A runny nose in babies negatively affects the quality of life. The baby cannot breathe, suckle and sleep normally, this causes a lot of discomfort for him and his parents. The baby does not want to walk, he is lethargic and constantly upset. Reputable pediatrician Dr. Komarovsky has repeatedly given advice on how to treat diseases that cause excessive secretion of mucus from the nose.
Why does a runny nose appear
Discharge from a newborn's nose may appear on its own around the sixth week of life. This is due to the fact that initially the baby's microflora is not the same as in adults. After 1.5-2 months, its composition begins to change, which often leads to increased mucus production. This is a normal process. If a runny nose is not accompanied by an increase in body temperature, coughing and other symptoms, you do not need to do anything with it, you can safely walk in the fresh air and lead a familiar lifestyle.
Komarovsky warns that a child's snot may appear due to low humidity or high air temperature. Heat and dryness cause the mucous membrane to dry out, as a defense, the body begins to produce more secretions. Maintaining an optimal microclimate in the crumbs room will help to avoid this. The air humidity should be in the range of 50-70%, and the temperature - 18-20 ᵒС. You also need to walk more often in the fresh air so that the mucous membranes do not dry out.
In most cases, a runny nose in infants is provoked by infections of a bacterial, viral or fungal origin. Less common are allergic reactions and banal hypothermia if you walk in unsuitable clothes. In such cases, it is impossible to cure the snot themselves; you need to eliminate the reason that provoked their appearance.
The nature of the mucus and the type of disease
The appearance of a baby's nasal discharge can tell a lot about what exactly triggered the runny nose. The diagnosis is made only by the doctor after all the tests and examination of the child.
Varieties of discharge
| The nature of the snot | Possible diseases |
| Transparent | A clear liquid discharge can signal the onset of a viral or bacterial infection. If their color and consistency do not change within 3-4 days, the child sneezes, and his eyes are watery, this may be an allergic reaction. In the presence of a runny nose and the absence of other symptoms, the cause of the violation can be considered insufficient humidity in the room, high air temperature. Also, this reaction of the body is observed during the period of teething. |
| White | Thick white discharge indicates the height of a bacterial infection. They become very viscous and difficult to remove, in order to suck mucus with an aspirator, it must first be diluted. |
| Yellow | Thick yellow snot also indicates the presence of infections in the child's body. They often run down the back wall into the throat, which makes the baby uncomfortable. |
| Green | This color of the discharge indicates the presence of a fungal or viral infection. Thick snot is a mixture of pathogenic microorganisms and their metabolic products. |
Taboo on potent drugs
Doctor Komarovsky strongly discourages treating a baby with potent drugs. Medication can be used only in the most extreme cases as prescribed by a doctor; parents should not use any medication until a diagnosis is made.
If you start treating a month-old baby or a slightly older baby with potent drugs, you can only aggravate the situation. Snot is a protective mechanism of the child's body, concentrated in the nose or on the back wall of the nasopharynx. They contain substances that protect against viruses and bacteria. Mucus in the nose or on the back of the throat prevents the infection from entering the respiratory tract, so it cannot be completely removed with vasoconstrictor agents. If you instill such a drug into the nose of a newborn, the transparent discharge will disappear, and he will be able to walk carefree for some time, but then swelling of the mucous membrane will appear, which will greatly complicate breathing.
Komarovsky also does not recommend antibiotics for infants, since their use can cause immunity in pathogenic microorganisms, and each subsequent disease will be even more difficult to treat. Such funds have a positive effect only if they are in the very focus of infection in high concentration. In the nose and on the back wall of the larynx, drugs, in principle, cannot linger for a long time, and their small dose only increases the resistance of pathogens.
Walks in the open air
Dr. Komarovsky is sure that fresh air is only good for sick babies. Walking with your child is very useful, since it is during the walk that the mucus is thinned. Immunity is also very well tempered. By regularly taking the newborn outside, over time, you can achieve that the cold air will no longer cause disease. However, if snot appeared due to specific ailments in which bed rest is laid, it is prohibited to walk.
You cannot go for a walk in such situations:
- the presence of measles and other serious illnesses;
- body temperature above 37.5 ᵒС;
- in the midst of the disease, when lethargy and fatigue are observed.
In all other cases, walking is not just possible, but necessary for the child's speedy recovery. Discharge that is constantly flowing down the back of the larynx will drain much faster when walking.
The baby needs to be well dressed and make sure that he does not get overcooled or overheated, since a runny nose can provoke not only too low, but also too high a temperature. If the baby is not capricious, you can walk to your satisfaction.
First aid for a cold
When the baby just has snot, and before the visit of the local doctor or going to the clinic, a few more hours, you can start treatment at home. What should be done:
- Thinning mucus. If the baby has thick snot, they need to be thinned out. A saline solution is suitable for this. You can buy it at a pharmacy or prepare it yourself: 1 teaspoon of salt is taken for 1 liter of water. The mixture is instilled into the nostrils in 3-4 drops (half a pipette).
- Removing mucus. You can use an aspirator to clear your baby's nose. These are special devices with which snot is sucked out under pressure. The aspirator can be mechanical or electrical, there are devices that run on batteries, and you can also replace them with a simple syringe with a soft tip.
- Softening of the mucous membrane. So that the mucous membrane does not dry out, it must be softened and moistened. For this, olive, peach or sea buckthorn oil is suitable.
Komarovsky also recommends creating a microclimate in the nursery favorable for the discharge of mucus. Humidity of 50-70% and air temperature of 18-20 ᵒС are ideal conditions for a speedy recovery of the child.
When the room is too hot, cover the batteries with a blanket so they will generate less heat. Household humidifiers are used to humidify the air, if there is no such device in the house, hang wet towels everywhere, spray the room with water from a spray bottle and wash the floors as often as possible.
Cold treatment
Effective treatment is given after diagnosis. In most cases, the baby's body can cope with the infection on its own, but if serious diseases are found, Dr. Komarovsky recommends adhering to the drug treatment regimen prescribed by your ENT or pediatrician.The following drugs are used, depending on the cause of the disease:
- Vasoconstrictor. They will help eliminate the clear discharge that accompanies sneezing. These funds very quickly lead to addiction, therefore they are not used for more than 7 days. You also need to make sure that they are designed specifically for babies - analogs for adults contain more active ingredients, and this can have a bad effect on the baby's condition.
- Antihistamines. Such drugs are aimed at treating allergic rhinitis. They eliminate not only nasal discharge, but also sneezing and tearing.
- Antibacterial. Antibiotics are only used if the situation is very serious. Most often, they are included in the complex of systemic therapy and are prescribed by the doctor very carefully. Such drugs help to eliminate white, green and yellow thick mucus.
- Antifungal. Fungi can also provoke a runny nose in infants. Komarovsky recommends using antifungal drugs only as directed by a doctor, since pathogenic organisms of various types are treated using different means.
- Antiviral. A thick, white discharge running down the back of the larynx into the throat or located in the nose may be due to a viral infection. A neglected disease in a newborn can give serious complications, so they are best treated with special antiviral agents.
Possible complications
Untimely or improper treatment of the diseases that provoked the runny nose leads to serious consequences. If snot begins to drain down the back of the larynx into the throat, it can cause digestive upset in the newborn. This is due to the fact that viruses and bacteria can remain in the mucus that the baby swallows, and they continue to multiply in the digestive tract.
If the mucus on the back wall dries out completely, the infection descends into the respiratory tract. This leads to diseases such as pneumonia, bronchitis and even asthma. Also, due to impaired natural defenses, a newborn may develop tonsillitis. Komarovsky recommends constantly monitoring the condition of the mucous membrane; it can be treated with oils several times a day.
Snot on the back of the throat in a newborn causes not only shortness of breath, but also nausea, refusal to eat. Komarovsky recommends not to delay treatment and not to engage in amateur activities, this can lead to the development of chronic diseases in a child.
Completion
Komarovsky's advice on treating babies can be applied safely. It is possible to treat a child's runny nose only after the disease that led to its appearance is fully determined. Therapy for babies should be as gentle as possible, it is best to use natural remedies to eliminate the problem, and often walk in the fresh air. So transparent discharge and thickened mucus can be removed as quickly as possible.
