A runny nose in an infant is one of the most common complaints that a pediatrician has to listen to. Indeed, snot in a baby can cause severe anxiety in parents, however, for the patient himself, they are not too dangerous, especially if they are treated on time and correctly. At the same time, in some cases, rhinitis in infants does not require treatment at all, and is a kind of protection against adverse conditions. So, a runny nose in children under one year old often turns out to be a response to too dry hot air in the bedroom, or the presence of irritating substances in the air (wool, tobacco smoke, etc.).
There is also physiological rhinitis - a runny nose in a two-month-old baby and younger children, associated with the adaptation of the body to conditions outside the mother's womb.
If a baby's runny nose is not associated with a cold, parents should change the conditions in the house, and not bury the baby's nose with various medications.
How to understand what exactly caused a runny nose in a baby and a baby up to a year? We will talk about this in this article.
Rhinitis causes
A baby's runny nose can have infectious and non-infectious causes. Most often, of course, snot in a child under one year old is caused by a viral infection (ARVI). In second place are allergic reactions, as well as mucosal hypersensitivity to non-allergic irritants (dust, tobacco smoke, household chemicals). Bacteria rarely cause a runny nose, but don't discount this option prematurely. Let's take a look at the symptoms of each of these types of rhinitis.
Viruses
If a child has snot every month, it is very likely that it is viral rhinitis. Viruses surround a person almost constantly, but adults, unlike children, have already developed immunity to most of them. Children, on the other hand, are very susceptible to viral infections, and they can get infected by playing with other children or interacting with adults.
Viral rhinitis is characterized by transparent or white snot in infants, fever, difficulty breathing through the nose, poor appetite (the baby does not breastfeed), and the baby's capriciousness. Viral infections do not bother for long - after 4-7 days such a runny nose will pass. Treatment for viral rhinitis includes instilling isotonic nasal drops in the nasal passages, as well as maintaining normal humidity and temperature (if the room is hot and dry, mucus in the nose becomes viscous and recovery is delayed).
Allergy
A sudden onset of a runny nose in a baby without fever often indicates a respiratory allergy - a hypersensitivity reaction to a certain substance in the air. Allergic rhinitis in infants can be caused by inhalation of microparticles of wool, dust, pollen, etc. For the first time, this manifests itself in new conditions for the baby - for example, you bought a new toy, changed the powder for baby clothes, etc.
It is known that heredity plays an important role in the development of allergies. In addition, bottle-fed babies are more prone to allergies. It is better to treat allergies with a pediatrician and allergist. Firstly, you will have to avoid the allergen, and secondly, take antihistamines to quickly get rid of the symptoms.
Bacteria
A runny nose in a child under one year old is rarely associated with a bacterial infection, but still, it happens. The following symptoms indicate this type of rhinitis:
- green or yellow snot in babies;
- persistent high temperature;
- runny nose for more than 10 days;
- poor appetite and sleep, general malaise of the patient.
The danger of bacterial rhinitis is that it often spreads to nearby organs, resulting in purulent sinusitis, otitis media and other diseases. If you have symptoms of bacterial rhinitis, see your doctor - the baby may need antibiotics.
Teething
Often, transparent snot in babies is a sign of teething. The fact is that with teething, immunity decreases, and the baby becomes more susceptible to various infections. In addition, excessive mucus formation in the nose can be a consequence of increased blood flow to the gums, which is why snot appears in a 5 month old child and older. 
On average, children’s teeth erupt from 5 months to 3 years, but sometimes the baby needs a little more time - then the teeth erupt longer. In exceptional cases, teeth erupt in a child 4 months of age, but still at 4 months a runny nose often has more banal reasons, such as a viral infection, hypothermia, etc.
For example, a runny nose in a child 6 months old may indicate that the lower incisors are erupting; A runny nose in a 7-month-old child accompanies the eruption of the upper incisors, and snot in a 10-month-old child accompanies the eruption of the upper or lower lateral incisors.
Such a runny nose in a five-month-old child and older does not require treatment.
Rhinitis and baby age
Snot in an infant can be caused by an infection or allergy, just like in adults. At the same time, during certain periods of the development of a baby up to a year, a runny nose can occur for special reasons, which we will consider further.
From birth to 3 months
In a newborn, a runny nose is often physiological, i.e. normal. Physiological runny nose in babies 3 months and younger is due to the fact that after birth, the nasal mucosa for some time adapts to air humidity. In infants, the nose occasionally gets too moist. A large amount of mucous discharge may even appear - a physiological runny nose in a three-month-old child and younger.
Thus, if the child is 2 months old, a runny nose is not a disease at all. Although this rhinitis does not go away for several weeks, it does not need to be treated if the rest of the baby's condition does not cause concern.
However, a runny nose in a child 3 months of age or younger may be associated with both colds and allergies. However, if a runny nose in a baby for 2 months of life is associated with an infection, a lot of typical symptoms arise - cough, redness of the throat, fever. Snot in a 3-month-old child with a cold in the first days of the illness is liquid and transparent, and then thickens. They are usually white or yellowish in color. How long does a baby have a runny nose, and how long does it take to recover? Usually, the disease bothers no more than 10 days.
A runny nose in a 3-month-old child with allergies is significantly different - firstly, the snot always remains transparent, and secondly, an allergy attack is accompanied by severe sneezing, redness of the eyes.
The temperature for allergies in infants may be elevated.
Rhinitis in children up to six months
A runny nose in an infant 4 months of life is rarely physiological - in the fourth month, the mucous membrane is already sufficiently developed. In most cases, a runny nose in a six-month-old baby and younger children is the first symptom of a cold, less often of an allergy. Parents should also make sure that the conditions in the baby's room are normal (air temperature is about + 20C, humidity 60-70%), since a runny nose in a 5 month old baby can be a reaction that protects the upper respiratory tract from drying out.
A runny nose in a child of 6 months is often accompanied by teething, as mentioned earlier. Such snot in a child of 6 months is liquid and transparent, not very abundant. They pass when the tooth finishes erupting.
Rhinitis in children under one year old
A runny nose in a child of 7, 8 and 9 months has the same reasons - a cold, allergies, or inadequacy of conditions in the house. In addition, snot at this age very often accompanies the eruption of teeth (at this time the upper and lower incisors erupt).
It has been noticed that rhinitis occurs more often in children who have stopped breastfeeding, because breast milk contains many antibodies to viruses.
It has been noticed that rhinitis occurs more often in children who have stopped breastfeeding, because breast milk contains many antibodies to viruses.Since most modern women stop breastfeeding during this period, children 7-12 months old quite often suffer from a runny nose, as well as from other options for the common cold. However, this is not a reason to prolong breastfeeding - in any case, all babies will have to go through this stage.
What drops are suitable for babies?
When a baby has a runny nose, parents are lost, not knowing what can and cannot be given to a child with a cold. Indeed, not all medicines for the common cold are suitable for infants.
When buying nose drops for a baby, always check if they are suitable for children under 3 years old.
For example, almost all vasoconstrictor drops are not suitable for children under 3 years of age. However, there are also special children's forms - Naphtizin for children, Nazol Baby, etc. But even they are suitable only if a 6 month old baby has a runny nose, but not a baby. When using them, remember that:
- for children under 1 year old, 1 drop is instilled into each nostril, and for children older - 1-2 drops;
- do not use vasoconstrictors more often than four times a day;
- vasoconstrictors are used no more than 5 days in a row (the maximum rate is seven to eight days);
- in case of an overdose, the patient may experience swelling of the nasal mucosa, burning sensation, sneezing, headache, palpitations.
It is much safer to use saline as nasal drops. The saline solution can be purchased at the pharmacy or prepared using a liter of boiled water and a teaspoon of salt. There are many nasal drops that act like saline - Aqua Maris, Aqualor Baby and others. They can be dripped into the nose every half hour. This solution liquefies thick snot in babies, making it easier for the nose to self-clean. Breathing in moist cool air also helps to dilute mucus.
The best cure for a cold for a 2-4 month old baby is moist air and proper care.
Many mothers prefer to treat a runny nose in a two-month-old baby and even in infants with traditional medicine. Chamomile decoction (very diluted) can be called quite safe - you can bury your nose with it twice a day. It should be remembered that medicinal plants and bee products can cause serious side effects - allergies, severe edema, mucosal burns, etc.
How to cleanse your nose?
If a child of 2-12 months has a severe runny nose, the question arises - how to clear the nose and restore normal breathing? If the baby's snot is liquid, it flows out on its own, and you do not need to help them. If the mucus in the nose is viscous, it must first be liquefied. To do this, drip the nose of the sick baby with saline. Next, use a mucus suction bulb or nasal aspirator. These devices can be found in any pharmacy today, so there is no need to experiment using syringes, pears, etc.
A few recommendations:
- do not insert the tip of a pear or an aspirator too deep into the nose - in infants there is very delicate mucous membrane, and it is easy to injure it;
- do not make sharp clicks - in a 2 month old baby, this can provoke otitis media;
- infants should not rinse their nose in "adult" ways - with the help of a pear, syringe, kettle, etc .;
- Do not use cotton swabs to remove snot from infants - this is ineffective and can cause injury.
When you need a pediatrician
In most cases, a runny nose in a 2 month old baby and older poses little threat to health, but parents should always be on the lookout, because the patient's condition can change very dramatically. Particular attention should be paid to such disorders as wheezing, high body temperature, which is not knocked down by paracetamol, complete refusal to feed, as well as the appearance of pus and blood in the mucus. If you find these symptoms, or if a runny nose persists for more than 7 days, seek medical attention.
