The baby's nose gets stuffy at night. Pharmacy saline solutions. How to get rid of congestion

Normal nasal breathing during sleep is a necessary condition for a person to be cheerful and clear-minded. If a child has a stuffy nose at night, he will wake up lethargic and tired - all this is due to lack of sleep and insufficient oxygen supply to the brain.

In addition, nasal breathing provides warming and purification of the air, and thus is the key to the health of the respiratory system. We all know that if a child does not breathe well through his nose, he is forced to switch to mouth breathing, and this leads to drying out of the mouth and pharynx, contact with various microorganisms on the tonsils and pharynx, which ultimately significantly increases the likelihood of developing infectious diseases of the throat - tonsillitis, pharyngitis or laryngitis.

Why does nasal congestion occur at night? We will talk about this in this article.

Causes of congestion

There are 3 reasons why the nose cannot breathe:

Among the factors that can provoke both swelling and increased mucus formation, infectious diseases (viral and bacterial rhinitis), as well as allergic reactions (allergic rhinitis), should be highlighted first.

Does your child breathe through his nose during the day and open his mouth at night? Let's figure out why nasal breathing becomes more difficult at night.

Why does my nose get stuffy at night?

An inflamed nasopharynx constantly produces mucus, which flows both through the nasal passages, flowing out, and through the pharynx, ending up in the throat. During the day, the child involuntarily swallows mucus that gets into the throat. However, in the evening, getting ready for bed, the child goes to bed, and therefore, the outflow of mucus from the nasopharynx is complicated. Firstly, in a horizontal position, all the mucus flows into the throat, and secondly, in a dream, swallowing it stops. If the mucus is viscous and thick, and the soft tissues of the nasopharynx are swollen, nasal breathing becomes almost impossible.

A common cause of nasal congestion at night is postnasal drip syndrome. This is a condition in which it goes down the throat.

Symptoms of postnasal drip:

nasal congestion at night;
cough in the morning, sometimes at night;
sore throat after waking up;
feeling of mucus accumulation in the throat;
Headache, weakness and drowsiness may occur as a result of difficulty in nasal breathing.

Postnasal drip syndrome can be observed with acute or chronic rhinitis, inflammation of the adenoids, vasomotor rhinitis, deviated nasal septum and other pathologies in which the nasopharyngeal mucosa produces sputum.

Postnasal drip is also observed in allergic reactions. What can cause allergic rhinitis at night? Most often it is dust or pet hair. In addition, an allergic reaction could be triggered by household chemicals - microparticles of powder or mouthwash on bed linen, as well as the materials from which toys are made. Often the allergen is pollen from indoor plants.

Another reason why the nose does not breathe at night is the excessive dryness of the air in the child’s bedroom.

Dry and dusty air in the bedroom causes the formation of protective mucus in the nasopharynx, which, when dried, complicates nasal breathing.

Treatment

symptomatic - restoration of nasal breathing;
etiological - aimed at the disease that caused congestion;
auxiliary - facilitating the child’s well-being and accelerating his recovery.

Relieving swelling

The most effective medicine for those who have a stuffy nose is vasoconstrictor nasal drops and sprays. They act directly on the smooth muscle of blood vessels, causing them to contract. As a result, the volume of blood vessels (and, as a result, the mucous membrane) decreases, and the nasal passages “open”.

Despite their pronounced effectiveness in facilitating nasal breathing, vasoconstrictor drops should be used in exceptional cases, strictly following the dosage.

When using vasoconstrictor drops, parents should remember that:

the maximum course of treatment with vasoconstrictors does not exceed 5-7 days (see manufacturer's instructions);
frequency of instillation - no more than 1 time per 4 hours;
possible side effects - dry mouth and nose, burning in the nasopharynx, swelling of the mucous membrane, headache, dizziness, indigestion, sleep disorders, etc.;
exceeding the recommended dosage and duration of treatment significantly increases the risk of side effects;
With moderate use, adverse reactions occur extremely rarely.

Children under 12 years of age should use special children's forms of vasoconstrictor drops containing a smaller amount of active substance, for example, Naphthyzin for children, Nazol Baby and others.

Making breathing easier

Not only vasoconstrictor drops can facilitate nasal breathing. Moreover, pediatricians recommend using vasoconstrictors extremely rarely, and the rest of the time, as necessary, using other nasal products, such as:

In addition to nasal drops, various auxiliary procedures can ease nasal breathing:

massage of the bridge of the nose, temples and maxillary sinuses;
inhalation of evaporating aromatic oils of pine, fir, eucalyptus;
drinking plenty of water;
warm steam inhalation;
rubbing the chest with warming ointments (their fumes make breathing easier).

Warming the nasopharynx area (a warm compress on the bridge of the nose, applying a bag of hot salt, hot drinks) usually increases swelling, since the blood vessels dilate as the temperature rises.

Improving conditions in the bedroom

Free breathing through the nose at night is largely determined by the air quality in the bedroom. The air in the nursery should be clean, humid and cool (temperature about 20C, humidity within 60-70%). It is under such conditions that the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx retains normal activity - mucus is formed in sufficient quantities, does not accumulate in the nasal passages and does not clog them.

Sleeping in a bedroom with clean, fresh air is much healthier than sleeping in a hot, unventilated room, not only for the nose, but also for the whole body.

How to achieve ideal conditions in the nursery? Firstly, do wet cleaning often - this helps get rid of dust and humidifies the air. Secondly, ventilate the room every day. It is useful to do this before bed.

During the heating season, the air is the most dry - to restore normal humidity, hang wet towels on the radiators. For convenience, you can purchase a humidifier.

Removing the cause of congestion

Parents should understand that restoring breathing improves the child’s well-being, but does not remove the root cause of congestion - the disease that caused the swelling or snot.

It is not enough to simply drip the nose with vasoconstrictor drops and forget about the problem - the child needs to be examined by a pediatrician. The child will be examined and prescribed treatment that is suitable specifically for your case - antiviral, antibacterial or antiallergic. The presence of adenoids and a deviated septum cannot be ruled out - it is impossible to cope with such problems at home.

There are many reasons why a child cannot breathe through his nose at night. This is a chronic runny nose, hypertrophy of the tonsils, etc. Difficulty breathing causes children to become weak, apathetic and nervous. Also, a constant runny nose impairs brain function, as a result of which physical and mental development slows down.

If a child does not breathe through his nose constantly, then his body lacks oxygen, so he will develop anemia or hypoxia. These phenomena impair the functioning of the immune system and pathogenic microorganisms can freely penetrate the body, provoking the appearance of various diseases. Therefore, it is important for those parents who want to see their children healthy to promptly identify the causes of nasal congestion at night and carry out the correct treatment.

Night snot in a child often occurs due to a cold, which is also accompanied by weakness, headache and fatigue. Against the background of constant colds, the adenoids, which are a natural barrier to viruses and barriers, often become inflamed.

Performing a protective function, they increase in size, closing the nasal passages. However, some children have congenital hereditary pathologies of the lymphatic and endocrine systems, which is called lymphatic-hypoplastic diathesis. This means that a child with such a predisposition has a significantly increased risk of developing adenoiditis.

Important! Removing adenoids in children is not always a rational decision, since by adolescence the adenoid tissue stops growing.

The next common reason why a child does not breathe through his nose at night is. When the patient assumes a horizontal position, the snot that has accumulated during the day begins to drain, impeding breathing.

In the chronic course of the disease, the mucus has a thick consistency, which further complicates the outflow of secretions and makes breathing difficult. Nasal congestion at night is also caused by inhalation of polluted, unpurified air, which also leads to the development of frequent tracheitis, laryngitis and bronchitis.

Other factors that prevent children from breathing freely at night:

Important! Constant nasal congestion leads to disruption of brain function, inflammation of the respiratory tract, hearing impairment, speech defects, the appearance of conjunctivitis, and the formation of malocclusion.

How to relieve nasal congestion at night?

What to do if the child does not breathe through his nose at night? In this case, you can provide your baby with emergency help. To make breathing easier, you can drop vasoconstrictor drops or sprays into the nasal passages to eliminate swelling. Such drugs include Rhinorus, Nazivin, Galazolin, Dlynos and other means. Drinking plenty of fluids is also recommended, which will thin out the mucous secretion and improve its discharge.

The nose can be rinsed salt solution, herbal decoction ( chamomile, eucalyptus, mint), mineral still water or antiseptic agents ( Physiomer, Aqualor, Aquamaris), which will clear the nose of mucus that causes inflammation, eliminate swelling and reduce the amount of pathogenic microflora.

Attention! After the inhalation effect, you need to use an aspirator or ask the child to blow his nose on his own.

For a cold

For colds, place a warm compress on the chest. To do this, moisten a natural cloth in hot water and apply it to the bridge of the nose. For rhinitis, gels or ointments with menthol can be rubbed into the child's chest area, which have a warming effect.

To relieve nasal congestion caused by colds and sinusitis, doctors allow warm inhalations. This allows you to liquefy thick secretions, relieve swelling, reduce inflammation and destroy most of the bacteria. Inhalation treatment for children is carried out on the basis of:

saline solution;
essential oils (add 2-3 drops of eucalyptus, mint or chamomile extract to the warm water over which the child will breathe);
herbal decoctions (St. John's wort, calendula, sage).

Many people claim that acupressure helps a child with nasal congestion. Its essence lies in the acupuncture effect on points on the face. The procedure is carried out when the baby is calm. It's better for his eyes to be closed. With your index finger you need to apply light pressure and circular movements on points located on the edges of the nose, the outer corners of the eyes, in the middle of the eyebrows, above the ears.

The massage is carried out at least three times, and after 10 minutes the procedure is repeated. Several sessions are required per day. To enhance the therapeutic effect, the use of essential oils is recommended.

Important! When rinsing the nose of children, you should not use a syringe or bulb. This will cause fluid containing pathogens to enter the ear, causing otitis media.

For nighttime nasal congestion caused by colds, Warming up helps a lot. To do this, fabric bags filled with warm salt can be applied to the child’s respiratory organ for 20 minutes. For similar purposes, it is allowed to use potatoes boiled in their skins or warm chicken eggs wrapped in natural fabric.

Another effective way to warm the airways is an infrared lamp. However, to avoid irritation on the delicate baby skin, after the procedure it is necessary to apply baby cream to the skin.

In the absence of fever, in order to improve breathing through the nose, it is allowed to hover your legs. The limbs are immersed in a bowl of hot water for 20 minutes. After the allotted time has passed, the feet are wiped dry and woolen socks are put on them.

Since the list of approved medications for children is limited, many parents use safe folk remedies for nasal congestion in children.

So, to cleanse the nasal passages, you need to instill diluted onion juice into them twice a day.. To do this, squeeze the juice from one onion and dilute it with boiled water (1:1). To ease breathing and eliminate swelling, you can use herbal drops. To prepare them, the same amount of calendula and St. John's wort is placed in a container, filled with boiling water, left for 20 minutes and filtered. The product is dripped into each nasal passage up to three drops up to three times a day.

For adenoiditis

When a child has no snot during the day and his nose does not breathe at night, then most often the cause of this phenomenon is the adenoids.

In this case, you can only be cured with the help of complex treatment:

Physiotherapy. To relieve swelling and improve nasal passage, inhalations with a decoction of ivy budra should be done up to 4 times a day for 7-14 days. The herbal infusion is prepared as follows: 15 g of the plant is poured with cold water for 60-120 minutes. Afterwards everything is boiled for half an hour over low heat. Every day you need to prepare a new decoction.
Immunotherapy. Taking vitamins, homeopathic remedies, ultraviolet irradiation.
Washing. In case of adenoiditis, it is necessary to rinse the nose in a special way (the “cuckoo” method) in a medical facility.
Climatotherapy. For recurrent inflammation of the adenoids, doctors recommend taking children to the sea at least once a year, but for 14 days.

Attention! The above-described therapeutic methods are effective only at the initial stage of the disease. In advanced situations, adenoids are removed.

For dryness and allergies

The reason for nasal congestion at night in children may be trivial. Often during the heating season, the indoor air dries out greatly, causing the mucous membranes of the respiratory organs to dry out.

Therefore, parents need to ensure that the air in the children's room is as humidified as possible. For this purpose, a special device is used - an air humidifier.

If breathing at night is difficult due to allergies, then antihistamines will help eliminate the problem. Such remedies relieve swelling, dilate blood vessels, relieve itching and sneezing.

For allergic sinusitis and rhinitis, Epinastin, Acrivistanin, Oxatamide, Levocetirizine or mast cell wall stabilizers Lomuzal, Cromoglin, Cromohexal are used. In advanced cases, glucocorticoids are used, such as Nasonex, Fluticasone or Beconase.

If nasal congestion at night is caused by inhaling polluted air, which is important for large cities with developed industry, special preparations should be instilled into the nose. Landscaping the place where you live will help partially solve the problem. Therefore, you need to place pots of flowers in the children's room. But before that, you should make sure that the plants are not poisonous.

As we see, there are many reasons why a child may experience nasal congestion at night. Consequently, the methods for eliminating them often vary. It is impossible to protect a child from all diseases, but a number of preventive measures can be taken. To do this, you need to strengthen the immune system in every possible way, try not to take your child with you to places with large crowds of people, especially during epidemics of influenza and colds. Also, the children's room should be wet cleaned as often as possible. It is equally important to walk with your children outdoors every day, at least 40 minutes a day.

When a sleeping child has a stuffy nose, parents try to ease his condition and improve his breathing. But without knowing the exact cause of congestion, it will not be possible to get rid of it. There are many factors that cause congestion at night with or without snot, and at every age the baby has its own culprits for the problem.

Why can't my little nose breathe?

If your nose gets stuffy during sleep, this may indicate an infection of the nasal cavity, dry air, hypothermia, and other factors. But a common reason for the nose not breathing is colds. As soon as the baby becomes hypothermic, the organ becomes clogged with mucus from a runny nose. Exacerbations become more frequent in spring and autumn with a sharp change in temperature.

Congestion also appears due to the influence of factors such as:

Allergy. Irritants cause inflammation and swelling of the mucous membrane. The baby begins to sneeze, complains of difficulty breathing, and wipes his snot.
Adenoids. In an attempt to fight off infection, they grow and become inflamed. If the nose does not breathe, but no mucus is released, it means that the adenoids are partially blocking the nasal passages.
Teething. If a baby's nose is stuffy, the mother needs to examine his gums. It is possible that a tooth will come out soon. During this crucial period, the baby’s weakened immune system manifests itself through nasal congestion and the discharge of mucous contents.

Congestion without congestion

If there is no runny nose, but the nose remains stuffy, the culprits may be foreign bodies that have entered the organ as a result of childhood fun. The simplest answer to the question of why a child’s nose is stuffy at night is the dry air in the bedroom. The problem becomes urgent during the heating season.

A more dangerous factor is considered to be damage to the nasal septum and abnormalities in its structure. Otolaryngologists highlight polyps in a separate line. In this case, there may be no snot, but congestion constantly bothers the baby.

Nighttime nasal congestion in infants

If a newborn has trouble breathing at night, doctors reassure parents that in the first 2 to 3 months, the nasal mucous tissue continues to form. Congestion without a runny nose in the first year of life may appear due to inhalation of dry air. This condition does not require specific therapy.

It is enough for the mother to take care of the optimal temperature and humidity in the small child’s room.

Dried crusts in the nose are softened with a cotton swab irrigated with a weak saline solution. To moisturize and strengthen the mucous membrane, the nose is instilled with oil solutions of vitamins A and E.

If a preschooler has a stuffy nose

When visiting a children's group, the baby actively communicates with others. Infection of the respiratory tract and respiratory diseases are common companions for kindergarten children and primary school students. But if we ignore ARVI, the root cause of congestion during sleep will be the proliferation of lymphoid tissue in the nasopharynx.

Adenoiditis is a common disease in childhood. It usually develops in a child between 3 and 7 years old. A stuffy nose causes difficulty breathing, forces the baby to snore and wheeze, and cough when waking up.

Relieving nasal congestion in children

If the baby has a stuffy nose, he should be rinsed with pharmaceutical drops (Solin, Aquamaris, Aqualor, etc. nasal mucous moisturizers). The drugs are suitable for infants and older children. If the congestion is not associated with adenoids and polyps, the use of drops will be sufficient.

If the respiratory organ is so blocked that it cannot breathe and there is no snot, vasoconstrictor drops will help correct the situation. It is recommended to use them for no more than 5 days. Otherwise, congestion will intensify and require prolonged use of medications.

Vasoconstrictor drops are not suitable for treating an infant suffering from congestion during sleep. At the 7th month of life it is allowed to use Nazivin drops. The most gentle therapy for babies is rinsing with a solution of sea salt. To restore breathing, on the advice of a doctor, you can buy patches with essential oils.

Traditional medicine against nasal congestion

While there is no snot, compositions with the juice of herbs and vegetables will help eliminate nasal congestion. These could be homemade aloe drops. They are prepared like this:

the crushed leaf of the plant is squeezed through gauze;
the juice is combined with boiled water in equal proportions;
3 rubles are dripped onto the nose. per day.

The procedure will relieve inflammation and prevent a runny nose.

When the nose does not breathe at night, to alleviate the condition, the mother can drip it with beetroot juice. Burning is prevented by diluting the juice with water. You can also use boiled beet juice. It will prevent the baby from suffocating at night and prevent snot from leaking.

Inhalations will be a mild treatment for nasal congestion in a child. 2 – 3 procedures – and the condition will improve. For home physiotherapy you will need:

soda – 0.5 tsp;
wide bowl;
a glass of hot water;
fir oil - a few drops.

The baby is seated over the container with the ingredients for 10 minutes. At the end of the procedure, it is recommended to thoroughly blow your nose.

Massage and warming up

If the mother notices that the baby is breathing through his mouth in his sleep, she should massage the wings of the nose and the area just above. To improve blood flow in the nose area, it is recommended to rub the area between the eyebrows. In the same way, you can work on the parotid area with protruding cartilage. If the nose is stuffy at night, acupressure can be done to a sleeping child. Repeated execution is allowed during the day (no more than 3 times per day and at normal temperature).

To warm up the nose, which does not breathe and does not produce snot, but makes the baby wake up, you should steam the legs in hot salt water. From 3 years of age you can add mustard to water. After a 10-minute bath, put warm socks on dry feet.

How can you tell if your baby has a stuffy nose?

Caring for newborn children is considered the most difficult period for parents and medical personnel. Adaptation to the outside world and the changes that occur to the baby can affect his condition in various ways. One of the manifestations that is often found in infants is impaired nasal breathing, for reasons that may vary.

The accumulation of fluid in the nasal canals, or the presence of swelling, prevents the baby from sleeping, he becomes nervous, and refuses to eat. The situation requires resolution, and specialists can best explain how to do this. The first thing that is required from parents and doctors is to find out whether nasal congestion in a baby is really a cause for concern and what exactly triggered this phenomenon. A simple rinsing to reduce the viscosity of the collecting liquid will help make an initial diagnosis of the baby’s condition.

Symptoms and causes of nasal congestion

If it is noticed that the baby behaves restlessly, often wakes up at night, refuses to breastfeed, although it is clear that he is not hungry, you need to find out the cause of these manifestations and one of them is clogged nasal canals. The reasons that can cause nasal congestion in a newborn may vary:

Adaptation period. This is one of the most important factors causing nasal congestion in newborns; this is a normal phenomenon and is taken into account when diagnosing.
Cold. Here it can have several forms of disease, since the child’s immunity can practically not prevent either infections or other factors that cause the manifestations.
Increased dryness in the room.
Allergic reaction.
Overheating.
Period of teething.

Experts include the following symptoms that will help determine that the baby has blocked nasal canals:

The baby refuses to latch on and feeding is often interrupted.
During sleep, the baby often wakes up and grunting sounds are heard.
The child is capricious.

The best solution for diagnosing manifestations is to consult with a specialist who will determine exactly what is causing nasal congestion. The same consultation will solve the problem of eliminating the factors that caused this type of disease.

The baby has a stuffy nose and snot (grunts)

One of the reasons for nasal congestion in infants with the presence of discharge is the period of adaptation of the nasopharyngeal mucosa. Parents' panic about their baby getting sick so quickly is false, but the fact that they are worried about the baby's condition is actually a very commendable reaction. Young mothers, even before giving birth, are familiarized with the rules for caring for newborns, where cleaning the nasal canals is a mandatory step. The reason for this mandatory action is the period when the mucous membrane is swollen for some time and this is what can create discomfort for the baby when breathing.

The breathing rhythm of infants is higher in frequency than that of adults, the number of inhalations and exhalations per minute can reach 40 times, and if it is difficult to inhale through the nose, the baby begins to gasp for air, which creates snoring, and if there is fluid in the nasal cavity, sounds similar to grunting . Since the baby’s nose itself is small (and, accordingly, the nasal canals as well), even a slight accumulation of fluids causes problems with inhalation and exhalation, and the sounds often resemble grunting. The situation requires a mandatory examination by specialists who will prescribe the necessary type of treatment, this could be instillation of the nasal canals, rinsing, or cleansing with a sanitary stick.

Baby's nose gets stuffy at night

Young parents often confuse inflammatory processes in the sinuses with nighttime congestion, with a situation where the baby’s nose is stuffy during sleep. In order for parents to be able to independently distinguish the disease from a normal physiological manifestation, it is necessary to know that inflammatory processes are accompanied by copious snot (the color of the discharge may differ) and an increase in body temperature. In all other cases, the cause of night congestion may be:

The onset of the period when the child begins to teethe. At this moment, the presence of swelling of the mucous membrane is a common phenomenon; the child feels normal during the day, but during sleep his breathing is difficult.
An allergic reaction to various types of irritants: animal hair, air fresheners, dust, indoor plants.
The special structure of polyps can also cause night congestion in infants.
Insufficient air humidity when the child sleeps. Drying of the canals and mucous membranes can cause night congestion in the child.
The initial stage of colds and infectious diseases.

Doctors advise not to let this type of manifestation take its course, but to find out the cause of night congestion. If the problem is related to the appearance of teeth, simple treatment will be required to relieve swelling from the mucous membrane by instillation. If the rooms have stagnant, dry air, it is advisable to ventilate the room before going to bed and regularly carry out wet cleaning during the day. Experts also advise using air-softening essential oils: mint, eucalyptus, citrus fruits. If the cause is an allergy, it is important to determine the type of allergen, which it is advisable to remove as far as possible from the child’s bed and places where he plays. If polyps are still to blame, doctors will advise you to undergo an additional examination, which will help determine the type of treatment for congestion.

Stuffy nose and cough in infants

Often ignoring courses for young mothers, which are taught by specialists before childbirth, their ignorance of the postpartum period gives rise to panic in the face of manifestations that seem like a problem to them, but are actually the natural physiological needs of the child.

At first, the baby’s immune system adapts along with the body to the outside world into which it comes from the mother’s womb. The presence of viruses, microbes, dust and other factors affecting the mucous membrane of the nasal canals, force the child to react to the protective reflexes in the form of a cough and a slight runny nose. This is a common occurrence for this period: it is quite natural for a newborn to wake up to cough slightly, sniffle and sneeze; the cleaning process is going on, so to speak, and the body’s defense mechanism from dust and other harmful microorganisms is triggered.

In addition to the described reason, coughing and a runny nose can be a consequence of a child’s hypothermia during a walk or sleep, but the same factor can manifest itself against the background of the onset of the development of an infectious disease. The appearance of viruses can reduce the defense of the immune system, which in turn makes it possible for bacterial infections to join, which subsequently cause the development of other diseases.

The allergic nature of the effect on the child’s body can also cause the child to develop nasal discharge and cough. It is important to identify the irritant in time so that it cannot disturb the child in the future.

Stuffy nose, but no snot

How can it be that a newborn has nasal congestion, but there is no discharge in the form of snot, is one of the most asked questions among young mothers. Why is this question so relevant and what can cause such concern, because most women in labor are explained that infants will have such a situation during the adaptation period and it is considered normal. Mothers are right to worry, since the adaptation period is the main, but not the only reason. There are a number of factors that can also cause congestion without discharge:

Sinusitis is one of the reasons that can provoke nasal congestion without discharge, as a type of complication after an acute respiratory viral infection or other infectious disease.
Congenital pathological changes. Various abnormalities of the respiratory system can cause constant congestion, in which there is practically no discharge.
Adenoid inflammation. The case is extremely rare, but encountered in medical practice.
Allergic reaction. Against the background of the manifestation, rhinitis may occur, in which there is no discharge, but congestion itself is present.

To accurately determine the cause, you need to consult with specialists: an allergist, an immunologist, a therapist.

Other causes of stuffy nose in infants

The physiological peculiarity of the development of the nasopharynx in infants is a phenomenon that requires attention from parents and medical professionals. Getting used to the new environment, not only the child goes through a period of adaptation, but also his organs, since some of them were practically inactive when the baby was in the womb. An example of this is the respiratory and digestive organs; it is in relation to their development that increased attention from parents is required.

In addition to the period of adaptation and exposure to infectious and colds, experts identify secondary factors that can cause nasal congestion in infants:

Allergies to household items or food.
Pathological congenital changes.
Presence of foreign objects.

Often the cause of nasal congestion in infants is the excessive desire of parents to isolate the child from the outside world. In part, this decision is correct if you follow the rules of hygiene, ventilate the room and carry out constant wet cleaning. Even excessive dryness and warmth can cause a child's nasal passages to become congested, and these factors are often disrupted.

What to do if your baby has a stuffy nose?

Specialists must determine the cause of congestion in the baby’s nasal canals; if this is not a pathological condition, but the cause lies in the disease, then naturally the problem must be solved without delay. Experts advise not to neglect the rules of child care, to promptly clean the nasal canals with special hygiene sticks, perform rinsing if necessary, and if the cause of congestion is a disease, use medications for treatment. During the infant period, drugs made specifically for this age or folk remedies that have no side effects are relatively safe.

Creating conditions

The microclimate of the rooms in which infants are located most of the time (including sleep) must be prepared accordingly, only then can many problems associated with the health of babies be avoided. Nasal secretions are characterized by increased viscosity; this feature causes congestion in the nasal canals, which is an obstacle to normal air access. Experts advise carrying out wet cleaning more often in rooms where infants are located. You can also humidify the air in the room with the help of hanging towels or diapers, but this must be done in such a way as not to create excess evaporation, which can affect the child’s respiratory tract.

If the child does get sick, and a decision is made to treat the disease, in addition to medications, it is necessary to provide the child with normal conditions:

Ventilate the room regularly; it is best to do this when the child is not in the room. Ventilation is required at least 3 times.
When wiping dust, shake out things that may hold fur or small particles, especially those that are in close proximity to the child.
Abundance of fluid intake. A child will overcome the disease faster if he is given various teas, juices, and compotes to drink more often.

Nasal rinsing

Many parents, when their infants have nasal congestion, use a rinsing method, which, by clearing it, allows the child to breathe normally. The procedure can be done 5-6 times a day, using various solutions, which specialist will tell you, but if saline solution, aquamaris and similar substances are used, this will not cause harm to the child’s body.

The skin of infants is delicate, so it is important not to damage it during the washing procedure; for this purpose, special rubber bulbs or pipettes are available for sale; if these devices are not at hand, you can use a regular syringe without a needle. Rinsing is done simply: draw up a small amount of solution in advance, lay the baby on his side, and slightly tilt his head forward, slowly introduce the liquid into one nostril, then into the other. If the solution is administered quickly, under pressure, problems with the development of otitis may arise, since the liquid supplied under pressure can penetrate the Eustachian tube. It is advisable to have a rubber bulb on hand; it will be useful for sucking out excess liquid and thin mucus. Finally, the baby lubricates the canals with a cotton wool bandage soaked in oil, this will improve the removal of mucus from the nose and improve the quality of breathing.

Remedies for treating a stuffy nose in babies

In any case, the problem of congestion after finding out the cause must be solved, since the child not only experiences discomfort, but at the same time it seriously affects his health: the baby becomes nervous, he cannot sleep normally, he loses weight, develops rhinitis and other diseases respiratory tract. Treatment and prevention of congestion is carried out in several main ways:

Cleansing and lubricating the nasal passages.
Use of rinsing solutions.
Drops for instillation.
Physiological procedures.
Vasodilator drugs.
Folk remedies.

Recently, many different medications have been advertised, which are not always approved for use in infants. Young parents, due to the lack of experience and relevant knowledge, trying to solve the problem on their own through self-medication, often make things worse. The most correct decision is to examine the baby by a specialist who, based on all the information, after diagnosing the cause, will choose a drug with the greatest treatment effect that does not cause harm to the child’s body with its side effects.

Pharmacy saline solutions

Among the means for rinsing the nasal canals in infants, pharmacies have several basic drugs that are approved for use to relieve congestion. An important point is that the drugs listed below have no side effects and are practically harmless to use. Some, for example, saline solution, can be prepared independently, at home, but if preference is still given to pharmaceutical drugs, here is what experts suggest purchasing:

Saline solution. An absolutely harmless substance, when purchasing which you need to additionally take care of purchasing a pipette, or use a sterile syringe without a needle for rinsing.
"Aqualor baby". Sterile product with a long shelf life. Sea water (Atlantic) is used as a medicinal substance.
"Aqua Maris for children". The drug is similar in its effect to the previous drug. The material for production is sea water taken from the Adriatic Sea.
"Sialor Aqua". A properly balanced solution, where the main component is sea water.
"Otrivin baby." An excellent product for rinsing the nasal canals in children. The only drawback of the drug is its price, but in general the substance, having virtually no contraindications, completely justifies the costs.

An important circumstance is that all of the listed solutions are allowed for use from the very first day of the baby’s life. You can also add “Quix”, “Furacilin”, “Dolphin” and “Marimer” to this list, but these drugs are prepared on the basis of other substances.

Vasoconstrictor drugs for infants

Since medications for infants may differ in their properties and principles of treatment, one way to relieve a child of nasal congestion and runny nose is to use vasoconstrictor drops for instillation. For newborn babies, due to the physiological characteristics of the development of the child’s body, unfortunately, the choice of pharmaceutical products is not large, only a few types of drugs:

Nazivin. The drug is prepared on the basis of oxymetazoline hydrochloride.
Oxymetazole. An analogue of Nazivin, the same oxymetazoline hydrochloride is used as a medicinal substance.
Nazol baby. It has established itself as a good medication with a vasoconstrictor effect.
Fazin. Included in the category of drugs using oxymetazoline hydrochloride, it is distinguished by its gentle treatment of runny nose and nasal congestion.

Home Remedies

If for some reason it is not possible to use medicinal substances purchased at the pharmacy to treat nasal congestion in infants, you can prepare the medicine at home from folk remedies. The most popular is the use of plant and vegetable juice, which, mixed with previously boiled and cooled water, is instilled into the nasal canals. For these purposes, beet or carrot juice is suitable, which is diluted 1:1 and instilled into the baby’s nostrils 4 times a day.

If you use aloe juice (a very good anti-inflammatory agent), which is effective for nasal congestion and runny nose, you need to dilute the substance in a ratio of 10:1 to water. If you don’t have anything like this on hand, you can use a regular saline solution in a weak concentration. Regular table salt (1/4 tsp) and boiled water (a glass) will do, which should be cooled to room temperature.

The danger of improper treatment and complications

The infant period is considered the most difficult for both children and their parents. During this period of time, a little thing left for later, or something done wrong can leave an imprint for the rest of the baby’s life, this also applies to the treatment of diseases. It would seem that a simple runny nose is easy to cure and in general, it is not even a disease, but a symptom that signals the presence of a cold or a deterioration in the functioning of the immune system. In principle, everything is correct, except for one thing: the wrong approach to treating a runny nose or congestion in infants can have negative consequences in the form of complications.

A runny nose needs to be treated quickly, but the effectiveness should not be negatively reflected in the form of side effects on the baby’s health. Otherwise, mouth breathing can cause a child to cough and even start inflammatory processes in the respiratory system. Complications that can manifest themselves in the form of bronchitis and even pneumonia in such cases are not uncommon. It is advisable for such a period to be constantly checked by specialists, namely to listen to the lungs and monitor the general condition of the child.

Another unpleasant complication that manifests itself with advanced runny nose or improper treatment of the symptom is middle ear disease, which is expressed in inflammation of the organ. This is explained by the relationship between the respiratory organs and the hearing organs, so an infection that gets into the nasopharynx can “move” to the hearing organs and manifest itself in the form of otitis media. This will require additional action to eliminate the disease, since inaction may affect the quality of the baby’s hearing in the future.

Prevention of runny nose in infants

Prevention of a runny nose for infants is one of those mandatory measures that helps to avoid many unpleasant moments regarding the baby’s health. Actually, there are no difficulties in organizing conditions that will help protect the baby from the manifestations of a runny nose:

Regular ventilation of the room and wet cleaning.
A child should not freeze while walking, but too much warm clothes can also have negative consequences.
When organizing walks on a fresh holiday, it is advisable to choose places with the least crowds of people, where there are no strong drafts, dust and other sources of accumulation of harmful bacteria.
At the time of outbreaks of colds, you can use folk remedies to strengthen the fight against infection. A few cloves of garlic, cut into pieces and placed around the room, will help provide some protection against the effects of many viruses and bacteria.

It is also necessary to clean the nasal passages with special hygiene sticks; this action prevents the accumulation of harmful microorganisms.

When a child has a stuffy nose, parents immediately begin to look for the causes of the runny nose. And they are frankly at a loss when it turns out that the child’s illness does not fit into the general idea of rhinitis - there is congestion, but no mucus.

Evgeniy Komarovsky, a famous pediatrician, TV presenter and author of books on children's health, talks about what this can mean and how to deal with it.

About the problem

Dry nasal congestion is medically called “posterior rhinitis.” This condition is more dangerous than any runny nose accompanied by discharge, since it may indicate serious “problems” in the ENT organs.

Congestion is associated with swelling of the mucous membranes, and the absence of mucus indicates the non-infectious nature of the disease. If a runny nose is caused by viruses, the nose will definitely run, this is how the body removes foreign “guests”. Dry congestion, according to doctors, is most often caused by an allergic reaction, a foreign body that gets stuck in the nasal passages. This condition is also typical for children with congenital or acquired curvature of the nasal septum, in which nasal breathing as a whole is significantly impaired.

Sometimes a runny nose without discharge is a sign that the child’s mucus has dried out in the posterior sections, which is what caused the swelling. In rare cases, a dry runny nose is a symptom of heart and circulation problems.

A dry runny nose can also be caused by medication; it usually affects children whose parents, contrary to all doctor’s orders and common sense, treated them for ordinary rhinitis with vasoconstrictor nasal medications for too long.

If a child accidentally inhales a particle of food, a crumb, or a small part from a toy, then it is most likely that he will only have one nasal passage blocked; the second nostril will breathe without problems.

Danger

The main danger of nasal congestion without mucus secretion is the possible atrophy of the mucous membrane of the nasal passages. This can happen if the problem is ignored or the condition is treated incorrectly. It is possible that secondary diseases of the nasopharynx will develop, which will cause irreversible changes in the tissues of the respiratory organs.

Children with a dry runny nose usually have disturbed sleep, develop neurosis due to lack of sleep, and become restless and nervous. If the cause is pathological (and only a doctor can determine this), untreated posterior rhinitis can cause a deterioration in the sense of smell and hearing loss.

Dry congestion disrupts cerebral circulation. With prolonged absence of nasal breathing, severe disturbances in the functioning of cerebral vessels may develop.

Doctor Komarovsky about the problem

Evgeny Komarovsky looks at the problem of dry nasal congestion a little more optimistically than most of his colleagues. According to an authoritative doctor, 80% of cases of runny nose without snot are a consequence of excessive parental care. In other words, moms and dads create greenhouse conditions for their children: it’s hot at home, you can’t open the windows, “after all, there’s a small child at home!”, It’s not worth walking in cool and windy weather, because “the baby might get sick.”

Violation of the temperature regime, coupled with excessively dry air in the apartment, leads to drying out of the mucous membrane of the nasal passages. The mucus outflow system is disrupted, swelling forms, and as a result, the nose does not breathe.

Komarovsky urges parents to monitor their child more closely; if there are no other symptoms of ill health other than congestion, there is no need to worry too much.

It is enough to create the “right” conditions for a child to live a normal life: according to the doctor, the air temperature in the apartment should not be higher than 19 degrees, the air humidity should be 50-70%.

The house needs to be wet cleaned more often and the room ventilated. The child should walk often, walks should be as long as possible, as long as the toddler’s age allows.

Often, the well-known flu and ARVI begin with dry nasal congestion, says Komarovsky. In this case, such a reaction of the nasal passages is a protective mechanism. Usually, after a day or two, a dry runny nose due to a viral infection necessarily becomes wet.

Infants with a dry runny nose are a fairly common phenomenon. There is no need to sound the alarm, says Evgeny Komarovsky. The child adapts, adapts to the environment, and therefore congestion of the nasal passages (which in infants are already very narrow) is a variant of the norm. The mucous membrane of newborns also dries out because the posterior part of their nasal passages is narrowed, which is why babies often sleep with their mouths open. Usually the symptom goes away on its own and without the use of any medications within 2-3 weeks of the baby’s independent life outside the mother’s tummy.

Dr. Komarovsky will tell you how to treat a runny nose in the next video.

Allergic dry rhinitis does not occur in children as often as manufacturers of expensive allergy medications present the problem, says Komarovsky, just as congenital deformation of the nasal septum does not often occur. This pathology is generally visible from the first days of life, and the mother will definitely be informed about it, if not in the maternity hospital, then during the first examination by a pediatrician.

Dr. Komarovsky will tell you in the video below how to find the cause of an allergic runny nose, how it differs from an infectious runny nose.

Komarovsky advises thinking about a foreign body in the nose first if the child is already walking and actively exploring the world. At least for this you need to visit an ENT doctor in person.

Children as young as one year old quite often inhale various little things, but cannot tell their parents about what happened. In this situation, you cannot do without qualified help from a specialist.

Treatment

If congestion without mucus is caused by drying out of the latter in the posterior sections of the nasal passages, no specific treatment is required, says Komarovsky. Optimal environmental conditions mentioned above, and sometimes - rinsing the nose with sea water or a weak saline solution. This treatment is safe and non-toxic.

The main condition is that instillations should not be three or four times a day. Komarovsky says that procedures with salt water will be effective only when parents do not become lazy and start dripping into the child’s nose every 20-30 minutes, with the exception of bedtime, of course.

But Evgeniy Olegovich does not recommend putting vasoconstrictor drops into a child’s nose unless absolutely necessary (without a prescription).

Firstly, they cause persistent drug addiction, and secondly, the benefits from them are temporary, nasal congestion is sure to return when the effect of the drug wears off. If the doctor prescribed such drops (“Nazivin”, “Nazol”, etc.), then you should not use them for more than three days in a row. This is not a recommendation, but an urgent requirement.

Komarovsky advises starting treatment by clearing the respiratory tract of dried mucus crusts. To do this, parents can use an aspirator or do a rinse.

If you have an inhaler at home, your child can inhale with essential oils and decoctions of medicinal herbs, such as chamomile and sage.

A prerequisite for recovery is plenty of drinking regimen. To prevent the mucous membrane from drying out, the child needs to drink a lot. Dr. Komarovsky recommends giving your baby more still water, tea, compotes, herbal infusions, and decoctions.

It is important to remember that a child needs an abundance of fluid not only during illness, but also in health. Then these diseases themselves, such as dry and wet runny nose, the cough will be much less, and the illnesses will be much easier.

If dry congestion in a child is due to allergies, and this is confirmed by the doctor and laboratory tests, then the main treatment, according to Komarovsky, will be to completely isolate the toddler from the antigen to which the body’s inadequate reaction occurred. In addition, it will be better if mom and dad put the child on a hypoallergenic diet and make sure that there is no animal hair, dust deposits, or chlorine-based household chemicals in the house.