Runny nose in a child than to treat

Before starting treatment for the common cold in children, you need to understand why it appears and what happens in general. The nature of this pathological condition is infectious and non-infectious, and there is also a runny nose caused by an allergy, which differs in its features.

Respiratory Disease

But still, the most dominant and common form of the common cold is its infectious nature. Nasal congestion occurs due to the penetration of bacteria and viruses into the children’s body, so the child does not have a runny nose for a long time.

It is this species that causes the greatest concern to parents, such a runny nose is a side effect of almost all respiratory diseases: influenza, a variety of viral infections, scarlet fever, diphtheria and measles. Most often, this pathology appears in children in the spring and autumn, because it was at this time that sharp temperature changes were observed, at which the child receives hypothermia.

Non-infectious varieties of rhinitis and its causes

Non-infectious types of rhinitis include:

• vasomotor rhinitis. It occurs then if some irritating component enters the nasal passages – the smell of spicy food, smoke, or a child stuffs a foreign object into the nose and the like. With this pathology, watery discharge flows from the nose, the child may have a headache, sleep poorly, and even pressure may rise;
• traumatic runny nose. Everything is clear here – thermal or mechanical damage to the nasal mucosa is considered to be its cause, but such a runny nose is very rare;
• runny nose atrophic and hypertrophic. In the latter case, discharge from the nose appears due to the fact that the mucous membrane in the nose and its submucosa have grown. And atrophic rhinitis occurs due to atrophy (thinning) of the mucosa. In this case, there is constant dryness in the nose;
• runny nose. It occurs due to the constant instillation of the nose by vasoconstrictive drops such as Naphthyzine;
• allergic rhinitis. This is the reaction of the body to various allergens – tree fluff, animal hair, food or household dust. The danger of this variety is that bronchial asthma can occur against the background of an allergic rhinitis.

What is the danger of nasal congestion for children

The nose of a person performs several important tasks: through it we breathe, we smell all the smells, it is also a kind of protection for the body from viruses and microbes. In addition, the nose is involved in speech function. A runny nose disrupts the normal activity of all these functions, this very negatively affects the normal functioning of many important systems in the child’s body.

A prolonged runny nose in a child can cause the appearance of such pathological conditions:

• the normal functioning of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems is disrupted;
• the chest and facial skeleton begin to form incorrectly;
• the child becomes inattentive, his memory decreases. In the end, your child begins to study poorly, as he quickly gets tired;
• disturbances in baby sleep;
• the child may lag behind in physical development from their peers;
• frequent runny nose can lead to bronchial asthma and many allergic diseases. And all because the normal work of the cilia of the mucous membrane in the nose is disrupted, they become unable to remove any allergens that have fallen. If children have not been treated for a runny nose at all, or if a cold has not been treated, then complications may appear in the form of chronic rhinitis, sinusitis and otitis media.

The right treatment for the common cold in infants

In infants, the runny nose is very difficult, the temperature may rise, nausea with vomiting occurs, the baby does not sleep well, is constantly naughty. It becomes almost impossible for a mother to breastfeed her child, because a blocked nose prevents the baby from sucking at the same time and breathing through the nose.

In addition to all this, a runny nose in an infant leads to a lack of oxygen, and this is the reason for an increase in intracranial pressure, so the baby begins to have a headache. Each parent should immediately show the baby to the pediatrician; the pediatrician will tell you in detail how to cure the common cold in the child.

How can I help the baby before seeking medical help

If you called the doctor to the house and expect him to come, then do not just sit next to the child, but alleviate his condition.

You can help the baby with such actions:

• place an “adult” pillow under the baby’s head and shoulders, or lift the head of the crib. In an elevated state, it will be much easier for him to breathe, and mucus from the nose will begin to go better;
• save the baby from sputum that has accumulated in his nose. It is clear that such a small child has not yet blow his nose, so the task of parents is to help him with this. Use a rubber bulb, a special spray can, or a syringe without a needle. Carefully insert the bulb or tip of the syringe into each nostril and suck off the mucus that has formed in the baby’s nose with this appliance. Repeat this procedure not too often, but it must be done before bedtime, as this facilitates the condition of the child, it will be much easier for him to breathe. It is especially important to do this before bedtime. The accumulated mucus can also be removed with cotton flagella, and then drip into the nose funds for the common cold for children, which the pediatrician will prescribe;
• Spend wet cleaning in the baby room as often as possible. Keep the temperature there at 20-23 degrees, often ventilate the room and moisten the air;
• if the baby has a fever – often offer him boiled water. If the baby refuses to suckle, then force-feeding is not necessary, since lack of appetite is a normal reaction of the body to the disease.

What is the danger of a runny nose for newborns

For young children, this condition is very dangerous, because with a runny nose in a nursing infant, mucus secretion can block the nasal passages, mucus can also accumulate in the throat, and if the discharge is very strong, the baby can suffocate if it is not immediately provided. Therefore, you need to constantly remove the mucus from the baby’s nose.

What drugs can a pediatrician prescribe

1. Aquamaris. These drops from the common cold for children are sterilized sea water, they can be used to moisten the mucous membrane in the nose from the very first days of the baby’s life. It helps with sinusitis, rhinitis and adenoids.
2. Nazol Baby. Vasoconstrictor drops very quickly relieve nasal congestion, restore normal breathing. But you can drip them no more than three days in a row, as unwanted side effects may appear.
3. Salin. Ordinary saline and if you are interested in how the common cold is treated in an infant, then such droplets are the safest and most effective for small children.
4. Otrivin. These drops are addictive to them and have side effects. Therefore, they must be used correctly and not more than ten days in a row.
5. Euphorbium Composite. It is a homeopathic remedy for the common cold for children, it has anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects. It is used during treatment and for the prevention of colds in infants.

It is worth noting that before dropping the droplets into the baby’s nose, they need to be slightly warmed up: lower the vial with the drug into warm, but not hot water and let it stand there a little.

So you can save your child from sniffles

Alternative treatment: remedies and home recipes

Many parents are interested in how to cure a child’s common cold with folk remedies and can they be used for infants? There are a large number of folk recipes that are designed to combat nasal congestion in newborns.

We offer some of these recipes:

• onion juice. Mix fresh onion juice with vegetable oil in a ratio of one to five. But before dropping the juice into the baby’s nose, try the drops on yourself, they should not burn the nasal mucosa;
• juice of fresh red beets. It can be diluted with water. Used for severe rhinitis with dense secretions. Instill beet juice twice a day in the nose of the baby two or three drops;
• weak warm broth of chamomile. It can be instilled up to five times a day for five drops.

It is worth noting that such popular folk remedies for the common cold as Kalanchoe juice and eucalyptus infusion are not suitable for babies, as they can injure the delicate mucous membrane of the nose and also cause allergic reactions.

Inhalation is an effective treatment

The most effective method of treatment is inhalation in the common cold in children from fragrant herbs. The safest herbs for infants are mint, bay leaf, sage, chamomile and eucalyptus. It is best to use a nebulizer, since during inhalations you need to ensure that hot vapors do not burn the mucous membrane of the baby’s nose and eyes.

Yes, and covering a child with a blanket over a pot of medicinal herbs will not work, he himself will not be able to be there, and if you carry out this procedure with your mother, then this is also not very pleasant – the baby will most likely cry. The duration of inhalation can be up to ten minutes, and the general course of treatment can be from five to fifteen procedures.

Treatment of the common cold in older children

Children of preschool and primary school age very often suffer from a runny nose, and the peak of this pathology occurs in the fall-winter, and it is at this time that the child needs to go to school and kindergarten. Therefore, many parents are constantly faced with an acute question: how to treat a runny nose in a child? First of all, the child should be taken to the doctor, he will determine the exact cause of the disease, prescribe the appropriate treatment.

General recommendations and simple rules

If your child has a runny nose – clearly follow all the doctor’s instructions, and also follow the following simple rules:

1. regularly air the room in which the sick child is located. Do wet cleaning at least once a week, constantly moisten the air in the apartment;
2. show care and tenderness to your child. During this period of time, he really needs parental love and affection. Do not yell at him, even if the child is naughty;
3. do not force the baby to eat forcefully. During an illness, he may lose his appetite, this is a natural reaction of the body to an ailment. Better ask him what he wants to eat, if possible, buy this product for your child;
4. if the temperature is high, give antipyretic drugs. It is also necessary to give the baby more warm drink. Useful tea with lemon, honey or raspberries;
5. give your baby a massage of bioactive points on his face. It needs to be done two to three times a day. Massage should be the point under the nostrils in the area of ​​connection of the nose with the upper lip and the points in the recesses of the wings of the nose. Also massaged are the points on the tip of the nose and on the palms near the base of the index finger. Massage lasts a minute or a half, the course of such treatment is ten days.

Medical preparations and their use

1. Vibrocil. Such drops from a cold for children are treated as prescribed by a doctor, they can be used up to seven days. In this preparation, the pH level is safe, so the function of the nasal mucosa will not be disturbed. It is recommended to instill in the child’s nose one or two drops of the drug up to four times a day. Drops completely relieve the child of unpleasant nasal congestion and protect against possible severe complications of rhinitis.

2. Sulfacetamide. Sometimes the doctor prescribes the use of albucid in the common cold in children. But some parents are perplexed: why is such a drug prescribed, because it is used to treat eye diseases? But pediatricians are advised to instill this drug in the nose if a runny nose is caused by a bacterial infection. With such an infection, nasal discharge will be greenish. During the use of albucide in the common cold in children, the exact dosage prescribed by the doctor must be observed, since drops can be irritating. It is advisable to dilute the drug with some water, because even an adult, when instilling Albucid, feels a rather unpleasant burning sensation. It is recommended to drip 1-2 drops three or four times a day.

3. Furacilin drops. If the child does not have a runny nose for a very long time, then such drops will be a pretty good option. It helps with prolonged and chronic runny nose and with severe swelling. It has antimicrobial and antihistamine effects. Drops need to be instilled in two drops three times a day.

4. Vitaon. It is a drop of natural herbs. To prevent allergies, it is recommended to drip one drop a day. The composition of the drug has calendula, rosehip, chamomile, cumin, mint and other medicinal herbs. Vitaon perfectly restores damaged nasal mucosa, significantly reduces the amount of mucus secreted. Very effective in the treatment of sinusitis.

5. Aqua Maris. This is a very effective cold spray for children and its name speaks for it, since it literally means “sea water”, the drug is made from the water of the Adriatic Sea. The composition of the spray contains such components as magnesium, calcium, sodium ions and others, and it is they who successfully cope with the common cold.

6. Bioparox. If the baby’s immunity is weakened or the treatment of the disease was carried out incorrectly, the doctor may prescribe an antibacterial spray from the common cold for children, since an ordinary cold can be complicated by a bacterial infection. The bioparox spray contains the antibiotic fusafungin, which will stop the development of many pathogenic bacteria, which is very important – the child’s body does not get used to this drug.

Effective folk remedies and recipes

With a prolonged runny nose in a child, many medical drops and sprays are already ineffective or they can not be used for too long. And here many folk recipes come to the rescue. Let’s consider some of them.

Garlic Juice with Oil

Such treatment is suitable for children over five years old. Press the garlic with the garlic, squeeze its extracts along with the juice obtained with vegetable oil. Better yet, take olive oil. Oil-soaked garlic should stand for six to twelve hours, then drip it into the baby’s nose one or two drops. Of course, it will begin to pinch, but you need to be patient.

Diluted aloe juice with water

Wash two fresh leaves of this plant and squeeze the juice from them. Dilute with boiled water in the following proportions: juice – one part, and water – ten parts. Now you can instill three drops of juice in each nostril up to five times a day.

Inhalation with soda and herbal decoctions

Alkaline inhalation for colds in children can cure the most severe nasal congestion. Pour water into the kettle when it boils, put 3-4 tablespoons of baking soda into it, let it boil for a couple of minutes. Then cover the kettle with a terry thick towel, let the child breathe over it for about ten minutes. See that the steam is not too hot, otherwise the baby may get a mucous burn. Inhalations from decoctions of eucalyptus, chamomile, peppermint are also useful, they are made in the same way.

Foot baths with essential oils and mustard

At the initial stage of the common cold, it is useful for the child to steam the legs. Children love such procedures, but they will not be capricious. But if the baby has a high temperature – soaring feet is prohibited. Pour into a basin with hot water, the temperature of which should not be higher than 37 degrees. Put a couple tablespoons of dry mustard in the water, mix it and let your child lower his legs into the basin.

After a couple of minutes, let the child pull the legs out of the basin, and mom add some more hot water there and now let the baby take foot baths until the water cools down. When the skin on the legs turns red, let the child take out the legs, and the mother rubs them with a terry towel, then grease the feet with turpentine ointment, put on the child warm socks. The procedure must be done at night. You can soak your feet in water with the addition of essential oils or decoctions of herbs.

Now you know how a cold is treated in a child. It is clear that it is much simpler and easier to cure uncomplicated rhinitis in a two-year-old child than in a newborn baby. But you must always be careful, strictly follow all the doctor’s prescriptions, then your child, regardless of age, will always be healthy.