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A runny nose in children is an extremely common and frequent ailment. A runny nose is a condition in which, as a result of inflammation, the nasal mucosa produces excess secretion. It can be watery, transparent, mucous, as in viral infections, or purulent: denser, yellow-green, drying out as in a bacterial infection.
Characteristics of a runny nose in children
A runny nose in children is a condition in which, as a result of inflammation of the nasal mucosa, secretion is produced in excessive amounts. It can be watery, transparent, mucous, as in viral infections, or purulent: denser, yellow-green, drying out as in a bacterial infection. The mucus can come out of the nasal cavities, but it can also run down the back of the throat, irritating it and causing you to cough. A runny nose in children is also manifested by a stuffy nose, weakened sense of smell, headache, and in infants problems with proper suckling of the breasts.
Read also: Proper breathing – how does it affect our body?
The causes of a runny nose in children
Children experience a gradual maturation of the immune system, and in addition they live in large groups of people such as nurseries, kindergartens and schools, and therefore are prone to infections, especially of the upper and lower respiratory tract and the middle ear. A runny nose occurs in children about 6-8 times a year. Allergies are also increasingly being diagnosed in children. (many of these diseases can manifest themselves with a runny nose, among others).
In children, acute rhinitis most often occurs due to a viral infection, i.e. a cold, which is easily spread by droplets (especially among young children who do not yet have the habit of covering their mouths when sneezing or coughing and rarely wash their hands). It also occurs in the clinical picture:
- flu
- acute pharyngitis and bronchitis,
- often precedes otitis media.
In order to prevent colds and other infections, it is worth supporting the child’s immunity. For this purpose, you can give your child dietary supplements. At Medonet Market you can now buy a set of natural dietary supplements for immunity for children.
Chronic runny nose in children may be allergic (allergic rhinitis, so-called hay fever) or occur in the course of a serious systemic disease – cystic fibrosis.
Children often don’t understand why they have a runny nose or why blowing their nose is so important. For this reason, we recommend the Qatar educational toy, which will facilitate the explanation.
In addition to a watery runny nose, a child with allergy may also develop reddened conjunctiva, excessive tearing and sneezing. Allergens that cause this ailment can be pollen from trees and grasses, animal hair and dust. After determining the cause, then whenever possible, it is necessary to strive to eliminate the sensitizing factor from the child’s environment. Symptoms can also be largely controlled with antihistamines.
Do you want to find out if a runny nose is the result of an allergy to pollen? You can now order a panel of recombinant pollen (Timothy Meadow and Birch). Medonet Market also offers a mail-order blood breathing panel with 10 allergens and diagnostics of childhood allergies.
A transient purulent catarrh indicates bacterial acute sinusitis that must be treated with antibiotics. In other cases, a runny nose in children is treated symptomatically.
Facts and myths about air purification
Treatment of rhinitis in children
During a runny nose in children, it is important to systematically clean the nose, moisturize it and clear it using, for example, sea water aerosols (we recommend, for example, FREENEX Baby – hypertonic sea water for the nose) or inhalation of table salt or essential oils in children over 3 years of age. With. For a short period (4-5 days, max. A week), you can also use special drops to decongest the nasal mucosa and reduce symptoms.
The excess secretion can also be sucked out with an aspirator, but it should be performed very gently so as not to damage the nasal mucosa. The Sanity brand aspirator will be a good choice. The device has a contoured shape that protects the baby’s mucosa, even if it makes a sudden movement. We also recommend the Vitammy Colibri Nasal Aspirator for Children and Babies or the Wireless Neno Sinus Aspirator, which you can buy at Medonet Market at promotional prices. The full range of nasal aspirators can be found HERE.
In addition, it is not recommended to use a pear with a thin tip as it can damage the mucosa very easily. We recommend the Qatar STOP Pear for children, which you will find in a size that matches the child’s age. Another way to open a baby’s nose is to put it on its stomach while sleeping – this allows the secretion to flow out of the nose on its own.
If your child’s runny nose persists, be sure to consult a doctor. Online teleconsultation with a pediatrician will allow you to get professional help and necessary medications.
Runny nose in children and learning to dry the nose with a handkerchief
It is worth teaching a child to wipe his nose independently from an early age. It is best to start learning when your toddler is one year old, but only when he is three he will be able to do it correctly. To begin with, ask your child to put a disposable handkerchief to their nose and pinch one side of their nose with a finger, take a breath, then close their mouth and blow with all their might. Then have it repeat it with the other eyelet. Before you start learning with your child, put some saline or sea salt into their nostrils to soften the secretions and make blowing their nose easier.
Try to remind your child to wipe their nose frequently to avoid irritating the throat and getting any residual secretions into the bronchi and sinuses. Children with a runny nose should be dressed in a way that does not overheat them! Dressing the child too warmly and overheating only aggravates the discomfort.
Ways to relieve a runny nose
1. Remember to properly humidify the air, preferably with a special humidifier. The probiotic air and surface purifier not only improves air quality but also removes harmful microorganisms. If you do not have one, you can use containers with water or wet towels hung on the radiator to humidify the air. Another way is to pour hot water into the bathtub and sit in such a steamy bathroom for a few minutes with your baby.
2. In older children, inhalations based on sage or anise work well. For children under three years of age, a nebulizer can be used that produces and disperses a cool mist. On Medonet Market you can now buy at promotional prices, incl. Nebulizer – Neno Sente Compressor Inhaler and Neno Bene Mobile Nebulizer.
3. Hydrate your baby, for example with weak tea with raspberry juice or sugar. Fluids thin the mucus and help clear the nose.
4. In spite of a cold, take your child for a walk. There are no contraindications for walking, if the child has not experienced high temperature and malaise. Fresh air makes breathing easier.
5. Coat the noses with protective ointment or marjoram ointment. At Medonet Market you can buy Gel for rhinitis with marjoram extract.
6. Add garlic to your sandwiches, it has a strong antibacterial effect.
It is also worth using Aromactiv + plasters for children from the first day of life, which support breathing during a runny nose.
IMPORTANT: Under no circumstances should you give children preparations for adults, because they are too strong and can damage the mucosa! It is best to ask your pharmacist who will help you choose the right remedy.
A baby or newborn who develops a runny nose should be consulted immediately. This is very important as the airways of young children are quite short and the viruses spread more quickly. Thus, an ordinary runny nose can turn into a more serious disease, such as inflammation of the larynx, ear or lungs. In older children, you can start with home treatment, but if there is no improvement after three days, you need to see a doctor who will prescribe the appropriate preparations. On the other hand, in children whose runny nose persists for a long time despite the use of medication, an ENT doctor’s consultation is necessary (perhaps the third tonsil has overgrown or the nasal septum has been bent).
To help the nasal secretions run off, use Marimer, a hypertonic seawater solution to clear and clear the nose.
It happens that a runny nose is a symptom of more serious problems. Consultation with a pediatric ENT specialist will allow you to check the condition of your child’s respiratory tract.