My 5 month old acts like he is teething. he is congested and has a bad cough. he isn't sleeping well and seems exhausted. this is day three and there is no fever yet. whatshould i do?

Nasal congestion: At 5mo the primary cause of congestion are irritants or colds. House dust, fragrance, perfumes, detergent or cleaning products all leave scents that don't bother adults but irritate a babies nose. A good nasal clean out with saline can remove much of this irritant load, but removing the offending irritants from babies life helps more in the long run.Irritants aggravate colds & nasal wash helps.

Viral infection?: It seems your son could have an upper respiratory infection, possibly caused by a virus. I would have your child examined by a physician. Teething symptoms are related to slobbering, mild pain, and chewing everthing...(:.

Could be: Your child my be coughing 2nd to a postnasal drip/ thus i would reposition him so that his shoulder and head are slightly elevated when sleeping. You can use a small washcloth to massage the gum areas and to check for swelling associated with erupting dentition. Keep some humidify air in and around at night when sleeping- teething is not always associated with fever.