How to cure a prolonged runny nose in a child

Some people neglect the common cold, because this is a commonplace cold, which ends in two weeks. But sometimes a runny nose is delayed, develops into sinusitis or frontal sinusitis, resulting in serious complications. This is especially dangerous if not an adult who can talk about his complaints, but a child suffers from a runny nose. Runny nose in babies due to the characteristics of the physiological structure is often accompanied by severe nasal congestion. This does not allow breathing normally, the level of oxygen entering the body decreases, the child wheezes, cannot eat and sleep normally. That is why a runny nose also needs treatment. Especially if it is lingering.

Why a runny nose does not go away for a long time

In 80% of cases, a runny nose is a consequence of a viral infection. Such a runny nose begins with transparent and liquid mucus, then the red throat joins, in some cases the temperature rises. If in such situations, act competently (heavy drinking, moisturizing the nose, rinsing), a runny nose disappears in 1-2 weeks. But sometimes the flow of mucus from the nose is delayed, what could be the reason?

1. Allergy. This is the most common case of prolonged runny nose. Many mothers treat colds with snot, over and over again using more and more powerful drops and sprays. But few people realize that snot can often be the result of an allergy, and the treatment tactics in this case are completely different.
2. Bacterial infection. If the discharge from the nose has become thick, yellow or green, most likely a bacterial infection has developed - sinusitis, frontitis, etc. Without antibiotics, such a runny nose cannot be cured.
3. Dry air. When the baby's nasal passages are dried, and dry crusts form on the mucous membrane, it means that the air in the room is too dry. This is especially noticeable in infants, because their nasal passages are very narrow.
4. Adenoids. If the tissues of the nasopharyngeal tonsil are constantly in an enlarged state, the baby often suffers from a runny nose and stuffy nose, especially at night. Congestion can bother a child, regardless of whether he is sick or not.
5. Immunity. If the child is constantly exposed to viruses and bacteria, he simply does not have time to recover, a runny nose accompanies the baby constantly. This usually happens with reduced immunity, or if the child attends kindergarten and infections surround him constantly.
6. Drug rhinitis. Frequent, regular and uncontrolled use of vasoconstrictors often leads to addiction, the child can not breathe without these drops and sprays.

If you can’t cope with a runny nose for more than two weeks on your own or don’t know the true reason for its occurrence, do not waste time and torment the child further. Be sure to contact a competent otolaryngologist.

Medication for the common cold

Take your time to use medications to fight a runny nose. First of all, you need to ensure the quality of the inhaled air for the child. That is, ventilate the room, install a humidifier or cover the working batteries with a damp cloth - you need to achieve air humidification. The air temperature in the room should not be higher than 23 degrees, if the child is cold, it is better to dress him, but not turn on the heater. With SARS, provide the baby with a plentiful drink. Eliminate the effects of various allergens: dust, pollen, pets, sweets - this should be abandoned for a while. So you can at least slightly reduce the manifestations of the common cold in a child.After that, consult a doctor who will identify the cause of the disease and prescribe you an approximate treatment regimen.

1. Antihistamines. They should be taken necessarily, even if the nature of the common cold is not allergenic. Antihistamines will relieve swelling, relieve nasal congestion. For small children, medications are given in the form of drops, and for older children, in the form of tablets. Among antihistamines, Diazolin, Zodak, Fenistil, etc. can be distinguished.
   Means for washing. Be sure to rinse the baby’s nose with salted water or saline. The pharmacy has ready-made seawater compounds that are convenient to spray - Aqualor, Aquamaris, etc. Nursing women can not use a spray - to instill a saline solution using a pipette.
2. Sinupret. This is an excellent herbal preparation that dilutes the mucus in the nose and helps to eliminate it. It consists of plant components, it is allowed to use even infants (in the form of drops).
3. Antibiotics. If a doctor diagnoses a bacterial infection, antibiotics are indispensable. Antibiotics are selected strictly individually, in combination with them probiotics are prescribed that protect the intestinal microflora.
4. Vasoconstrictive drops and sprays. If you see that the child is not breathing at all, you can use vasoconstrictors - Naphthyzin, Rinofluimucil, Sanorin and others. Remember that they can be used no longer than five days in a row. In case of allergic rhinitis, instill Vibrocil in the nose - it perfectly relieves itching and opens breathing.
5. Antibacterial drops. These are very powerful drugs that contain an antibiotic, they are effective for sinusitis and other sinus infections. For children, you can use Isofra, Sofradex, Bioparox.
6. Antimicrobial drops. Among them, Protorgol, Furatsilin, Miramistin can be distinguished. They perfectly fight not only with the bacterial, but also with the fungal and viral pathogen.
7. Hormonal With severe allergic reactions, the patient is often prescribed hormonal drops that can relieve even the most severe nasal congestion. Among them are Avamis, Flixonase, Nazonex, Flutenex, etc.

After using vasoconstrictor and antimicrobial agents, the mucous membrane of the baby’s nose dries out very much. Therefore, be sure to use healing and moisturizing oils - sea buckthorn or sesame. You can drip Pinosol, a natural, herbal, oil-based preparation, into a spout. Remember that only a doctor can prescribe medications, in no case do not self-medicate.

How to instill medicine in the nose

If several types of drops or nasal sprays have been prescribed for treatment, they should be used correctly and consistently.

1. First of all, you need to drip saline or slightly salted water into the nose - it will help soften the crusts and thin the mucus.
2. Next, you need to give the child the opportunity to blow his nose qualitatively - so he will get rid of snot and clean the nasal passages and sinuses. If the child still can not blow his nose, you can let him smell the pepper from afar or drop the diluted Kalanchoe juice into each nostril. This will make the baby sneeze well. Breasts can clean their nose with an aspirator - it will suck out all the mucus qualitatively.
3. After this, a vasoconstrictor should be instilled. Without it, the medicinal formulations will not get to the sinuses, the treatment will be useless.
4. After vasoconstrictor agents, wait at least 5 minutes for them to work. And only after nasal breathing is restored, you can use the antibacterial, hormonal or antimicrobial drops that your doctor prescribed.
5. After instillation of the drug, you need to let the child lie down for a couple more minutes, so that the composition penetrates deeper into the sinuses.
6. After 2-3 hours, drip oil into the nose so that the mucous membrane does not dry out.

Only a thorough and consistent instillation of drugs can give a high-quality treatment result. However, it is important to understand that in the fight against a runny nose, not only drug treatment is effective.

How to treat a prolonged runny nose in a child

Here are some more effective tools and recommendations that will help you quickly get rid of a cold.

1. Washing. This is a simple but effective procedure that can cure a runny nose once and for all. You can rinse your nose with a syringe or a small kettle. As a solution, you can use salted water or antiseptic compounds, decoctions of herbs, etc. But the best thing is to do the washing according to Proetz - simply put, a cuckoo. With the help of a vacuum, the device sucks out all the unnecessary mucus from the sinuses, an antibiotic is poured into one nostril, which is sucked from the other nostril. Thus, a high-quality washing of the mucous sinuses is obtained, which gradually suppresses the inflammation process.
2. Warming up the legs. If the runny nose does not go away for a very long time, just give the baby hot foot baths. You can add mustard to the water for a greater effect. Warm your feet in a basin with your child so that he is not afraid. Let the baby get used to warm water first, add hot gradually. You can escape from the procedure by simultaneously launching boats into the pelvis.
3. Inhalation. This is a great way to quickly and accurately cure a prolonged runny nose in a child. The direct effect of medicinal compositions on the nasal mucosa and sinuses gives an instant therapeutic effect. The easiest way to use a special nebulizer device for inhalation. As a medicinal composition, various mucolytic agents, decoctions of herbs, antiseptic compounds are added to it. For allergic children, they just use water - hot steam also treats perfectly. During the procedure, with a runny nose, you should try to breathe through your nose, and with cough and a sore throat - with your mouth. If there is no nebulizer, you can simply warm the water, pour it into the basin and cover yourself with a towel on top, inhaling the hot steam with full breasts. Here you need to be as careful as possible so as not to burn the child, wait until the water has cooled slightly.
4. Warming up. He can warm his sinuses only after the doctor’s permission, because with purulent processes heat will only aggravate the patient’s condition. You can warm your nose on both sides with boiled eggs, a bag of warm salt or sand. You can make vodka compresses or make a cake of honey and rye bread - it also warms perfectly.
5. Folk recipes. In the fight against the common cold, it is effective to use not only drug drops, but also folk formulations. You can drip nose juice of Kalanchoe and aloe - they have a pronounced bactericidal property. Only juices diluted in half with water can be dripped into the nose of infants, otherwise pure juice can lead to burns of the mucous membrane. In no case do not drip breast milk into babies' nose - this is an excellent environment for the development of bacteria, a runny nose will only worsen.
6. Walks. Do not stop walking with a runny nose, even if the secretion of mucus on the street increases. On the contrary, fresh air stimulates the circulation of oxygen, the process of mucus secretion and cleansing of the sinuses goes into the active stage. You can’t walk only at a temperature and if it is cold outside, and the baby can’t breathe through his nose.
7. Essential oils. Recently, in the city’s pharmacies you can find many different plasters, which contain healing essential oils, for example, “Sopelka”. The patch is glued to the clothes, the baby constantly inhales medicinal fumes and the nasal mucosa is treated, nasal breathing opens. It is especially convenient to use such patches at night, because it is in a horizontal position that the nose is blocked most often.

Do not forget to massage your baby’s nose wings more often - this enhances blood circulation, and blood flow helps to cope with inflammation faster.

If the runny nose does not go away for a long time - do not pull, be sure to consult a doctor. You may need a completely different treatment - the help of an allergist, a surgeon's consultation for a nasal septum injury, and you may need surgical removal of adenoids. Remember that a constantly stuffy nose can lead to real problems - brain hypoxia, sleep and bite disturbances, various speech defects, frequent colds, hearing problems, and even enuresis. Do not go to extremes, treat a runny nose on time!

Video: how to treat a runny nose in a child