This could be difficult for a kid who is younger than three. To start, the reason for a stuffy nose isn’t always evident. Because their immunity to common viruses is still developing, babies and young children frequently contract colds. But there are a lot of other things that could generate congestion.
The treatments that are safe to use on children under the age of four also restrict you. You shouldn’t seek solace in cold medications. They might be harmful to young children and newborns.
Fortunately, you can choose a wide range of secure and efficient therapies.
The Initial Step
To decide on a course of treatment, you and your child’s doctor must first determine what is causing the stuffy nose. Also, there are other potential causes.
When the blood vessels and tissue in the nasal cavity become overly saturated with fluid, nasal congestion results, and it may interfere with sleep and cause issues like sinus infections (sinusitis). If your infant is congested, they could also have problems eating.
The color of the mucus does not indicate if a bacterial or viral infection is present.
An allergy could be the real reason for congestion, which would call for a trip to the doctor and perhaps an allergy test. Even if your child gets food or another object stuck in their nose, congestion may result. Visit the emergency department or your physician for this as well. Only mucus should be manually removed from your infant’s nose.
Congestion can occasionally be an indication of a more serious issue. Saline drops, some patience, and TLC can frequently relieve a stuffy nose brought on by a cold. Call your physician as soon as possible if there are any other symptoms, particularly fever and thick, yellow mucus.
Safe Procedures
Using a saline (salt water) spray or nasal drops to relieve an infant with congestion is one of the safest and most efficient methods. These goods are accessible over the counter.
Put two drops into each nostril to help break up the mucus. The saline and mucus should be removed immediately using a suction bulb. To ensure that the drops reach the baby’s nose, you can gently tilt the head back by placing a towel roll beneath the baby’s shoulders.
Before inserting the bulb into the nose, squeeze it. In this manner, the bulb will draw mucus out from within when you let go of it. A blast of air will be released if you squeeze when the bulb is already inside a nostril, which may push the mucus deeper into the nasal canal.
Any mucus inside the bulb should be squeaked out into a tissue.
Do this around 15 minutes before feeding your child and right before bed. When your baby nurses, drinks from a bottle, or falls asleep, breathing is more accessible.
Medicine can also be found in some saline solutions. Ignore them. It is sufficient to use simple saline drops or sprays. The suction bulb should only be cleaned and dried after each use.
Steamy Alternatives
The nasal passageways can be moistened in numerous ways. As long as you keep it away from your infant, a vaporizer or humidifier that disperses a cold mist into the room is usually safe. Place it close enough to your baby’s crib or wherever they are sleeping so the mist can reach them when you are cuddling or playing with them.
Change the water daily, and clean and dry the vaporizer as directed by the machine to prevent mold formation and germs.You could also try the following tried-and-true fix: Put your infant in the shower. While holding your infant close for a few minutes, let your shower and bathroom warm and hot. This can assist in clearing your child’s mind before night. Avoid using hot water in a humidifier since it could burn you.
3 Extra Tips To help your baby’s stuffy nose get better, try any of these additional strategies:
With a pillow beneath the mattress, you can slightly incline the bed so that your child’s head is higher than their feet. That might facilitate sinus mucus drainage. Avoid doing this if your infant is still in a crib. To reduce the risk of SIDS, you should keep cushions and other objects out of their sleeping space (sudden infant death syndrome). The majority of pediatricians advise doing this up until your child turns two.
Encourage your youngster to hydrate themselves more. While fluids can thin mucus, they shouldn’t force it. It will assist if your youngster drinks extra water throughout the day.
Teach your child to blow their nose when they are old enough. Exhale via your nostrils to demonstrate to them how. So that your infant can observe the air moving a tissue as you exhale, place a tissue near your nostrils. Ask them to blow similarly into a tissue.
