A two-month-old baby has green snot, what should I do? Treatment with special drops. Why green snot is dangerous

Ekaterina Morozova

Reading time: 9 minutes

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Such an unpleasant surprise, like green snot in a child, often baffles the mother. Conventional medications They don’t help, the baby’s nose is stuffy, and the color of the snot is disturbing and frightening. Where do they come from, these green snot, what to do with them, and what do doctors usually suggest in this case?

Why does a child have green snot - the main reasons

As soon as you notice green snot on your baby, you know that bacteria have settled in the little one’s nasopharynx, and the body is trying to fight them. That is, you have already missed the very beginning of the infection.

There may be several reasons for this phenomenon:

ARVI. "Classics of the genre".
Physiological runny nose (most often in newborn babies).
Purulent rhinitis.
Ethmoiditis. IN in this case inflammation (as a complication of rhinitis) is manifested not only by green purulent discharge, but also by pain in the bridge of the nose, as well as a rise in temperature.
Sinusitis. This case is already dangerous with very serious consequences. Among the symptoms, in addition to green snot, one can note pain between the nose, upper jaw and edges ocular orbit, fever (not always), headaches. Sometimes they appear dark circles under the eyes.
Frontit. Also one of the complications of rhinitis (inflammatory process in the frontal sinus). It manifests itself as a purulent path from the nose to the throat, as well as pain in the forehead.

Concerning allergic reaction– it can occur simultaneously with an infection that manifests itself in the form of green snot, but the cause of green snot cannot be an allergy.

Allergy symptom - transparent snot, infections ( viral disease) – green.

What is the danger of green snot?

The inflammatory process can develop very quickly, developing into sinusitis or even meningitis. Not to mention the fact that snot flowing down the throat provokes the spread of infection not only upward, but also downward - into the bronchi and lungs. It is also a short journey to the ears, as a result of which otitis media may also appear.

Therefore, you should be especially careful if your child develops green snot: consult a doctor immediately, monitor the temperature, general health child. Don't let the disease take its course!

Treatment of green snot in infants under 1 year of age

And if a 4-5 year old baby can begin procedures to alleviate the condition in advance, then for an infant a doctor is required, and treatment methods should be as gentle as possible.

So how to treat a newborn?

1st month

First, we look for the cause (with the help of a doctor, of course). If the runny nose is physiological, the baby eats well, and there is no fever, then special treatment not required. Excess snot is removed with a rubber bulb, the room is ventilated and the air is maintained at sufficient humidity.

2nd month

Karapuz is constantly in horizontal position, and snot may flow down your throat. Therefore, the doctor usually prescribes vasoconstrictor drops, various means based sea water and salt-based cleaning solutions. For serious infections, it is prescribed antiviral drugs or antibiotics.

3-4th month

Be sure to use an aspirator - the nose must be freed from excess snot. Moreover, it’s not worth spending money on an expensive and fashionable aspirator, because the most convenient, effective and least traumatic option is a syringe ( small size pear).

Before cleansing, it is recommended to drip 1-2 drops of a salt solution (purchased at a pharmacy or prepared in a pharmacy) into each nostril. boiled water) – this will soften the crusts and make it easier to clear the nose of snot. Drugs are usually prescribed based on oxymetazoline (for example, Nazivin 0.01%).

5th month

From this age you can use the Ortivin Baby system (solution, replaceable nozzles with a filter and the aspirator itself). The solution is based on sodium chloride in a concentration that does not irritate the nasal mucosa of the toddler. Or classic version: first the nose is cleaned with a bulb, then the mother instills vasoconstrictor drops (Vibrocil, Xylene, Otrivin). As for Vibrocil, in addition to its anti-edematous effect, it also has an antiallergic effect.

6th month

It is strictly forbidden to drip into the nose breast milk at infectious nature snot, the cause of which may be purulent sinusitis, ethmoiditis. Quantity protective bodies in the baby’s blood decreases during this period, so the body’s resistance drops, and runny noses occur quite often. Consultation with a doctor is required!

7th month

A child with a viral runny nose at this age can be treated with Interferon drops (Grippferon or dry leukocyte interferon - 1-2 drops 3 times a day), which help destroy viruses on the mucous membrane. Don’t forget to clean your nose with an aspirator first – the baby doesn’t know how to blow his nose yet!

8th month

The age is almost “adult”, but still aloe/kalanchoe, beet juice and other grandmother’s methods should not be used to avoid an allergic reaction. The scheme is the same - cleansing the nose of mucus and drops. You can also choose a warming ointment (not an asterisk, but a more gentle product) to smear the wings of the nose and temples. But only after consulting a doctor. And remember: warming ointments for strong inflammatory process strictly prohibited!

9th month

Besides already known methods, we use acupressure(it can only be done after a trial massage under the guidance of a specialist). Points of influence are near the eye sockets and in the recesses of the wings of the nose. This massage is carried out in game form, with warm hands (pointer/finger tips) and clockwise.

10th month

Now you can use a nebulizer for inhalation. This device uses physiological chloride solution sodium, and for steam inhaler– herbal decoctions or special drops. If the little one is afraid of the device, steam inhalation You can also do it over a plate.

After brewing, the medicinal mixture is poured into a bowl and, while the mother distracts the baby with a puppet show, he inhales the beneficial vapors of sage, eucalyptus or chamomile. Don't burn your child - steam shouldn't come out of the plate in clouds.

Don't forget to clean your nose! We drop and drink medications only on the recommendation of a pediatrician.

Note to mom:

Follow the dosage strictly! If the prescription is 2 drops, then 2 drops.
Sprays are not used for infants.
Clean your baby's nose using a syringe, aspirator, or cotton swabs. Perfect option– electric/suction, but it must be selected and used carefully – taking into account the suction force of the device.
When sucking snot, remove the pacifier from the baby's mouth! Otherwise, you risk causing ear barotrauma to your child.
When instilling the baby, the baby is placed on his back and the heated (not cold!) solution is administered from a pipette along the inner edge of the outer wing of the nose. After which the mother presses the nostril with her finger to the back of the nose for 1-2 minutes.

The doctor may also prescribe ultraviolet irradiation for sanitization of the nasal cavity or electrophoresis to improve the outflow of snot and suppress inflammation.

Green snot in children - what? medications Are children allowed?

Protorgol. Product with silver ions for nasal sanitation. It is usually prepared in a pharmacy, and if stored improperly, it can cause allergies.
Isofra. This antibiotic used in a course of 1 week, three times a day.
Sulfacyl sodium. This option is for antibacterial therapy in babies under 1 year of age.
Rinofluimucil. From 2 years old. An effective spray that copes very successfully with green snot.
Polydexa.
Vibrocil.
Rhinopront – from 1 year old.
Vasoconstrictor drugs. They are used limitedly - for difficulty breathing and before feeding (otrivin and Nazivin, sanorin or oxymetazoline, xylometazoline). The course is no more than a week.
Pinosol and various mixtures of essential oils.
Aquamaris, Quix, Aqualor – pharmaceutical solutions (sea water).

I would especially like to note the safety of solutions based on sea water. To rinse the nasal cavity in young children, use solutions in the form of drops and sprays with different types spraying. Sprays with continuous dispersed spraying provide more uniform irrigation and, accordingly, cleansing of the walls of the baby's nasal cavity. Now in the pharmacy you can buy sprays specially designed for children's noses based on a solution of sea water with gentle spraying. For example, Aqualor Baby spray with a “soft shower” spray system gently rinses the baby’s nose and is approved for use even by infants from the first day of life.

Antibiotics.
Homeopathic remedies with anti-inflammatory effects - sinupret and gelomyrtol.
Antihistamines - to reduce swelling of the mucous membrane (Claritin, Suprastin, etc.).

We remind you: The choice of medicine is made by the doctor! Don't risk your child's health.

In this article:

A child's snot is a certain kind of mucus that is found in respiratory system baby. Mucus is produced directly in the nasopharynx and enters the throat.

Many young mothers are catastrophically afraid of the appearance of green snot in their child, and consider this factor dangerous. Not everyone likes to look at a baby whose nose is not breathing, but parents are most often the culprits that he may catch an infection.

Scientists have proven that discharge from the nasal cavities is necessary to prevent dehydration in the human body. respiratory tract and in the lungs. Therefore, mothers may not worry about snot in the nasopharynx of their baby.

An important proof that they do not pose a particular danger is their composition. They consist of salt, water, cells, and also protein. As you can see, there is simply nothing dangerous or harmful in them. A substance such as mucin has the ability to absorb a large number of moisture, which is why the child may develop thick green snot.

Where does snot come from?

This is a question many young mothers ask doctors and others. medical workers. But there is one universal answer: in the nasal cavities there are mucous membranes that are constantly in action. Thus, they are able to develop a small amount of mucus, which is liquid. The total volume depends on the mucin protein, which plays an important role. Not every mother can imagine such a factor that mucin can increase the volume of secretions by more than 500 times!

Therefore, when a baby or child under 3 years old has a cold, a large amount of snot appears. Young mothers should not worry about this, because discharge can be observed even while crying.

If a newborn baby has snot, it may appear for the following reasons:

A child may choke on breast milk or formula while eating;
Normal overheating in the sun or from warm clothes;
Hypothermia;
and illness;
The presence of a foreign small object in the nasal cavity;
Runny nose during teething.

What types of snot do babies have?

Yellow or green mucus in newborn babies can be a signal that there is a minor infection in the body. But doctors divide them into several main types:

Yellow. May appear if the baby has been re-infected viral infection. They can also become a factor in the fact that the disease or infection recedes and the baby gets better;
Transparent. Appears in the first weeks of life little man, and talk about adaptation to external environment. There is no need to worry about such a runny nose, because it is harmless;
Green snot in a child. They talk about an infection or disease in the baby, and they need to be treated with specially designed medications.

What can you do about thick green snot?

If a young mother discovers green snot in her baby, then there is no need to immediately think about taking antibiotics and panic. In most cases, the baby will benefit from long walks on fresh air, rinsing the nasal cavity with a special solution, as well as increasing the consumption of vitamins in food. A young mother who is breastfeeding can take vitamins as prescribed by a doctor.

Thick green snot in a baby becomes a sign that the baby’s immunity is weakening. To do this, it is necessary to include in the diet of a nursing mother foods that contain a large amount of nutrients, vitamins, and such microelements.

To cure green snot in a child, you will need to contact pediatrician, who will appoint correct treatment. He will also tell you what solutions and medications can be used at a young age.

You can never practice self-treatment small child! Be sure to visit the pediatrician on time, try not to overcool the baby outside and not to overheat the baby in clothes. Walk in the fresh air more often, and then your baby will be healthy.

Useful video about green snot

A runny nose in children accompanies a great variety of diseases and is rightfully considered one of the most common “childhood” symptoms. All parents know that it can be very diverse - from dry to profuse, and in the color of nasal mucus - from transparent to gray and yellow-green to purulent.

Often parents do not know what to give their baby if he has green nasal mucus. And with this question they turn to the famous children's doctor Evgeniy Olegovich Komarovsky.

Children have runny noses so often that they panic. experienced mothers And he doesn’t call dad anymore. However, you can’t relax either, because timely assistance for rhinitis (that’s what doctors call a runny nose) will help avoid serious complications. Based on the color of nasal mucus, it is quite easy to determine the origin of a runny nose and even guess its causes. This knowledge will make it possible to treat the baby correctly. Let's look at why a child's snot may be green.

And Dr. Komarovsky will help us more clearly understand the reason for the formation of nasal mucus in the next video.

In 9 out of 10 children, a runny nose is caused by viruses. Viral rhinitis is the undisputed leader among childhood illnesses. The fact is that viruses enter a child’s body most often through the nasopharynx and very rarely through the eyes. Natural defense is designed in such a way that immediately after penetration, mucus begins to be produced in the nose, the task of which is to stop the invasion and prevent further penetration of viruses. In this situation, a lot of mucus is produced, it is transparent and liquid. At the very beginning of a respiratory viral infection, parents talk about this phenomenon “from the nose.”

Evgeny Komarovsky emphasizes that liquid copious mucus completely harmless for the baby, the main thing is not to let it thicken or dry out. Because dried mucus contains such an amount of protein that it becomes very susceptible to various bacteria. This is where the color of the snot changes.

Thick and green slime speaks of the bacterial nature of the runny nose or its mixed nature - viral-bacterial. The color in this case is due to the presence of dead bacteria and neutrophils killed in battle, which were thrown by the immune system to protect against infection. The greener color palette nasal discharge, the higher the likelihood of mixed rhinitis. Yellow-greenish snot always speaks only of the bacterial form of the disease.

Dr. Komarovsky will tell you in the next issue whether it is necessary to take antibiotics for green snot.

In case of a viral runny nose, lymphocytes predominate in the mucus, in a bacterial case - neutrophils, in an allergic case - cells - eosinophils. Knowing this allows, according to Komarovsky, to find the real reason rhinitis is prolonged and difficult to respond to one or another treatment. They take mucus from the child's nose and use it to culture a tank, and by the number of certain cells - defenders - they determine what exactly the baby's body is trying so hard to protect itself from.

As already stated, green color mucus appears when dying neutrophils secrete a special substance, which gives the snot its color. Therefore, Komarovsky recommends that the appearance of green snot be considered a rather favorable sign - it indicates that the protective cells have already begun to fulfill their immediate duties.

About bacterial rhinitis

It usually occurs after parents failed to maintain the liquid consistency of nasal mucus during a viral infection. But sometimes bacteria are the only ones to blame for the appearance. This type of rhinitis is characterized by some special symptoms: on early stage the nose “itches”, the child begins to sneeze and scratch his nose, as if he has an allergy. This stage, unlike allergic form illness, does not last long - about 2-3 hours, after which liquid is released from the nose for 3-5 days clear slime, which begins to thicken quite quickly.

Nasal congestion appears and the child has trouble nasal breathing due to swelling inside the nasal passages, lacrimation, headaches may begin, appetite decreases, and the ability to distinguish odors completely or partially disappears. At the final stage, you can observe the same green and yellow nasal discharge, which has already become quite thick.

In infants, especially at the age of 1-3 months, a runny nose can also be physiological, due to adaptation to a new environment. All procedures for such babies should be carried out only after consultation with the attending physician, but general approach for the treatment of infants is the same as for the treatment of older children.

Treatment

How to treat a runny nose accompanied by green discharge can best be told by a doctor who can determine the true cause of the disease. It could be pharyngitis or tonsillitis. The task is to prevent complications, which can be quite serious - otitis media, sinusitis quite often appear precisely after a bacterial runny nose, which was treated incorrectly or not treated at all.

About how to clean baby nose from mucus, Dr. Komarovsky will tell you in the next video.

Mothers have a rather polar attitude towards snot: some consider it a very serious illness and immediately begin to demand antibiotics, others are sure that a handkerchief in their pocket will completely cope with rhinitis, and you can even take such a baby with green snot to kindergarten.

Evgeny Komarovsky calls on parents to be prudent. There is no need to go to the above extremes. It is possible to treat a bacterial runny nose without antibiotics, but it still needs to be treated.

Visit kindergarten or school during a runny nose with yellow and green snot is better to postpone until better times. And start normalizing nasal mucus. This does not require expensive medications, says Evgeniy Olegovich; sometimes it is enough just to create favorable conditions.

The mucus will not dry out and thicken if the parents try to create humidified air at a level of 50-70% in the room where the baby lives. This can be done using a device - a humidifier. It is not cheap, and if the financial capabilities of the family do not allow you to buy it, then you can get a special valve valve for batteries in winter time, and can be hung in any season wet towels, put a bowl of water so that it evaporates freely, in the end, buy a small aquarium with fish - it will be both educational and useful.

In a hot room, the snot also dries almost instantly and the infection begins to progress very quickly. Therefore, you should purchase and hang a room thermometer and make sure that the air temperature in the room does not fall below 18 degrees and in no case rises above 20 degrees.

Fresh air will also help you cope with bacterial runny nose. Instead of instilling antibiotics, Dr. Komarovsky advises going for a walk. The more time the baby spends outside (of course, in the absence elevated temperature body), the faster the mucous membranes will become moist again, and the body will be able to fully resist bacteria.

And one more “medicine” available to everyone is water.. If the child drinks more, the mucus will soon become liquid and will be easily naturally excreted from the nasal passages. Komarovsky recommends giving drinks at a temperature that is equal to the child’s body temperature. This way, the liquid will be quickly absorbed and absorbed by the intestinal walls, which means that the result will not take long to arrive.

About medicines

Parents think about pharmacy drops and sprays for a runny nose first of all, as soon as their child’s nose gets stuffy, says Evgeniy Komarovsky. In fact, this does not need to be done without special instructions and prescriptions from a doctor. Most common reason runny noses are viruses, and therefore 90% of rhinitis in children should not be treated with any medications, the doctor believes, because antibiotics are ineffective against viruses, and so are vasoconstrictor drops.

Dr. Komarovsky will tell you how to treat your nose in the episode below.

All without exception pharmaceutical products for a runny nose, they only temporarily eliminate the symptoms, but in no case cure the cause of rhinitis, says Komarovsky. Vasoconstrictor drops (“Naphthyzin”, “Nazivin”, Nazol”, etc.) can generally cause drug addiction, if used for more than 3-5 days. They require great care in use, as they also have a number of side effects. Many drugs in this group are prohibited for children under 2 years of age.

You can often find recommendations for bacterial rhinitis Be sure to start dripping medications with antibiotics, such as Framycetin, Isofra and others. These are good and effective drugs, says Komarovsky, but sometimes completely unnecessary. More precisely, in most cases absolutely unnecessary. If the child purulent rhinitis, with a severe course, the doctor will, of course, in addition to recommendations about rinsing the nose and walking, will prescribe drops antibacterial action, and maybe even complex drops, which are prepared in pharmacies where there is a prescription department, strictly according to the doctor’s prescription. But he will do this only after conducting a bacterial test in order to know exactly which specific bacteria need to be defeated as soon as possible.

If a doctor just like that, without preliminary tests, prescribes antibiotic drops, but the child does not have purulent discharge from the nose, and all complaints are limited to green snot, then Komarovsky considers such treatment inappropriate.

The only reason to start choosing a pharmacy pharmaceutical drug - allergic rhinitis. But even in this case, this should definitely be done together with a doctor, and in no case on your own.

Green snot can be completely avoided, if you react promptly and correctly to liquid and transparent discharge from the nose, which appear on initial stage rhinitis Parents need to create the “correct” microclimate conditions mentioned above, and additionally moisten the nasal passages more often by rinsing the nose saline solution or by instilling drugs to moisturize the nose - “Pinosol”, “Ectericide” and the most common saline, which can be purchased for pennies at any pharmacy. Preventing drying out, according to Evgeniy Komarovsky, is possible only with intensive instillation - half a pipette every hour in each nostril. There will be no harm.

You need to teach your child to blow his nose as early as possible. This skill will be very helpful in treating rhinitis. However, when a baby has a runny nose, you should not fall into despair because the baby, due to his age, cannot clear his nose of snot. Pharmacies sell small aspirators that will help quickly pump out excess mucus from the nasal passages.

If a runny nose with yellow-green or green snot occurs along with a cough, It is possible to “kill two birds with one stone” during treatment, says Komarovsky. Drugs such as “ACC”, “Ambroxol”, which you can give your baby for a cough to thin the mucus in the bronchi, will effectively moisturize and nasal mucus, since these medications act on the mucous membranes of all respiratory organs.

Doctor Komarovsky
Green runny nose
Inhalations for a runny nose

Any, even the most insignificant symptom of malaise in a newborn can make parents very concerned. What should you do if your newborn has green snot? How to alleviate the baby’s condition before the doctor arrives?

The appearance of colorless snot in a child is already a good enough reason to show him to the pediatrician. Congestion of the nasal passages in a newborn is dangerous - a child's nasal canal is narrower than an adult's, and the child may develop swelling of the mucous membrane more quickly.

Stuffed nose, difficulty breathing and green thick snot indicate that in addition to the virus in the baby’s body, bacterial infection. In this situation, you cannot hesitate to call a doctor. Until the doctor examines the child, you need to try to alleviate his condition.

What do we have to do?

To make it easier for your child to breathe, you can:

Regularly clear snot from your baby's nose. For this purpose, you can use an aspirator with replaceable nozzles.
Moisten the child's nose with saline solution, which can be purchased at the pharmacy. This is especially desirable if the mucus in the nose has thickened and the nose is difficult to clear. If it is not possible to buy saline solution, then use a salt solution (table or sea salt): add a small amount of salt to heated water and stir well. You can use any of these remedies without fear of harming the child - it is quite difficult to achieve an overdose of liquid. It is most convenient to administer the solution using a pipette or a pear-shaped aspirator.
Humidify the air in the room. Dry air in the nursery will dry out mucus in the nose and make breathing difficult. To do this, you can use a special household appliance (humidifier), or place containers of water around the room.

What can't you do?

You can cause harm by doing the following:

Do not consult a doctor. Try to treat the child yourself.
enjoy folk remedies for treatment. For example, use breast milk as nasal drops. Non-professionals give similar advice, emphasizing that rich in vitamins And useful substances milk will kill bacteria and get rid of infection. In reality, this fluid in the nasal passage will only create an environment even more favorable for the development of bacteria and will worsen the child’s condition.
Keep the baby in a very heated room. At the first sign of a cold, parents try to place the child in the best-heated room and additionally turn on the heaters. Heating appliances dry out the air greatly, which leads to dry mucous membranes and difficulty breathing.
Give your child anti-allergy medications for nasal congestion. You cannot use such products, as they can cause swelling of the mucous membrane.
Self-prescribe antibiotics or any other medications to your child without consulting your doctor.

A timely visit to a pediatrician and following the recommendations listed above will help you quickly deal with green snot in a newborn.

Green snot in a child. How to treat (video)

The appearance of green snot in infants causes parents to panic. The reassuring fact is that green snot in newborns is extremely rare. As a rule, children breastfeeding up to six months they have lasting immunity from many viruses and colds.

During this period, the child does not even suffer from throat diseases, since the tonsils are not yet fully developed. If, nevertheless, the child has caught a cold and has green snot, then, without hesitation, seek help from a neonatologist (doctor for newborns) or a pediatrician.

The danger of green snot in newborns is that this discharge can cause serious complications: otitis media, tracheitis, bronchitis and other diseases. And in this case, you cannot do without antibiotics. For newborns, antibiotic therapy itself can be dangerous. There are many cases of hearing loss in children due to antibiotic treatment.

Green snot already indicates that bacteria have settled, which, along with the discharge, comes out of the child’s nose. This can be considered positive thing when there is clearing of the sinuses.

Causes of green snot in newborns

Green snot occurs due to:

viruses;
hypothermia;
intestinal infections;
bacterial infections.

The more bacteria, the richer the color of the snot. In any case, the green color of snot is rapidly multiplying bacteria.

Treatment of green snot in newborns

The baby does not know how to blow his nose on his own. The nose of newborns can clear itself only when the baby sneezes. In all other cases, the pediatrician tells parents how to clean the nose of a newborn. Currently, you can purchase a children's nasal aspirator at the pharmacy to remove snot from infants.

Before the doctor arrives, you can rinse the nose to help your child breathe normally.

First, use a regular pipette to drip a few drops of Aquamaris, Quix, AqualorBaby, and then use an aspirator to pull out the mucus. The aspirator looks like a small enema.

IN Soviet times mothers always cleaned their babies’ noses with a regular pharmaceutical mini-pear. The operating principle of the aspirator is the same. Nowadays aspirators are made in the form of children's toys so that the child is not afraid of an object approaching him during the procedure.

Important! All drugs for instillation into the baby’s nose should only be prescribed by a doctor, since it is difficult to defeat green snot with just one rinse.

Preventing the appearance of green snot in infants

In order to protect your baby from possible snot and its complications, a number of preventive measures should be followed:

The baby's room should be clean, with daily wet cleaning;
frequently ventilate the children's room;
all objects and toys must be disinfected;
exclude contact of the newborn with sick people;

walk with your baby in the fresh air;
do not put breast milk in your eyes and nose - this is a myth about the treatment of runny nose and conjunctivitis;
do not prescribe treatment for snot yourself;
do not wrap the child up;
Do not heat the room too much with heating devices.

You can find out how to treat a runny nose in a baby from this article.

Traditional methods of treating snot in children under 3 months

Any means traditional medicine can only appoint experienced pediatrician. Therefore, tips for use traditional methods the following can be given:

You can’t put juices in your baby’s nose, herbal infusions, oils;
instill large amounts of saline solutions into the nose;
You cannot use children’s urine as a nasal rinse (unfortunately, there are fans of such methods).

A newborn baby is not an experimental creature on which natural first aid kit experiments can be conducted. Sometimes folk healing leads to disastrous consequences, and even in some cases leads to disability of the child.

How to treat a runny nose and an infant

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