2 months
• Short, shallow, fast, or labored breathing
• Wheezing
• “Caving in” of their chest when breathing
• Nostrils flaring when breathing
• Pauses in breathing
• Noisy breathing
• Blue or gray lips, mouth, or fingernails
• Signs of dehydration, like no wet diapers, not eating, not drinking

Get everyone who cares for baby on the same page

Make sure everyone who takes care of baby knows that following the new guidelines on safe sleep for sick babies and getting vaccinated can play a big role in helping make sure they stay safe and healthy during respiratory illness season!

This blog post is based on messaging created by the Dane County Fetal and Infant Mortality Review (FIMR), an evidence-based, community-driven prevention strategy that works to improve the wellbeing of birthing people and families in Dane county. As process facilitator, Public Health brings together experts in maternal child health and community members with lived experience. FIMR members include people who have experienced an infant or pregnancy loss, public health, health care systems, perinatal care (e.g., doulas, home visiting nurses, lactation specialists), social workers, and community health workers.