home Auditorium 7 How to treat a runny nose of various origins in a six-month-old child? Treatment of a runny nose in children with folk remedies at home. What can a 6-month-old baby do for a runny nose?

How to treat a runny nose of various origins in a six-month-old child? Treatment of a runny nose in children with folk remedies at home. What can a 6-month-old baby do for a runny nose?

Inflammation of the nasal mucosa is called runny nose or rhinitis and is the most common childhood disease. How to get rid of a runny nose quickly, and whether there are emergency methods for treating children, we need to figure it out.

The most common cause of a runny nose is an acute respiratory viral infection that enters the body through contact with a sick person after hypothermia. Children begin to suffer from frequent runny noses when visiting children's groups in kindergartens and schools. Allergic rhinitis has been very common in children lately.

It is not possible to get rid of a runny nose quickly, since in most cases it is caused by a viral infection. There are no drugs against viruses (viruses cannot be killed); widely known antiviral drugs only alleviate the symptoms of the disease. Therefore, while the immune system produces protective antibodies, we can only alleviate the symptoms of a runny nose.

You can start treating a child’s runny nose only if you are sure there are no complications!

How to treat a runny nose quickly

With a cold, snot is accompanied by other signs of illness: high fever, intoxication, cough, muscle and throat pain; with allergies, lacrimation, itchy eyes and nose, and sneezing are disturbing. The listed symptoms interfere with leading an active lifestyle, reduce the child’s appetite, and force him to refuse to attend kindergarten and school.

Therefore, treatment of the disease should be comprehensive: drink plenty of fluids, eat foods rich in vitamin C (citrus fruits, black currants, bell peppers, cranberries and rosehips), maintain the air temperature in the child’s room no higher than 22 degrees (the colder the better). Constantly moisturizing your nose with saline drops will help destroy the virus and relieve the symptoms of a runny nose.

How and how to quickly cure a runny nose in a child:

Antiviral

You can try to stop the initial signs of a runny nose with the help of antiviral drugs. Taking them from the first days of illness softens the main symptoms of a cold. The choice of drugs is wide - Viferon (allowed from the first year), Anaferon, Groprinosin, Arbidol, etc. The choice of the most suitable drug, taking into account other symptoms of the disease and the etiology of the virus, is made by your pediatrician.

However, antiviral drugs are not recommended for regular use. They are intended for frequently ill children if a runny nose begins simultaneously with fever and severe intoxication. Rarely ill children do not need to stimulate their immune system; their body itself can cope well with a viral infection.

Remember, no matter how many antiviral tablets, antibiotics and other drugs you force your child to take, his runny nose will not end faster than in 5-6 days.

Nasal rinsing

The best way to treat a runny nose is to remove snot and rinse the nose. Saline solutions are close in composition to physiological ones; they moisturize the nasal mucosa, wash away secretions, and normalize the functioning of epithelial cells. You need to drip them into the nose 4-6 times a day; if there is heavy discharge, you can do it more often; they will not harm even a baby. In babies, snot is removed with an aspirator, and children after 2 years of age should be taught to blow their nose.

For older children, you can prepare a nasal rinsing solution yourself by stirring a level teaspoon of sea salt in a liter of boiled water. The child should suck the solution into one nostril and blow it back out. If the child does not agree to rinse the nose, do not force it - buy a pharmacy saline spray and use it.

When using factory pharmacy sprays - Humer, Quicks, Dolphin, Aquamaris - the nose breathes more freely and is not bothered by copious liquid discharge. Regular irrigation of the nose with saline sprays will allow you to completely abandon vasoconstrictor and antiviral drugs, reduce the frequency of colds and relapses of chronic runny nose.

Clearing the nose of snot and rinsing it with isotonic solutions is the main and, one might say, the only treatment for a runny nose in infants.

In children over 6 years old, onions and garlic will help get rid of a runny nose. You need to sniff a napkin with chopped garlic and onions, eat 2 cloves of garlic a day. To breathe in garlic vapor effectively, you need to place plates of chopped garlic around the house.

If a child attends school, you need to hang a bag of chopped garlic on his chest. It is advisable to change the garlic every 3 hours. The method really works!

Antihistamines

The first way to combat an allergic rhinitis is to eliminate contact with the allergen, and then take an antihistamine tablet. Antihistamines are not used for infectious rhinitis, as they dry out the mucous membrane, which further intensifies the runny nose and discomfort in the nose.

Warm

For children over 3 years old, hot baths for the feet and hands can quickly relieve the symptoms of a runny nose. You need to steam your limbs for no more than 10-15 minutes, after which the feet are covered with turpentine and wrapped in a warm blanket.

Vasoconstrictors

Vasoconstrictor drops will not shorten the duration and severity of the disease, but they will effectively and quickly help get rid of a runny nose and congestion. They can be used only in case of severe congestion and for no more than 3 days, since addiction to them quickly develops, the risk of side effects is high, and they are not at all safe for children under one year old. First, the nose must be cleared of snot and rinsed with saline solution.

For children, we recommend using Xylometazoline, Nazol Baby or Nazol Kids drops. Children under 2 years old are allowed nasal drops - the spray can provoke an attack of suffocation. Older children only need to buy a spray - it is dosed, penetrates better into the walls of the nose, and is less likely to cause side effects.

Inhalations

Inhalations normalize nasal breathing and relieve swelling. For inhalation in young children, you can use a nebulizer. In the treatment of school-age children, inhalations over a decoction of chamomile, eucalyptus, sage or over hot water with a few drops of essential oil of coniferous trees, mint or sage oil are widely used.

Massage

For a runny nose and nasal congestion, acupuncture massage of pain points is effective. You need to massage and press two points along the edges of the bridge of the nose, at the inner corners of the eyebrows and in the pits near the nostrils. This massage is very important for children under one year of age, whose drug treatment is unsafe and undesirable.

Carrot and beet juice

The juice safely and effectively helps to overcome both thick and runny nose. The juice should be squeezed out daily, used fresh, and diluted twice with boiled water before use. Drip instead of nasal drops.

Children do not have vital situations when they need to get rid of a runny nose urgently; rather, it is a whim of worried parents. All your baby needs when he has a runny nose is to stay home for a couple of days, lie in bed and drink a lot of warm liquid.

If a runny nose is not accompanied by a temperature, or it does not exceed 37.5 degrees, then you should not skip walking outside. Cool, humid air is destructive for viruses; it will stop a runny nose, you will feel relief, and the body will receive the missing amount of oxygen.

What not to do

Procedures that may harm the child’s health:

Avoid heating the nose and sinus areas. Heat is contraindicated at elevated temperatures and purulent processes.
Blowing your nose loudly and for a long time can be harmful to children. In children under 5 years of age there is a risk of loss of consciousness.
Prescribe antibiotics and antiviral agents unnecessarily.
Use vasoconstrictor drugs for more than 3 days.
Drip undiluted juices of medicinal plants into the nose, take medicinal tinctures orally.
Use one scarf throughout the day. Viruses and bacteria come out with secretions, so you need to wipe your nose with disposable, preferably wet, wipes. To avoid maceration on the skin, apply dexpanthenol or a baby cream that relieves irritation under the nose.

When it is impossible to get rid of a runny nose quickly

There are cases of chronic runny nose, from which it is impossible to get rid of quickly:

In case of chronic inflammatory processes in the nasopharynx - chronic pharyngitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis, adenoids. These diseases need to be eliminated with long-term therapy.
With polyposis and adenoiditis, with a deviated nasal septum, thickened nasal turbinates, only surgical treatment can get rid of a runny nose.

When to call a doctor

A runny nose is not a terrible disease, and most parents cope with it themselves without medical help. But there are situations when it is extremely undesirable to neglect a doctor’s examination:

If the snot does not go away within a week, the temperature rises again, nasal congestion, chills and weakness appear.
If your child begins to complain of ear pain or painless discharge from the ears. Constant colds lead to chronic otitis media and hearing loss in children. Boys are more susceptible to this.
If the child is very lethargic, blood-streaked discharge begins to come out of the nose.
A child under one year of age should be examined by a doctor if there are any signs of a cold.

When treating your child with vasoconstrictors for a long time, remember that the consequences of these drops may have to be treated for much longer. After all, it takes at least 2-3 years to restore the mucous membrane after getting used to vasoconstrictors and developing medicinal rhinitis. Therefore, treat the disease, use methods of prevention and destruction of the virus, and only in this case will intoxication and snot not torment your baby.

Children, due to the relative weakness of their immunity, often suffer from a runny nose. Rhinitis can be called one of the most common childhood ailments. Sometimes the disease has obvious causes, but sometimes the nose “blocks up” in a child who is outwardly completely healthy, and apart from impaired nasal breathing, there are no other complaints. Be that as it may, parents want to help the baby as soon as possible. It is not always possible to see a doctor, because clinics are closed on weekends and holidays. It is not customary to call an ambulance with complaints of a runny nose.

Prescribing medications to a child on your own is unsafe and risky, especially if we are talking about a small toddler. Parents can come to the aid of folk remedies that help get rid of a runny nose quite quickly.

Why does a runny nose appear?

A runny nose (rhinitis) is difficult to consider as an independent disease; it is usually a manifestation of a variety of disorders in the body. The nose stops breathing partially or completely due to inflammation of the mucous membranes of this organ. Most often, this is a consequence of resistance to pathogens and viruses.

As is known, viruses enter the body mainly through the respiratory system. The nose is the first line of defense; most often, invading viruses manage to pass further - into the nasopharynx, into the larynx. Inflammation of the mucous membrane in this case is an attempt by the body not to let the harmful agent pass further.

The episode of Dr. Komarovsky’s program about the causes and methods of treating children’s runny nose can be seen in the following video.

But several people inhale the same influenza virus through airborne droplets. But not everyone gets sick. Whether a runny nose starts or not depends not only on the state of the baby’s immunity. The development of rhinitis is greatly facilitated by various factors, such as dusty or polluted air, hypothermia.

There is another type of runny nose - non-infectious. This includes nasal congestion due to allergies (allergic rhinitis) and vasomotor rhinitis (associated with disturbances in the processes in the autonomic nervous system). They arise somewhat differently, as a result of narrowing of the lumen of blood vessels during a reaction to an antigen or vascular nervous pathology.

Acute rhinitis - occurs as a reaction to a virus (less often to bacteria). With it, the swelling of the mucous membranes is quite strong, and it affects both halves of the nose. With it, the child may experience increased lacrimation, redness of the wings of the nose and the release of liquid mucus; people say “running nose”.

If such a runny nose is treated incorrectly or not treated at all, after 3-4 weeks the process will become chronic. With it, the nose will remain stuffy for a long time, the child’s sense of smell will noticeably decrease, the discharge from liquid will turn into thick, sometimes purulent, the mucous membrane will sometimes dry out, and crusts will form in the nasal passages.

Nasal breathing disorders in children occur due to various diseases:

ARVI and influenza.
Scarlet fever.
Measles.
Allergy.
Vegetovascular dystonia.
Proliferation of the palatine tonsil (adenoids).
Other diseases.

A runny nose in a child can be mild, or it can be accompanied by fever, loss of appetite, headaches and severe general weakness. It is impossible to predict exactly what symptoms will accompany rhinitis; everything is purely individual.

When are traditional methods not enough?

A runny nose in itself does not pose a danger to a child. But its consequences can be quite serious. These are sinusitis, sinusitis, meningitis, inflammatory processes in the inner ear, and as a result - complete or partial hearing loss, encephalitis and a number of other unpleasant diagnoses. Therefore, there are some indications for immediate consultation with a doctor if you have rhinitis:

If your child's nasal discharge is gray-green or green in color and has a very unpleasant odor. This may indicate a severe bacterial infection. This condition requires prompt prescription of antibiotics.
If, in addition to a runny nose, the child has pain in the frontal region, under the eyes, in the area of the paranasal sinuses. This may be a symptom of sinusitis, inflammation of the hearing organs. A child in this situation does not need onion drops in the nose, but serious therapy with the use of antimicrobial agents, hormonal and anti-inflammatory drugs.
If, after a head injury or fall, the child’s nose is blocked and a thin, clear discharge appears, you should urgently take him to the hospital! Such symptoms may indicate a disturbance in brain activity; this condition requires prompt examination and hospitalization.
If blood is noticeable in the mucus discharged by a child with a runny nose, ichor or clots. This may indicate the traumatic nature of rhinitis, a foreign body in the respiratory system, the baby needs to be examined as soon as possible.

Effective folk remedies

In most cases of acute infectious rhinitis, a child can be quite effectively helped using alternative medicine.

Fresh vegetable juices

The most popular way to quickly relieve nasal congestion is to give your child onion juice. To do this, you need to grate the onion on a fine grater, squeeze out the pulp using a piece of gauze, and dilute the resulting juice in half with saline or boiled water. You can drip the onion preparation from 2 to 6 times a day.

This recipe is not suitable for children who have not yet turned 2 years old, since onion juice, even diluted, acts quite aggressively and can cause burns to the delicate mucous membranes of children. For children over 5-6 years old, you can add a little honey to the onion drops, this will have an additional anti-inflammatory effect.

Children under 2 years old can use beet or carrot juice in their nose with caution. To do this, using a juicer or a fine grater and a piece of gauze, you need to squeeze out the juice, dilute it with boiled water in half and drop 1-2 drops into each nasal passage up to 5 times a day. When instilled, infants may choke; it is better for them to place small cotton wool pads soaked in beetroot juice in both nasal passages.

Oil mixtures

A good effect for a runny nose is provided by drugs that will have a gentle effect on the nasal passages. These include mixtures that include oil - sunflower, linseed, vaseline.

A popular recipe is based on mixing finely chopped 2-3 cloves of garlic with 30 ml of sunflower oil. You need to infuse the drug for at least 10-12 hours, then strain and drop 1-2 drops into the child’s nose 3 times a day. This recipe should not be used to treat rhinitis in children under 6-7 years of age.

Another effective way to relieve nasal congestion is based on sea buckthorn oil mixed with calendula juice. This recipe can be used even by small children who have not yet turned 3 years old. The ingredients are mixed in half. The resulting oil mixture does not need to be dripped into the nose; it is enough to soak cotton swabs in it, which are placed in the nasal passages for half an hour. The procedure is repeated 3 times a day.

Children over five years old can drop a mixture of two oils - thyme and olive - into their nose. Proportions -1:1. You need to drip 2 times a day, 2-3 drops in each nostril.

Plants

Among indoor plants that can quickly cope with a runny nose, the leader is aloe. The juice of this plant has an antimicrobial effect, softens the mucous membrane, and relieves swelling. To prepare the drops, you need to cut off one fleshy aloe leaf and squeeze the juice out of it. Mix the resulting liquid with a drop of honey and drop it into the child’s nose once a day, preferably before bedtime.

St. John's wort will come to the aid of a child who is overcome by a runny nose. The dry collection of this medicinal plant (1 teaspoon) should be mixed with a glass of boiled water and boiled in a water bath for a quarter of an hour. Cool, strain through several layers of gauze. Drop the liquid into the nose of a child aged two years and older no more than 4 times a day.

Warming up

Freshly cooked millet porridge should be cooled to a warm state, small balls should be formed from it, placed in a cloth and applied to the maxillary sinuses area. Some recipes use a boiled chicken egg instead of porridge. They carefully “roll out” the area of the nose, sinuses, and forehead above the bridge of the nose.

Inhalations

Inhaling the vapors of medicinal herbs and essential oils allows you to quickly cope with a runny nose. The most effective procedures are based on pine and eucalyptus oils, fir oil. Sage, chamomile, and calendula are excellent as raw materials for inhalation. Inhalation can be carried out over a container with a hot decoction of herbs, to which a few drops of oil are added. But it is better if you have a special device at home for such purposes - an inhaler or nebulizer. This way there will be no fear that the child will get burns to the mucous membranes of the respiratory organs if he inhales too much.

Rinse

You can use regular salt to rinse your nose when you have a runny nose. To do this, a tablespoon of salt should be dissolved in a half-liter container of boiled water. You should rinse your nasal passages with saline solution several times a day, this will relieve swelling and restore nasal breathing.

The danger of self-medication

Parents, even very attentive ones, who are carried away by preparing nasal drops from vegetables and fruits, may not notice important clinical manifestations when the nature of the runny nose begins to change. Thus, they may not notice the transition to a new stage in time, which will then affect the timing of treatment of a runny nose in a child, because doctors will have to treat severe complications of ordinary rhinitis using completely traditional methods.

Often, a mother persistently treats her child’s runny nose, but there is no reaction to any medications.

The fact is that diagnosing allergic rhinitis at home on your own is quite difficult. And vegetable juices in the nose will only increase the swelling of the respiratory organs, since they also contain allergens. What can we say about drops with honey!

What not to do

You should not carry out any heating if there is purulent discharge from the nose and suspected sinusitis. Heat in this situation can aggravate the problem, the inflammation will only intensify. Also, warming up is strictly contraindicated at elevated body temperatures.
You cannot blindly trust all the recipes for a runny nose published on the Internet by “knowledgeable” people. Thus, mothers who advise others to wash their children’s noses from the inside with laundry soap for rhinitis are risking the health of their child. Laundry soap, coming into contact with inflamed mucous membranes, irritates them and provokes further spread of infection.
The positive effect of the laundry soap that they write about can, with a stretch, be explained by the same irritating effect. Soap causes the baby to sneeze; during this reflex, the mucus moves away faster. However, then the congestion will certainly return, and the runny nose may become even stronger.
When placing turunda and cotton balls with medicine in the baby’s nose, you should not make them too small, so that the baby does not accidentally inhale them.

Adviсe

Before instilling any products into the nose, you should prepare the mucous membrane, after pre-rinsing. Only then can you drip the prepared drug, both medicinal and folk.
If a child often suffers from a runny nose, you need to pay attention to the air condition in the apartment, Where does he live. Perhaps it is too dry; the mucous membrane inside the nose dries out and inflammation begins. Ventilate the house more often, do wet cleaning, and humidify the air. To do this, you can buy a humidifier or regularly hang wet towels over the radiators. The best indicators for children's health are as follows: air temperature is about 19 degrees, humidity is about 60%.
When treating a child with a runny nose, you need to provide him with plenty of warm drinks. This is necessary so that the mucous membranes of the nose, already inflamed, dry out less.
A child's runny nose is not a reason to refuse walks. In any weather, even in the rain (under an umbrella), you can take short walks outside, since fresh air is very important for restoring breathing through the nose.
You should not limit your child’s movement. If he wants, let him run and jump; active movements improve blood supply to the body, including the nasal mucosa.
When treating allergic rhinitis, folk remedies are undesirable, almost all of them can also be allergens. It is important to eliminate the main antigen; for this it is better to go to the hospital, where they will do a special test (nasal swab).
Vasomotor rhinitis should not be treated with folk remedies, since its causes lie in vascular nervous disorders, it will be better if, with this form of runny nose, the child receives therapy under the supervision of a doctor.

Before you start treating your baby for a runny nose with folk remedies, especially if he is not yet 1 year old, consult a doctor, because even harmless, at first glance, herbal preparations that you prepare yourself can harm the child.

Respiratory infections do not spare children and adults. The signs of the disease, without exaggeration, are familiar to everyone. Parents are most interested in how to treat a runny nose in children using folk remedies quickly and safely. The desire to avoid medication is understandable: many medications have unwanted effects. However, folk remedies also have contraindications and are not without side effects, but warnings about this are usually not attached to age-old recipes.

The safety of treatment with folk remedies is important

Dosages of medications designed for an adult body are not suitable for children. The same remark applies to the treatment of runny nose in children with folk remedies. Unfortunately, it is impossible to accurately calculate the amount of active substances in a serving of herbal decoction or propolis tincture.

The way out in a difficult situation is to prepare remedies in accordance with recipes in reference books on traditional medicine and medicinal plants. Children at an early age are given a fourth, preschoolers - a third, preschoolers and primary schoolchildren - half of the adult dose of the folk remedy.

A runny nose is one of the first symptoms of a cold, ARVI, or flu. Young children suffer more severely from these diseases due to the narrowness of the nasal passages and underdevelopment of the sinuses. The infection quickly causes irritation and swelling of the mucous membrane. Inflammation leads to narrowing of the nasal passages and difficulty in external breathing. Children are susceptible to allergic diseases, which can also be accompanied by increased formation of mucus in the nose.

Many plants and folk remedies can cause irritation to the nasal and oral mucosa. During the first and each subsequent use, parents need to observe the reaction of the child’s body so that it does not turn out like the saying “we treat one thing, we cripple another.”

Increasing runny nose and cough, redness of the eyes and watery eyes, rash on the body are symptoms of an allergic reaction to the drug used.

The following traditional methods should not be used for a runny nose in an infant:

mustard plasters on feet;
putting breast milk into the nose;
inhalations with essential oils;
nasal drops containing oily substances.

A relatively safe way to treat babies is to add a few drops of essential oil to shampoo, liquid soap, shower gel or bubble bath. While taking water procedures, a sick child will inhale eucalyptus oil or tea tree oil, which are considered excellent antiseptics and antimicrobial agents.

It is not recommended to use fresh plant juice for instillation into the nose of a newborn or infant. Severe attacks of sneezing, coughing, even bronchospasm may occur in children of the first year of life. For a child over one year old, nasal drops are prepared from the juice of Kalanchoe leaves, aloe vera agave and crassula (Crassula).

Saline solution for rinsing the nose and treating a runny nose

Modern mothers usually learn how to cure a runny nose in a child using folk remedies from older people. One of the most important “grandmother’s tips”: clean the baby’s nose before instilling the prepared product. To dissolve thick mucus, you can inject a solution of baking soda into the nasal passages (1 teaspoon per 0.25–0.5 liters of water). Or clean the nasal cavity with cotton wool soaked in soda or saline solution. Such products moisturize, disinfect, reduce swelling and inflammation.

Saline solution is prepared from 9–10 g of table salt and 1 liter of boiled water. The liquid can be used for rinsing and instillation into the nose of infants. In terms of sodium chloride concentration, saline solution is close to human blood plasma. The finished product is sold in pharmacies (large bottles and ampoules).

Benefits of using 0.9% salt water to treat a runny nose in a child:

diluting viscous secretions and facilitating its removal from the nasal passages;
washing out pathogenic microbes and other irritants;
softening and moisturizing the mucous membrane;
easier breathing.

It is advisable to use saline solution to rinse the nose of a child prone to allergies. The liquid washes away allergens from the mucous membrane: pollen, germs, dust.

You can cure a child’s runny nose at home using ready-made pharmaceutical preparations for instillation into the nose. Many types of nasal drops contain a sterile isotonic seawater solution. Its composition is rich and diverse: compounds of chlorine, sodium, magnesium, bromine, sulfur, iodine. They produce products based on saline solution, sea water in the form of sprays and dropper bottles, convenient for use.

Iodine is mentioned in home cold treatment recipes. For example, add a few drops of tincture to a salty solution for gargling. When a child has a runny nose, a so-called mesh is used: longitudinal and transverse lines are applied to the feet using a cotton swab soaked in iodine. After the procedure, socks are put on.

Plants are faithful helpers in the fight against the runny nose.

Herbal infusions and decoctions contain antiseptic, antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal components. Phytoncides - volatile plant substances - help fight infection that affects the nasal mucosa. Therefore, plants play an important role in the treatment of infectious diseases.

A popular folk remedy for the common cold for infants and young children is a weak infusion of chamomile. Measure out 1 tsp. flowers, brew with a cup of boiling water, cool to 36–37°C. Inject 3-5 drops of chamomile infusion into each nostril 3 times a day for the infant. The herb has a moisturizing and anti-inflammatory effect, and the antiseptic effect is less pronounced.

Before each instillation, you need to clear your nasal passages. If there is excessive mucus, congestion, or crusts, the medicinal substances will not work.

Rinse your nose not only with saline solution and chamomile infusion. Oak bark is often used for colds in children and adults. For a child over 3 years old, a decoction of the bark is dripped - an antimicrobial, moisturizing and anti-inflammatory agent. Oak preparations do not have vasoconstrictor properties.

Calendula flowers, thyme and yarrow herbs have a strong antimicrobial, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effect. An infusion is prepared from these and other plants with similar properties for oral administration. Be sure to take the child’s age into account when choosing herbs. The safest, if the dosages are observed, are chamomile, linden blossom, mint, black currant, raspberries, strawberries (leaves and fruits).

A collection of folk recipes for nose drops for children

Sea buckthorn oil for a runny nose is a popular alternative medicine. It has an anti-inflammatory, disinfectant and regenerating effect. Moisturizes the nasal mucosa and prevents it from drying out even at night.

Before using the product, the nasal passages are washed with saline, for example, using a syringe without a needle. Then inject 2-3 drops of sea buckthorn oil into the nose of a child over 1 year old. It should be borne in mind that the oily liquid has a bright orange color and leaves stains on mucous membranes, skin, underwear and clothing.

Recipe for local treatment of runny nose in children over 7 years of age:

Thoroughly mix 6 drops of sea buckthorn oil and 4 drops of calendula flower juice.
Add 2 drops of honey and a piece of propolis the size of a buckwheat grain (can be replaced with propolis tincture).
Grind all components well.
Moisten cotton buds with the product.
Introduce into each nasal passage and leave for 10 minutes.

Fir oil is instilled into children over 7 years old - 1 drop into each nasal passage. Other methods of use: rubbing into the collar area of the back, foot massage with this oil. After the procedure with fir oil, the patient should put on warm socks, put him to bed and drink herbal tea.

Peach oil, less commonly sea buckthorn and fir oil, is used in its pure form for instillation into the nose. Usually drops are prepared from equal parts of mumiyo, glycerin, and distilled water. The mixture is then diluted with peach seed oil.

Traditional medicine suggests using a living tree for a runny nose for children and adults. The name “living tree” is a collective one; it can be attributed to succulents that are capable of accumulating sap in thickened leaves during periods of drought. There are several such plants known in folk medicine: Crassula or Crassula, Aloe and Kalanchoe.

Use of living tree sap in nasal drops:

Wash the fresh leaves, chop and squeeze out the juice.
Drop 5 drops of liquid into each nasal passage using a pipette.
For a one-year-old child, 1 or 2 drops are enough.
Perform the procedure 3 times a day.
The product must be prepared immediately before instillation.

Aloe juice works more effectively if the leaves are first kept in the refrigerator (from 3 days to 2 weeks).

There are a wide variety of ways to use camphor oil for runny nose in children. Mix equal parts of propolis tincture, camphor and sunflower oils. After thorough stirring, the product is instilled into the nose (2-3 drops three times a day).

Ingestion of folk remedies for a runny nose

The pulp of juicy scales or onion juice is mixed with honey in a 1:1 ratio. Half or ¾ teaspoon of this mixture is given to the child before meals 3 times a day. The product tastes more pleasant if you use onion juice. You can take finely chopped garlic with honey (1:1). It is recommended to take 1 dessert spoon before bedtime.

Lemon syrup helps a lot (add 2 tablespoons of sugar to the juice of 1 lemon). A pleasant tasting remedy is raspberry jam. It is added to tea or infusion of medicinal herbs. For a runny nose, prepare a decoction of dried raspberries, strawberries, and currants. Berries retain more nutrients if, after picking, they are washed, dried and quickly frozen.

Herbal remedies for nasal congestion for preparing tea drinks:

peeled ginger root + lemon;
linden blossom + rosehip;
chamomile + mint;
sage.

Drinking plenty of fluids to better thin and remove mucus from the nose is a simple and effective way to treat a runny nose. Give the remedy to the baby at the first signs of a cold: nasal congestion, sore throat.

Using Asterisk for a runny nose

The Zvezdochka or Golden Star balm, well known to many generations, came to us from the East, from the traditional medicine of Vietnam. Used at the first symptoms of a cold as an antiseptic and distracting agent. The composition contains menthol, camphor, mint, clove and cinnamon oils. The base of the pencil and liquid balm is Vaseline; the ointment also contains lanolin and beeswax. Asterisk is also a nasal spray, lozenges, and soluble powder for oral administration.

The components of the product can cause irritation of the mucous membranes, and less often - a burning sensation on the skin and allergic reactions.

Nasal spray is used for runny nose of various etiologies in patients over 6 years of age. The balm can be used to relieve the first symptoms of a cold in children over 2 years of age. For a runny nose, rub a small amount of the drug into the wings of the nose with your fingertips and gently smear it under the nostrils.

Various forms of the drug are often used for preventive purposes. If a child or adult is hypothermic or gets their feet wet, then you need to smear the feet with the balm, let the tablet dissolve in the mouth, and prepare a hot drink from Zvezdochka Hot powder. Do not apply the product into the nasal passages, and in case of accidental contact with the nasal mucosa or eyes, rinse with water.

Treating a runny nose in children with folk remedies has its own difficulties - not every method will allow children to use it. Some people cannot stand putting drops into the nose; in this case, warming up the sinuses, massage and warming up the feet or the nose in the nose will help. If turundas with grated onions seem too dangerous for some children, then turundas with grated beets are no less effective.

Let's look at the most effective recipes for treating a child's runny nose at home.

Next, we will look at quick and effective folk remedies for treating runny nose in infants and children under one year old.

A runny nose in babies is quite common. There are several ways to deal with this trouble.

Traditional medicine has a huge number of different recipes for the treatment of runny nose, including in children of the first year of life. It is important to remember that it is not advisable to trust and blindly follow these recommendations. Many methods used for treatment by our grandmothers are today ineffective, and some are even dangerous to health. Also, we should not forget about individual intolerance to the products included in a particular recipe. The number of allergic diseases has increased significantly since the childhood and adolescence of our parents and grandmothers. Over the years, the number of allergy sufferers is only growing. Therefore, allergies are a very common disease nowadays, occurring even to the most unexpected products.

The choice of a traditional method of treating a runny nose must be agreed with a pediatrician!

How to help a child without medications?

Following a number of simple rules will help you quickly cure a runny nose in an infant.

Constantly clear the baby's nose of mucus. To do this, you can use a nasal aspirator (nozzle suction) or a small bulb. Make sure that crusts do not form. If dried snot is detected, it is necessary to carefully remove the crusts from the nasal passages. Before cleaning the nose, the crusts must be softened. To do this, roll flagella out of cotton wool, soak them in a saline solution and insert them one by one into the nostril for a few minutes. Dried snot will dissolve and come out easily.
Moisten the nasal mucosa of a sick child. To do this, you need to instill one drop of saline solution into each nostril. The solution is prepared simply: dissolve a teaspoon of table or sea salt in a liter of boiled water.
Humidify the air in the child's room. A special humidifier operating from the mains can quickly cope with the problem of dry air in the apartment. If it is not available, you can place dishes filled with water around the room or hang wet towels and sheets around the room.
Monitor your baby's drinking regime and offer him to drink water more often. If the child is breastfed, then the nursing mother should drink water more often. This helps liquefy the milk.

What kind of runny nose can be treated with folk recipes?

Before you start treating your baby, you need to understand the reasons that caused the appearance of snot. A runny nose is a kind of defensive reaction that is produced to help the body.

The appearance of snot in a baby may indicate the following changes in his body:

Physiological runny nose - clear snot in small quantities, appearing in the first months of life. Rarely interfere with respiratory function.
Snot during teething. Transparent, liquid, often in small quantities. There may be an increase in temperature up to 38.5 degrees.
Viral infection (ARVI, acute respiratory infections). The snot is transparent and can be in large quantities. Usually combined with other symptoms: cough, sneezing, fever, weakness.
Bacterial infection. The snot is yellow or green, in large quantities, difficult to pass, and significantly impairs breathing through the nose.
Allergic runny nose.

Traditional medicine can only help with a runny nose caused by an acute respiratory viral infection.

There is no need to treat a physiological runny nose or snot during teething. This is a normal phenomenon for the baby’s body, which quickly passes without intervention.

With a bacterial rhinitis, folk recipes will not be able to cure a child. In such a situation, the help of a specialist is necessary, as the risk of complications is high.

Allergic rhinitis should be treated together with an allergist, identifying the allergen or allergens that cause nasal discharge.

Treating a runny nose with breast milk, urine and similar illogical methods is dangerous for the child’s health!

Vegetables will help quickly cure a runny nose in a baby

Carrot juice is widely used in the treatment of runny nose and colds. To do this, you need to grate fresh carrots and then squeeze out the juice from the resulting mass through cheesecloth. You need to cook in small quantities, since carrot juice cannot be stored. Before instilling the juice, it is necessary to clear the nose of excess mucus by instilling a saline solution. For children under six months old, carrot juice should be diluted 1:1 with water; older children can be used undiluted.

Carrot juice has a gentle effect, as it does not irritate the delicate mucous membranes, relieves swelling, improves breathing, and helps fight viruses. Carrot juice is usually well tolerated by infants.

Fresh beet juice is used in the same way.

Onion or garlic juice will help clear your nose quickly and relieve congestion. To do this, you need to prepare onion or garlic water. The juices of these vegetables cannot be used undiluted. Dilute one drop of onion or garlic juice with a tablespoon of water. Place a drop in each nostril. Such instillation causes sneezing, snot literally flies out of the nose. And phytoncides, contained in large quantities in onions or garlic, help fight viral infections.

You can also place cut halves of these vegetables next to the baby's crib. Older children make “beads” from garlic cloves. This is an excellent means of preventing colds.

Plants against snot

Many mothers purchase Kalanchoe with the arrival of a child in the house. Indeed, this amazing plant helps to quickly cure a runny nose in children and adults. Kalanchoe has a destructive effect on bacteria, relieves swelling of the mucous membrane, and has a healing effect if the mucous membrane is damaged. It is used for severe nasal congestion and difficult to separate snot due to its irritating effect.

It is impossible to instill Kalanchoe juice in its pure form, as you can get a burn to the mucous membrane. The washed leaves must be crushed and the juice squeezed out. Dilute the resulting juice with water in a ratio of 1:10. Instill drop by drop only in case of severe congestion and a large amount of thick snot.

The second most popular plant, which can be found in almost every home, is aloe. Aloe juice is prepared according to the same recipe as Kalanchoe. It also needs to be diluted ten times with water.

A good therapeutic effect is achieved by instilling decoctions of medicinal herbs into the nose: chamomile, calendula, mint, coltsfoot, linden. Herbs are brewed individually or in the form of mixtures. Place 1-2 drops into each half of the nose several times a day.

To moisturize the nasal mucosa and make breathing easier, you can instill a drop of sea buckthorn or St. John's wort oil. Large amounts of oil may enter the respiratory tract, so you should be careful. It is best to simply lubricate the nasal passages with oil using gauze pads.

The use of products with a highly irritating effect in undiluted form is strictly prohibited. These include: onions, garlic, Kalanchoe. They cause a burn to the mucous membrane, which will only complicate the course of a runny nose by adding inflammation to it.

Essential oils to fight the runny nose

It is prohibited to treat infants with steam inhalations. Steam can cause severe burns to the baby's mucous membranes. But cold inhalations can be used to treat runny nose and colds. To do this, you need to drop a couple of drops of oil into an aroma lamp or onto a regular cotton pad, which you place in the children's room. The following essential oils can treat snot: rosemary, orange, mint, pine, eucalyptus, dill, tea tree.

It is strictly forbidden to treat children prone to allergies with traditional recipes! Vegetables, plants or oils can cause an allergic reaction, Quincke's edema.

Baby nose massage

Massaging the nose and sinus area is quite simple, and the effect will not be long in coming. Before performing a massage, warm your palms and make sure that the skin of your hands is not rough. Otherwise, it will be unpleasant for the baby, he will begin to be capricious, fidget, and a full massage will not work.

Massage technique:

Using stroking movements with both hands, walk from the middle of the forehead to the temples.
Stroke your cheeks in the direction from the temple to the chin.
Draw your finger under the nose, drawing a mustache for the child. First on one side, then on the other.
Accurately massage areas located near the wings of the nose and just above the bridge of the nose. The massage is done on both sides.

By regularly performing simple manipulations, the blood supply to the nasal mucosa and sinuses improves. Snot goes away more easily, the risk of inflammation in the sinuses is reduced, and nasal congestion goes away faster.

If you notice nasal discharge in your baby, do not rush to look for methods and medications to quickly get rid of this symptom. Do not panic. The first step is to call your pediatrician or have a doctor come to your home. Only after the doctor has established the nature of the runny nose, talk to him about the possibility of using traditional methods of treatment.

Thank you

The site provides reference information for informational purposes only. Diagnosis and treatment of diseases must be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. All drugs have contraindications. Consultation with a specialist is required!

What is a runny nose?

Runny nose (in medical literature - rhinitis ) is one of the most common diseases of the upper respiratory tract. The development of a runny nose is caused by inflammation of the nasal mucosa ( from the Greek word rhinos - nose + itis - designation of inflammation).

A runny nose is extremely rarely an independent pathology. This is usually a symptom of a viral or bacterial infection. At first glance, this is a very harmless disease, which is not entirely true. A runny nose has many consequences for the body, including chronic rhinitis, sinusitis and otitis ( inflammation of the middle ear). In turn, these complications are dangerous because they most often occur in children in the first year of life. The reason for this is the peculiarities of the anatomical structure of the nasal passages and the auditory tube.

Anatomy and function of the nasal cavity

The nasal cavity performs important functions for the body. It cleans and warms the inhaled air, and also has a protective function. That is why children who often suffer from a runny nose usually form a group of “frequently ill children.” The immunity of the child's body begins to decline with frequent rhinitis, and viruses and bacteria that penetrate the nasal cavity then descend into the lower respiratory tract. This, in turn, causes the rapid addition of a bacterial infection with long-term persistent ( chronic) runny nose.

Anatomy of the nasal cavity

The nasal cavity is a kind of “entrance gate” of the respiratory tract through which inhaled and exhaled air passes. Despite the fact that the right and left nasal passages appear as isolated structures, they communicate with each other. That is why a runny nose always occurs with the involvement of both nasal cavities. In turn, the nasal cavity communicates with the cavity of the oropharynx, larynx and bronchi. This causes the infection to quickly spread from the nasal mucosa to the lower respiratory tract.

The nasal mucosa consists of a special ciliated ( or ciliated) epithelium. It is called that because it consists of numerous cilia densely located on the mucous membrane. Moreover, there are microvilli on the apical surface of the cilia themselves. They, in turn, branch and elongate, increasing the area of the mucosa several times. Thus, on average, ciliated cells have 200–300 cilia, the length of which is 7 microns. By moving, microvilli help move mucus from the nasal cavity into the oropharynx, and from the bronchi outward. Thus, they perform the function of drainage of the respiratory system. It should be noted that per day the volume of nasal mucus can vary from 200 milliliters to one liter. Along with mucus, dust particles, allergens and pathogenic microorganisms leave the respiratory tract. The functionality of the mucous membrane is most optimal at a temperature of 28 - 33 degrees and a pH of 5.5 - 6.5. The slightest deviation from these parameters leads to a change in its composition. Thus, loss of moisture, a decrease in temperature to 7 - 10 degrees, an increase in pH above 6.5 and other fluctuations cause the cilia to stop vibrating. At the same time, the composition of the mucous membrane changes, and the level of its protection decreases.

The nasal mucosa is abundantly supplied with nerve endings that are connected to various organs and systems. That is why the child’s body reacts negatively to even the most minor violations of the physiological functions of the nose. Even with the slightest runny nose, children become capricious, irritable, and begin to have difficulty sleeping. The main factor contributing to the development of a runny nose is hypothermia. A decrease in temperature leads to disruption of the body's defense mechanisms and activation of opportunistic microflora in the nasal cavity, nasopharynx and oral cavity. The development of a runny nose is also facilitated by a decrease in the body’s resistance due to chronic diseases.

Functions of the nasal cavity

As mentioned above, the nasal cavity is the entrance gate of the body. It performs a number of important functions. Thus, the main functions of the nose are respiratory, olfactory, protective and resonant ( speech). Even a short runny nose in a child leads to disruption of these functions. Long-term persistent runny nose can lead to serious changes in the body. If a child’s runny nose lasts for several months, it can lead to changes in the formation of the facial skeleton and chest. The main complication of a runny nose is a violation of oxygen metabolism, which affects the functioning of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Thus, with a runny nose, the physical and mental development of the child suffers.

The main functions of the nasal cavity are:

filtering of inhaled air;
protective function;
function of warming the inhaled air.

Filtration of inhaled air
The air passing through the nasal cavity must be filtered. The filtration function is carried out by the ciliated epithelium of the mucosa. Numerous villi of the mucous membrane, moving in different directions, clean the air from dust particles and other foreign objects. This is why it is important to always breathe through your nose. If the nose is stuffy and the child begins to breathe through the mouth, the air is not cleaned and enters the body as contaminated.

Protective function
The work of epithelial cilia is also aimed at eliminating ( excretion) from the respiratory tract of foreign objects. This could be poplar fluff, pieces of wool and other objects. Getting into the nasal passages, they irritate the receptors embedded in the mucous membrane. Irritation of the receptors leads to muscle contraction, resulting in the implementation of an unconditioned protective reflex - sneezing. Thanks to sneezing, all pathological elements are removed from the upper respiratory tract.

Inhaled air warming function
The nasal cavity also warms the inhaled air, which plays a particularly important role in cold seasons. This function of the nose prevents the lower respiratory tract from becoming cold. Entering the nasal cavity, the air passes into the nasopharynx, and from it into the larynx and bronchi. Going all this way, the air warms up and at the moment when it reaches the lungs, it does not lead to hypothermia of the mucous membrane.

Causes of runny nose in children

There are a wide variety of reasons for the development of a runny nose in children. These could be various infections, allergies, injuries, and so on. Initially, all causes of a runny nose are usually divided into two large groups - infectious and non-infectious.

Infectious causes of runny nose in children

As for children of the first and second year of life, the infectious cause of a runny nose is the most common.

Causes of a runny nose of an infectious nature include:

acute respiratory diseases ( acute respiratory infections);
viral infections – adenoviruses, rhinoviruses, coronaviruses;
Infectious mononucleosis ;
bacteria;

As a rule, a runny nose in children is caused by viruses that provoke an acute respiratory viral infection ( ARVI). Transmission of the virus is known to occur through airborne droplets. Particles of saliva containing viruses enter the external environment when the patient sneezes or coughs. After this, the viruses enter the nasal mucosa of an already healthy person. Being in the nasal cavity, they very quickly penetrate into epithelial cells ( mucosal cells) and begin to actively reproduce there. Viruses remain in the nasal mucosa for 1 to 3 days. During this time, they violate the integrity of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract. It becomes thinner and more permeable to pathogenic microorganisms. The ciliated epithelium ceases to perform its functions. Thus, conditions are created for the addition of a bacterial infection. This is one of the reasons why a viral infection very quickly becomes complicated by a bacterial one.

Viruses or bacteria can then migrate from the upper respiratory tract ( that is, the nasal cavity) into the lower respiratory tract. A runny nose can also affect the mucous membrane of the paranasal sinuses and middle ear. This explains the fact that a runny nose is most often accompanied by inflammation of the paranasal sinuses ( sinusitis, frontal sinusitis) and middle ear ( otitis).

As a rule, a runny nose in children is recorded during periods of sharp temperature fluctuations. This is primarily due to changes in virulent properties ( infectious ability) microbes, as well as with the hypothermia factor. A pronounced inflammatory reaction in the nasal mucosa is observed when the feet are cooled. This is explained by the presence of reflex connections between the feet and the nose.

Non-infectious causes of runny nose in children

Non-infectious causes of a runny nose can be foreign bodies that have entered the nasal cavity, trauma to the mucous membrane, or exposure to harmful environmental factors. A special variant of non-infectious runny nose in children is allergic rhinitis or rhinitis.

Non-infectious causes of runny nose in children include:

environmental factors - dust, smoke, strong smelling substances;
allergenic factors - fluff, wool;
injuries;
foreign bodies.

Allergic rhinitis in children

Allergic rhinitis is an inflammatory process of the nasal mucosa, which is based on a pathological allergic reaction. According to the latest statistics, the prevalence of allergic rhinitis in children reaches 40 percent. The onset of the disease occurs at the age of 9–10 years. However, in some cases, it can be diagnosed in the first 6 years of life. In children with constitutional anomalies ( diathesis) symptoms of a runny nose are noted already during the first year of life.
The clinical picture of an allergic rhinitis is the same as that of an infectious rhinitis, but at the same time symptoms such as sneezing and itching are added.

Manifestations of allergic rhinitis in children are:

nasal congestion;
rhinorrhea ( discharge of liquid contents from the nasal cavity);
sneezing;
itching in the nasal cavity.

Allergic rhinitis in rare cases is limited only to the nasal mucosa. Often the inflammatory process extends to the paranasal sinuses. Therefore, doctors often use the term “rhinosinusitis”, since it more fully reflects the pathogenetic process. Despite the fact that allergic rhinitis seems to be a completely harmless disease, it significantly affects the child’s quality of life. Children who suffer from a runny nose for a long time have poor school performance and sleep disturbances.

Considering the period of time of contact with the allergen, doctors distinguish seasonal, year-round and occupational allergic rhinitis. The first two are typical for both children and adults, the last one is only for adults. The main cause of allergic rhinitis is pollen, which is a powerful allergen. Significant allergens include pollen from trees, grasses and weeds. Based on this, there are three main peaks of exacerbation of seasonal allergic rhinitis.

The periods of the year during which the peak incidence of allergic rhinitis occurs include:

April May– caused by pollination of trees such as birch, alder, hazel;
June July– associated with the pollination of cereal grasses such as timothy and fescue;
Aug. Sept- caused by pollination of weeds such as wormwood, quinoa and plantain.

Other causes of allergic rhinitis can be food and mold allergens. In this case, the exacerbation of the disease is associated with eating certain foods. House dust mites, animal epidermis, and wool can act as non-food allergens.

Stages of development of a runny nose

On average, a runny nose lasts from 7 to 10 days. If we are talking about allergic rhinitis, then its duration is determined by the period of exposure to the allergen. There are three stages in the development of infectious rhinitis.

The stages of development of a runny nose are:

reflex stage;
catarrhal stage;
stage of recovery or infection.

Reflex stage of development of a runny nose
This is the first stage of the development of a runny nose and lasts only a few hours. Due to reflex vasoconstriction, the mucous membrane becomes pale. The epithelium stops producing mucus, which provokes symptoms such as dryness, burning in the nasal cavity, and repeated sneezing. There is also headache, lethargy and sore throat. It should be noted that when a runny nose occurs, both nasal passages are affected at once, so the above symptoms are felt in both nasal passages.

Catarrhal stage of development of the runny nose
The second stage of the development of a runny nose lasts from 2 to 3 days. During this stage, vasodilation occurs, which provokes swelling of the nasal turbinates. Children complain of a feeling of nasal congestion and difficulty breathing through the nose. If the cause of a runny nose is a viral infection, then profuse, clear, watery discharge from the nose is noted ( rhinorrhea). Symptoms such as decreased sense of smell, watery eyes, stuffy ears, and a nasal tone of voice also appear. This stage is also accompanied by an increase in body temperature to subfebrile levels ( 37.2 – 37.5 degrees). At this stage, the nasal mucosa becomes bright red and swells greatly, making breathing difficult. This, in turn, leads to the disappearance of the sense of smell and a deterioration in the perception of taste ( This is explained by the fact that olfactory receptors are located in the nasal mucosa). Sometimes lacrimation, congestion and tinnitus also occur.

Stage of recovery or infection
The third stage of the development of a runny nose can follow 2 paths - recovery or the addition of bacterial inflammation. In the first case, the general condition improves, the function of the epithelium is restored. Nasal breathing begins to become freer, mucus secretion normalizes, and the sense of smell is restored. If a secondary bacterial infection occurs, the child’s general condition also initially improves. However, nasal discharge becomes greenish in color and becomes thicker. Further development of the disease depends on how far the infection has progressed. If pathogenic microorganisms have reached the bronchi, then there is a high probability of developing bronchitis.

Duration of runny nose in children
On average, a runny nose of an infectious nature lasts from 7 to 10 days. With good immunity and quickly started treatment, recovery can occur as early as 2–3 days. With weakened body defenses and inadequate treatment, a runny nose lasts up to 3 to 4 weeks. In this case, it can also become chronic or lead to the development of complications.

Symptoms of a runny nose in a child

As already mentioned, a runny nose is rarely an independent disease. As a rule, this is a symptom of various infectious diseases. In young children, a runny nose can be a symptom of intestinal infections. It should be noted that a runny nose is one of the first symptoms of the disease ( a kind of harbinger).

Classic symptoms of a runny nose include nasal congestion, discharge and sneezing. Depending on the nature of the underlying disease, one or another symptom can be expressed to the maximum. For example, with a viral infection, a runny nose is characterized by copious nasal discharge, and with allergies, persistent itching and sneezing. The development of a runny nose, as a rule, is sharp and sudden - it begins quickly with a general deterioration in the child’s condition. Children's body temperature rises, headaches appear, nasal breathing worsens, and their sense of smell decreases.

Since young children cannot express their complaints, they mostly cry. The smaller the child, the more restless he becomes. In infants, it is not the manifestations of a runny nose themselves that come first, but the signs of general intoxication.

Next, liquid discharge from the nasal cavity appears very quickly. The production of mucous contents occurs due to increased function of the goblet glands, which are embedded in the epithelium. Pathological nasal secretions have an irritating effect on the skin. This is especially noticeable in the area of the vestibule of the nose and upper lip, which manifests itself in the form of redness and painful cracks.

Manifestations of a runny nose in children are:

feeling of nasal congestion;
rhinorrhea;
sneezing;
lacrimation.

The feeling of nasal congestion is the result of swelling of the mucous membrane, which, in turn, develops due to increased vascular permeability. Fluid from the vessels is transuded ( comes out) into the mucous membrane, leading to its swelling. Swelling of the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity also leads to impaired drainage of the paranasal sinuses and middle ear, which creates favorable conditions for the activation of conditionally pathogenic flora. As soon as the nature of the mucus from the nasal cavity changes, namely it becomes cloudy and greenish, this means that a bacterial infection has attached.

Watery eyes are a very common symptom of a runny nose. It is caused by irritation of the reflexogenic zones of the nasal mucosa. Watery eyes are almost always accompanied by sneezing, the nature of which is similar. Sneezing is the result of irritation of sensitive fibers that are located in the mucous membrane.

The total duration of this disease varies from 8 to 14 days. If the child’s general and local immunity is not impaired, then the runny nose will stop after a couple of days. In the weakened and often ill, the runny nose most often has a protracted character - up to 3 - 4 weeks. In general, the child’s condition depends on the underlying disease and the form of rhinitis.

Forms of rhinitis ( runny nose) are:

acute rhinitis;
chronic rhinitis;
atrophic rhinitis;
vasomotor rhinitis.

Acute rhinitis
Acute rhinitis in children usually occurs in the form of nasopharyngitis, that is, with the involvement of the laryngeal mucosa in the inflammatory process. Inflammation can also spread to the nasopharynx ( with the development of adenoiditis), middle ear or larynx. Due to rapidly increasing edema in infants, the act of sucking is disrupted, which leads to weight loss, sleep disturbances, and increased excitability. Acute rhinitis is especially severe in premature, weakened children with chronic foci of infection.

Chronic rhinitis
This type of runny nose is characterized by impaired nasal breathing with alternating congestion in one or the other half of the nose. In chronic rhinitis, the nature of nasal discharge can be serous, mucous or purulent. Chronic hypertrophic rhinitis differs in its duration. Nasal congestion is characterized by a more permanent nature, and the most important thing is that this symptom does not go away after using vasoconstrictor drops. In addition to difficulty breathing through the nose, sick children are bothered by headaches and poor sleep. The nasal mucosa is usually pale pink, reddish or bluish.

Atrophic rhinitis
In chronic atrophic rhinitis, the main symptom is a feeling of dryness in the nose. Patients also complain of the formation of crusts, a feeling of pressure in the nasal cavity and headaches. The contents of the nose are always thick in consistency and have a yellow-greenish tint. As a rule, the volume of pathological mucus in atrophic rhinitis is small. However, if pus is present in large quantities, this can lead to the spread of the chronic process to the mucous membrane of the pharynx and larynx.

Vasomotor rhinitis

This form of rhinitis is characterized by symptoms such as sneezing, nasal congestion, and copious discharge. The development of vasomotor rhinitis is based on neurovegetative disorders that cause a sharp spasm of the nasal vessels.

Cough and runny nose in a child

Cough and runny nose are common symptoms of a viral infection. This is explained by the fact that the nasal mucosa is a gateway for viruses. It is in the nasal mucosa that viruses form their primary focus of inflammation. Most often, the mucous membrane is attacked by rhinovirus infection. Already from the first hours of the disease, nasal congestion and sneezing are noted. Rhinovirus infection, unlike other viral infections, is manifested by profuse rhinorrhea. Simultaneously with the rise in temperature to 38 degrees, copious nasal discharge is noted. The discharge from the nose is initially mucous in nature. At the same time, the mucus is very rare and literally “flows”. However, after a couple of days it becomes thicker and takes on a greenish tint. This means that bacterial flora has joined the rhinovirus infection.

The appearance of a symptom such as cough in the clinical picture depends on how far the infection has penetrated. If the body's defenses are weakened and the child is young, then the risk of developing bronchitis or pneumonia is very high. In 9 out of 10 cases, premature and weakened children develop pneumonia and bronchiolitis. The nature of the cough depends on the level of infection. If the inflammatory process is localized at the level of the nasopharynx, larynx or trachea, then the cough is predominantly dry. The reason for this is dry and inflamed mucous membrane, which irritates the nerve endings and provokes a cough. If the infection goes down and affects the bronchopulmonary region, then the cough becomes productive, that is, wet. The amount of secretion depends on how well the bronchi drain and on how much fluid the child consumes. As a rule, at first the cough is accompanied by scanty and viscous sputum. Subsequently, when taking bronchodilators, the sputum becomes thinner and its volume increases. The color and specific smell of sputum also depends on the source of infection. With pyogenic flora, the sputum has a fetid odor and is greenish in color.

Fever and runny nose in a child

The presence or absence of fever during a runny nose in a child depends on the underlying disease. As you know, a runny nose in children is often a symptom of a viral or bacterial infection rather than an independent pathology.

Temperature options depending on the etiology of the runny nose

Type of infection	Main symptoms	Temperature characteristic
*Runny nose due to rhinovirus infection*	Profuse runny nose, accompanied by sneezing and congestion. The mucous discharge from the nose is always copious.	The temperature varies within normal limits, sometimes reaching 37.5 degrees.
*Runny nose due to adenovirus infection*	Runny nose with moderate mucous discharge and nasal congestion.	The temperature varies from 38 to 39 degrees.
*Runny nose due to rotavirus infection*	A runny nose and other respiratory symptoms are combined with manifestations of gastroenteritis - vomiting, diarrhea.	The temperature rose sharply to 39 degrees.
*Runny nose due to respiratory syncytial infection*	Runny nose, quickly complicated by the development of bronchiolitis and pneumonia.	There is a moderate low-grade fever ( 37 – 37.2 degrees), rarely the temperature rises to 38 degrees.

Runny nose without fever in a child

A runny nose without fever is observed with allergic etiology of the disease, as well as in cases of immunodeficiency in children. In general, it should be noted that the presence of fever largely depends on the reactivity of the child’s body. Weak children with chronic foci of infection are characterized by a moderate, sluggish temperature.

Runny nose in infants

In newborns and infants, there are certain anatomical features in the structure of the nasal cavity that determine the clinical picture of a runny nose. Thus, young children have much narrower nasal passages than adults. Therefore, even slight swelling of the mucous membrane leads to complete disruption of nasal breathing through the nose. This, in turn, causes certain difficulties in feeding. Since the baby cannot breathe through his nose, he is forced to breathe through his mouth, which makes feeding difficult. Children become restless, sleep poorly, and begin to cry. Due to malnutrition, the baby may lose weight. The greatest danger is posed by attacks of suffocation and shortness of breath, which may occur during sleep in such children. Moreover, mouth breathing causes the spread of infection to the underlying parts of the respiratory tract.

It is extremely rare that a runny nose can occur in isolation. As a rule, in infants it occurs in the form of nasopharyngitis. In this case, both the nasal cavity and the pharyngeal cavity are involved in the pathological process. This feature of the clinical picture is due to the child’s inability to independently clear the nasal cavity of mucus ( that is, blow your nose). This leads to pathological contents flowing down the back wall of the pharynx, causing irritation and inflammation. Thus, the pharynx is also involved in the inflammatory process, resulting in the development of not rhinitis, but nasopharyngitis. Moreover, the inflammatory process in infants more often than in adults spreads to the larynx, trachea, and bronchi. The consequence of this is the frequent development of tracheitis, bronchitis and even pneumonia.

Another feature of a child’s runny nose is the rapid development of a complication such as otitis media ( inflammation of the middle ear). The reason for this is also the anatomical features of the structure of the ear cavity. Thus, the auditory tube in children is much wider and shorter than in adults, which causes infection to quickly penetrate from the nose to the ear. At the same time, the constant horizontal position of children and the lack of coughing skills lead to the flow of mucus from the nasal passages into the short auditory tube, and from it into the middle ear. Thus, a runny nose is quickly complicated by an inflammatory process in the middle ear, which is very severe in young children. The development of such a complication as otitis media is accompanied by sudden changes in the child’s behavior. Due to the appearance of severe pain, the intensity of which quickly increases, the child is deprived of peace. He starts crying, screaming, turning his head. Such a rapid change in the child’s behavior should alert parents even before pus appears from the ear cavity. The last symptom indicates the presence of a ruptured eardrum.

Complications of a runny nose in children

First of all, a runny nose can become chronic. This complication occurs as a result of frequent and prolonged rhinitis ( runny nose), nasal injuries, prolonged exposure to irritating factors on the nasal mucosa, with concomitant anomalies in the development of the nasal cavity ( deviated nasal septum). Chronic runny nose manifests itself as impaired nasal breathing and periodic exacerbations.

The consequences of a runny nose in children are:

rapid fatigue;
sleep disturbance;
memory loss;
development of chronic rhinitis and sinusitis;
stop in the physical development of the child;
deformation of the facial skeleton and chest bones;
disruption of metabolic processes;
disruption of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems;
development of allergic reactions.

Treatment of runny nose in children

When treating a runny nose, you must always remember that it is only a symptom of some disease. Therefore, in addition to the use of sprays and drops, which are often used to eliminate a runny nose, it is necessary to eliminate the cause of the underlying disease. As a rule, acute runny nose does not require intensive treatment. It is important to follow the basic principles of treating a runny nose.

The principles of treating a runny nose are as follows:

The room in which the child is located must be well ventilated.
The humidity in the room should not be less than 50 - 60 percent.
If a runny nose is accompanied by a fever, then the child must be provided with an adequate water regime - often, but little by little, give boiled water at room temperature.
During a cold, it is not recommended to force-feed your child.
It is necessary to regularly remove accumulated mucus from the nasal passages.
To relieve symptoms ( but not to eliminate the causes of the runny nose themselves) you can use vasoconstrictor drugs, which, in turn, are selected based on age.
It is important to know that the maximum time for using any vasoconstrictor should not exceed 5 - 7 days.

If a runny nose is complicated by a bacterial infection, the doctor will also prescribe antibacterial agents. It is recommended to bury the nose with slightly warmed drops. To do this, lower the bottle of medicine into a container of warm water for several minutes. To instill, you need to tilt your head back, then inject 2 - 3 drops into each nasal passage. After the first nasal passage has been dripped, it is necessary to tilt your head down, but at the same time press the nostril to the nasal septum. Then do the same with the other nasal passage. This manipulation will prevent the drops from being swallowed, as often happens.

Drops and sprays for runny nose in children

Today there is a large selection of different drops and sprays for the common cold, including for children under one year old. When using drops, it is important to remember that drops only have a symptomatic effect. This means that they eliminate the feeling of congestion and rhinorrhea, but do not eliminate the cause of the runny nose.

Drops and sprays used in the treatment of runny nose in children

Name	Effects	How to use?
Brizolin(drops)	It has a vasoconstrictor effect, thereby eliminating swelling.	2 – 3 drops in each nasal passage three times a day, for 5 days.
Vibrocil(drops, spray)	Has anti-edematous and anti-allergic effects.
Otrivin baby(drops, spray)	Has a vasoconstrictor effect. Also, thanks to the menthol included in the composition, the drops have a cooling effect and give a feeling of freshness.
Aqua Maris(spray, drops)	Effectively cleanses the nasal cavity of accumulated mucus by liquefying it. In addition, it moisturizes the nasal mucosa, facilitating nasal breathing.
Aqualor baby(spray)	Flushes the nasal passages from accumulated mucus, as well as from bacteria and viruses settled on the mucous membrane.
Nazol baby(drops)	It has a pronounced decongestant effect, eliminating the feeling of nasal congestion.

In the treatment of chronic runny nose in children, the main principle is to increase the body's defenses, that is, immunocorrection. For this purpose, various immunomodulators are prescribed, for example, Imunofan or Immunal. Breathing exercises, massage of bioactive points, and sanatorium treatment are also recommended.

Inhalations for a runny nose in children

Inhalation is a therapeutic procedure during which the child inhales medicine. Inhalation therapy ensures delivery of the drug directly to the organs of the respiratory system, which are primarily affected by a runny nose. Therefore, inhalations are an effective method of treatment, and if carried out in a timely and correct manner, they allow the child to recover without the use of systemic antibiotics.

Inhalation procedures are carried out using nebulizers or steam inhalers. Various household appliances such as pots or kettles can also be used. Regardless of the method of inhalation, when treating a runny nose, inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. The choice of drug, session duration, contraindications and other aspects of the procedure depend on which device is used in inhalation therapy.

Nebulizers
A nebulizer is a device in which the medicine is broken into small drops and turned into a mist, which is inhaled by the child through a special tube. The temperature of the drug does not increase, since its transformation occurs under the influence of ultrasound, a membrane or a compressor. Inhalation using such equipment can be carried out at all stages of a runny nose and at any age of the child.

The rules for using a nebulizer for a child’s runny nose are as follows:

inhalation procedures with a nebulizer are carried out 2–4 times a day;
the session must be continued for 5–8 minutes;
before inhalation, the child should rinse the nasal and oral cavity;
After the procedure, you must abstain from eating and drinking for 1 – 2 hours;
the medicine is poured into a special chamber using a pipette or syringe ( most often included with the device);
solutions used for inhalation must be at room temperature;
Before and after the session, parts that come into contact with the medicine or the child’s nasal cavity should be disinfected.

Solutions for inhalation with a nebulizer
Due to the design features of such a device, not all types of remedies traditionally used for a runny nose can be used. Thus, herbal infusions, essential oils and any suspensions, even with the smallest particles, cannot be used in a nebulizer. Nebulizers, which use ultrasound to turn the medicine into a mist, do not use antibiotics. Inhalation of antibiotics can only be carried out using compressor or membrane nebulizers.

Drugs that are used for nebulizer therapy for children's runny nose are:

antiseptics ( miramistin, furatsilin);
restorative ( tonsilgon, rotokan);
anti-inflammatory ( budesonide);
antibiotics ( dioxidine, gentamicin).

Also, to soften and moisturize tissues, children with a runny nose are inhaled with mineral water ( Narzan, Essentuki), saline solution.

Steam inhalers
A steam inhaler is a device that heats medicine and turns it into steam through a tube. Since such inhalations involve exposure of the mucous membrane to high temperatures, these procedures have a sufficient number of contraindications.
Steam inhalations are excluded at temperatures above 37 degrees, because hot steam will worsen the child’s condition. Steam inhalation is not carried out for heart disease, bronchial asthma and a tendency to spasms in the bronchi. The age of a child from which a steam inhaler is permitted is 6 years.

The rules for steam inhalation are as follows:

one hour before and after the procedure, all physical activity should be avoided;
after completing the session, you should not go out into the open air for 2–3 hours;
You can eat and drink after 1 – 2 hours;
session duration varies from 10 to 15 minutes;
number of procedures per day – from 3 to 6;
steam temperature ( installed on the device) – from 50 to 60 degrees.

Steam inhalation products
Steam inhalers do not use pharmacological drugs, since when heated they significantly lose their healing properties. The best option for such procedures are various herbal infusions.

Plants from which solutions for steam inhalation are prepared are:

plantain;

Household devices for inhalation
Inhalations using household utensils are the simplest method, as they do not require special devices or equipment. In order to carry out this procedure, in any convenient container ( deep bowl, saucepan) hot herbal decoction is poured. The child needs to tilt his head over the dish and inhale the hot steam. The inability to regulate the temperature increases the likelihood that the steam will burn the mucous membrane. Also, during such procedures there is a high risk that the container with hot liquid will tip over. Therefore, inhalations using household devices are not recommended for children under 14–16 years of age.

Treatment of runny nose in children with folk remedies

Traditional methods of treating runny nose in children can reduce the symptoms of the disease and alleviate the child’s condition. Preparations made from herbs and natural products help relieve nasal congestion, get rid of other symptoms and strengthen the child’s body. The use of folk remedies significantly improves the patient’s condition, but at the same time does not cancel visiting a doctor.

Treatment methods offered by traditional medicine for children's runny nose are:

nasal rinsing;
nasal instillation;
drinking plenty of water;
heat compresses.

Rinsing the nose for a runny nose in children

Nasal rinsing is carried out in order to clear the sinuses of mucus and normalize the respiratory process. This procedure, when performed regularly and correctly, can reduce burning and dryness in the nasal cavity, as it moisturizes the mucous membrane. Biologically active substances present in some rinsing products stimulate the healing processes of tissues damaged by inflammation. Antibacterial solutions disinfect the mucous membrane, preventing the spread of infection.

How to rinse your nose?
There are 2 ways to rinse your nose. The first method is relevant in the initial stages of a runny nose, when there are no symptoms of the disease from other organs. To rinse, the child needs to take the solution into his right palm and close one nostril with the fingers of his left hand. Then you should tilt your head down and draw in the liquid with your free nostrils. After this, you need to spit out the solution and repeat the manipulation with the other nostril.

Second method ( deep) rinsing the nose is advisable when the runny nose progresses. This method can also be used to treat runny nose in young children, because its main actions are carried out by adults. The procedure is carried out in several stages.

The stages of deep nasal rinsing for a runny nose are as follows:

To rinse the nose, the child should lower his head down, and one of the parents should inject the solution into the nasal cavity using a special device. To administer the solution, you can use a medical syringe, a small syringe, or a rinsing kit ( sold in pharmacies).
The solution is injected without strong pressure into the right nostril. The child's mouth should be open and his tongue should stick out forward. An adult should definitely supervise this moment, as otherwise the child may choke on liquid.
Manipulation should be continued until the liquid poured into the nose reaches the oral cavity. After this, the child should spit out the solution and blow his nose.
Then you should repeat the manipulation for the left nostril.

Recommendations for nasal rinsing
The main rule of washing, which provides a therapeutic effect, is the regularity of the procedure. You should start rinsing your nose immediately after the first symptoms of a runny nose appear. After signs of improvement occur, rinsing should not be stopped. They need to be carried out until the child recovers completely. To increase the effectiveness of procedures, they should be done in accordance with certain recommendations.

You should rinse your nose as mucus accumulates. Be sure to carry out the procedure before bedtime so that the child falls asleep better.
The child should be fed before rinsing, as this will eliminate food particles deposited on the mucous membrane of the throat, which can aggravate the inflammatory process. After the session, you should abstain from eating for 1 – 2 hours.
The best effect is obtained by alternating different solutions, since each product has a special effect. If it’s time to rinse your nose, but there is no ready-made solution, you can rinse the mucous membrane with clean water.
Water for rinsing ( both for use in pure form and for preparing solutions) it is better to use distilled. If this is not available, it can be replaced with filtered or boiled water.
The temperature of the solution should be approximately 37 degrees. Hotter liquids can cause burns, and colder liquids can cause a decrease in local immunity.
You should not prepare rinsing compositions for future use. Each time it is necessary to use a fresh, just prepared solution.
The total duration of one procedure should be at least 5 minutes, during which 50 - 100 milliliters of solution should be used.
When rinsing, you should not strain your muscles too much, make sudden movements with your head, or sniff the solution too vigorously through your nose. The fluid pressure should be moderate, otherwise it may penetrate into the middle ear or paranasal sinuses.

Wash solutions
Herbal medicines are used for washing ( herbal infusions), as well as solutions based on salt, soda, honey and other natural products.

To prepare decoctions for washing, the following are most often used:

Calendula. The solution from calendula has a bactericidal effect and also reduces inflammation in the tissues of the nose.
Sage. Disinfects the mucous membrane and makes the mucous contents more loose, as a result of which it is eliminated faster.
Coltsfoot. Stimulates local immunity, which promotes faster tissue recovery.
St. John's wort. Suppresses the activity of harmful microorganisms and increases the barrier function of the nasal mucosa.
Chamomile. It stops the inflammatory process and also reduces pain, as it has an analgesic effect.
Oak bark. Due to its enveloping and astringent action it produces an anesthetic ( anesthetic) Effect.

To prepare a single serving of decoction, use a tablespoon of plant material ( dry or fresh) pour a glass of hot water. After 20 minutes of infusion, the product must be filtered and used for rinsing.

Products from which a rinsing solution can be prepared are:

Salt ( cook or sea). Use 2 teaspoons of salt per 250 milliliters of water. The saline solution removes fluid from the tissues, resulting in reduced swelling.
Soda ( food). A teaspoon per glass of water. Soda solution promotes the formation of an alkaline environment, which is unfavorable for pathogenic microorganisms.
Honey ( natural). The solution is prepared from a teaspoon of honey and a glass of water. Softens mucous membranes and acts as an antimicrobial agent. When using honey, you should be careful, as this product often provokes allergies.
Lemon fresh ( fresh juice). Due to the large amount of vitamin C, it increases the resistance of tissues to the action of microbes. Prepare a solution of 2 parts juice and 3 parts water.

Nasal instillation for a runny nose in children

Nasal drops for a runny nose are intended to moisturize and treat the mucous membrane with antibacterial properties. At the same time, parents should take note that the tissues of the child’s body are characterized by increased vulnerability. Therefore, children under the age of 6–7 years should not put onion or garlic juice, alcohol tinctures, or other aggressive agents into their noses. The best option for this age are products containing oils, as they soften the mucous membrane. The volume of oil should be equal to the volume of the remaining components of the drug. Also, small children can use various pure oils for instillation.
Older children can put garlic or onion juice in their nose, but in diluted rather than pure form. When preparing such products, 1 part of onion or garlic juice is combined with 1 part of oil and kept in a steam bath for 15 - 20 minutes. Before use, the product should be cooled. Vitamins and valuable elements of such products increase overall immunity, which contributes to faster recovery. Drinking plenty of fluids helps prevent dehydration, which is important at high temperatures. Also, at elevated temperatures, teas with antipyretic effects will help.

Drinking rules
In order for the drink to bring maximum benefits, you should follow some rules when preparing and drinking tea.

The rules for drinking when a child has a runny nose are as follows:

the daily fluid intake for a child is determined at the rate of 100 milliliters per 1 kilogram of weight;
in order not to put a strain on the kidneys, the entire volume of liquid should be distributed evenly throughout the day;
the drink should not have a pronounced sour or sweet taste;
The temperature of the drink should be 40 - 45 degrees.

Drink recipes for runny noses in children
Drinks prepared according to traditional medicine recipes can have different effects on the body. Thus, there are teas with antipyretic, expectorant and bactericidal effects. In addition to their main properties, the drinks produce a general strengthening effect, helping the child recover faster. The rules for preparing the drink depend on the starting components.

Rules for preparing a single serving ( 250 milliliters) drinks are as follows:

To prepare a remedy from medicinal herbs, add a teaspoon of the raw material to water, the temperature of which is not higher than 80 degrees. The tea should be consumed 15 to 20 minutes after it has steeped and cooled.
If the drink is prepared from fresh fruits or berries, they must be mashed to a pulp and filled with water no hotter than 50 degrees. Take a tablespoon of fruit or berry mixture per glass of water.
If the recipe specifies juice as the main component, it should be mixed with water in a 1:1 ratio.

Recipes for preparing drinks to treat runny nose in children

Main action	Components	Additional effect
*Antipyretic*		Reduces inflammation, replenishes vitamin deficiency.
		Increases sweating, which helps eliminate toxins.
	Orange juice	Thanks to vitamin C, it strengthens the barrier function of the child's body.
		Inhibits the activity of many pathogenic microorganisms.
*Expectorant*	Liquorice root	Strengthens the body due to large amounts of ascorbic acid.
	Iceland moss	Fights inflammation and strengthens the body, reduces intoxication.
		It has a diuretic effect, resulting in faster removal of toxins.
		Produces a slight calming effect and has an antiseptic effect.
*Bactericidal*	Plantain	Normalizes appetite and has an analgesic effect.
		Relieves inflammation and has an anesthetic effect.

Heat compresses for runny noses in children

Compresses for a runny nose help improve blood circulation in the tissues, as a result of which the process of restoration of structures affected by inflammation is activated. The procedure also helps reduce pain.

Rules for performing a compress
The compress should be made in accordance with a number of rules, failure to comply with which can significantly worsen the child’s condition.

The rules for applying compresses for a runny nose are as follows:

The procedure cannot be performed if the body temperature exceeds 36.6 degrees. Also, you should not apply a compress if a runny nose is a symptom of purulent tonsillitis.
The application should be applied to the area of the bridge of the nose and maxillary sinuses. Also, when you have a runny nose, use heat compresses to warm your feet.
Compresses are not recommended for children under 2 years of age.

Compress recipes
There are many recipes for compresses to combat nasal congestion, which use alcohol, kerosene and other aggressive substances. Such procedures are not recommended for children, as they can cause skin burns.

The types and methods of preparing compresses for a runny nose in children are as follows:

Potato. Several potatoes need to be boiled, then mashed them, to which you should add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and 2 - 3 drops of iodine.
Curd. Fresh granular cottage cheese should be placed under a press to drain all the liquid. After this, the cottage cheese needs to be heated, placed in gauze, formed into a cake and used for a compress.
Rye. Prepare a homogeneous mass from rye flour and honey and heat it in a water bath. From the resulting dough you need to form cakes and use them to warm your feet and nose.

There are contraindications. Before use, you should consult a specialist.

How to treat a runny nose in a child who appears suddenly? It was all of a sudden: in the morning he was active and lively, but towards lunch he began to sniffle...

Now, in the evening, when more than one handkerchief has already been filled with well-known contents, both young, “beginner” and experienced parents need to resolve several issues that will determine how serious the situation is and what to do next.

Often, the illness can last a month, or even more, until parents finally pay attention to it and take urgent measures.

If you don’t think about it, but immediately start treatment according to a well-known scheme - with vasoconstrictor drugs, then instead of quick healing you can get, for example, “naphthyzine” addiction, which can deprive a baby of the joy of free breathing for years.
So, preferably already in the first hour after the first signs of snot appear, parents should give themselves the answer (or try) to many questions, and we hope that this article will help make the right decision and cope with the disease in a timely manner.

Terminology. What is a “runny nose” anyway?

A condition in which there is excessive secretion of nasal mucus is called “rhinitis.” And ordinary “snot” is scientifically called “rhinorrhea,” that is, literally “nasal flow.”

In medical clinical terminology, the suffix “-itis” means inflammation.

Of course, there is a big difference between appendicitis and rhinitis: no one will remove the nose. This word simply means inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nasal concha and the nasal passages existing between them.

Inflammation can be expressed to varying degrees: with a real inflammatory process, with the addition of a bacterial infection, the mucous membrane may look tense, swollen, even cyanotic, for example, with meningococcal nasopharyngitis.

In the case of allergic rhinitis, the mucous membrane may be of normal color, only slightly hyperemic, but there will be a significant amount of mucus discharge, which has a transparent appearance.

It is known that the nasal mucosa is capable of responding to any irritation or infection in one - the only protective way - mucus production.

If, along with nasal discharge, there is a sore throat, for example, when swallowing, then they speak of nasopharyngitis, that is, damage to both the nasal mucosa and the pharyngeal wall.

What should you not do if you have a runny nose in children?

You need to immediately decide what parents of especially young children are prohibited from doing:

Use nasal drops containing antibiotics from the very beginning without a doctor’s prescription. This is strictly prohibited for a number of reasons:

the antibiotic affects bacteria, but does not act on viruses, which are the cause in the vast majority of cases;
It is recommended to prescribe antibiotics only after obtaining the results of bacterial cultures of nasal discharge on nutrient media;
when they are instilled into the nasal passages, swallowing them is inevitable, and the development of intestinal dysbiosis is possible due to the death of normal microflora with the subsequent development of diarrhea, bloating and abdominal pain. Dysbacteriosis develops especially quickly in young children if they are hastily mixed up with the dosage of antibiotics and given the drug by mistake with adult concentration.

Immediately begin treatment for colds with vasoconstrictor drugs. Especially rude ones like “ Naphthyzin», « Galazolin" First of all, they dry out the mucous membrane and cause vascular spasm.

And if the symptoms disappear for a few hours, this does not mean anything: recovery treatment after abuse of such drugs can be quite long.

It must be remembered that the discharge of mucus in case of a cold is a protection, and there is no need to interfere with it.

Vasopressor intranasal agents can be used as the main ones only in case of allergic aseptic swelling of the mucous membrane , as an element of pathogenetic therapy affecting the development of the process. Use a rubber syringe to rinse the nasal passages. Especially for kids. The force of pressure may well cause injury to the eardrum, and fluid entering the structures of the middle ear may cause reactive otitis media.

The main causes of runny nose in children

You should not think that the only reason and source is a common cold. The reasons may be different, but infections still lead in frequency of occurrence in all age groups.

Viral rhinitis. The most common not only in children, but also in adults. It is caused, oddly enough, by viruses that have an affinity for mucous membranes. It is there that their attachment to cells and primary reproduction occur.

If the protective barrier is strong, then the antiviral immunity quickly copes with pathogens, and such ailment quickly goes away on its own.

It is about him that it is said that “an untreated runny nose goes away in a week, and a treated one – in seven days.”

By this we mean that the laws of the development of a viral infection and methods of combating it in the body go through certain stages, which can be helped, but cannot be accelerated.

Most often, such an event as nasal congestion and runny nose is preceded by hypothermia: general or local (wet feet, an extra portion of ice cream).

Bacterial rhinitis. In most cases, it is a consequence of a viral process with weakened immunity. It occurs in weakened, often sick children, but can appear as a complication against the background of normal immunity, if the pathogen is particularly contagious.

As a result, bacterial inflammation develops on the weakened mucosa, which manifests itself as mucous-purulent discharge from the nasal passages. General signs of intoxication often develop: fever, malaise;

Allergic rhinitis. with repeated episodes, when it is clear which allergen caused it. And when such a reaction occurs for the first time, its reliable “markers” are an abundance of clear, watery discharge and other signs of an allergic reaction: conjunctivitis, Quincke’s edema, urticaria, itching.

In more severe cases, bronchospasm may develop, which makes it difficult to exhale rather than inhale.

Finally, in some cases, swelling of the larynx may progress, which may require urgent surgery to avoid death from suffocation.

Finally, the most severe allergic manifestation is fulminant anaphylactic shock.

As a rule, this type of rhinitis has a strong connection with both respiratory (pollen, fish food, house dust) and food allergens (strawberries, chocolate, shrimp, eggs, citrus fruits). Sometimes develops when caring for animals.

Medicinal, “ricochet” runny nose. It is a consequence of too aggressive treatment, in which vasoconstrictor drugs were used without proper control.

You need to understand that the speed of action and effectiveness of adrenergic agonists does not mean that these drugs should form the basis of the therapeutic arsenal of parents.

This is similar to how large-caliber heavy artillery should become the basis of an offensive operation.

A quick effect will be achieved, but at the cost of a scorched desert. This form of the disease is often transitional to chronic.

Congenital defects of the facial skull and ENT organs. They appear in case of serious disorders in the first days after birth, in case of moderate ones they can appear in cases of common rhinitis. The basis is difficulty in nasal breathing.

Most often, congenital symptoms are to blame for this, and due to inexperience, parents often mistake difficulty breathing for a runny nose, despite the fact that there is practically no “snot.”

Vasomotor rhinitis. A type of rhinitis associated with impaired vascular tone in the area of the nasal concha and passages. The consequence of spasm of the efferent veins is swelling of the mucous membrane and rhinorrhea.

An important factor is the recurrence of attacks regardless of its connection with both hypothermia and the effect of allergens.

It is important to know

Most often, the provocation is some action or phenomenon: excitement, increased blood pressure, change in weather. May accompany symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia.

In addition, other reasons may be the culprits of the disease: overgrowth of adenoids, foreign objects entering the upper respiratory tract.

Sometimes the painful condition may be due to the presence of a chronic congenital disease, such as cystic fibrosis or sarcoidosis. Therefore, in any case, for an accurate diagnosis you need to consult a doctor. Source: website

What complications can there be?

Despite the fact that it is difficult to imagine a more “trivial” disease, it is fraught with serious complications and dangers. Let's list the most common ones:

gradual spread of infection into the bronchi and lungs due to the drainage of infected mucus downwards;
blockage of the Eustachian (auditory) tube with thick mucus with the development of inflammation in the tube (reactive otitis media);
development of sinusitis (sinusitis, frontal sinusitis, ethmotiditis) - with the involvement of the cranial sinuses (maxillary, frontal and ethmoidal labyrinth, respectively);
In infants who must feed by sucking, nasal congestion does not allow them to breathe fully while eating. Therefore, they may be malnourished, lose weight, or choke on milk or formula. and it can even lead to aspiration pneumonia.

Rhinitis in children: main symptoms

We will not consider here the manifestations of intoxication of the whole body (fever, malaise, lethargy), since they are well known to everyone and will focus only on local ones:

nasal congestion. It is very easy to check: close one nostril and breathe “half-heartedly”. It turns out without tension - there is no symptom;
rhinorrhea, or nasal discharge. They can be serous or serous-purulent. There is no purely purulent discharge from the nasal passages, but with puncture of the maxillary sinus you can sometimes get pus;
sneezing. Everyone knows that its purpose is to clear the airways with the help of a reflexively caused push of air. The air speed when coughing and sneezing can reach 100 km/h or more. Sneezing is usually preceded by rich and varied sensations: burning, scratching, pleasant tickling.
with atrophy of the mucous membrane (atrophic rhinitis), scanty dry crusts form instead of rhinorrhea;
since the secretion of mucus and tears have much in common, with a runny nose it can sometimes occur. Sometimes it occurs on one side, with sensations preceding sneezing;
Hyposmia or anosmia is the inability to distinguish odors. This feeling is also familiar to everyone firsthand.

There are also other discharges from the nasal passages: for example, with a fracture of the base of the skull and ruptures of the dura mater, cerebrospinal fluid may leak from the nose and ears in rare cases.

Sometimes a child may have a runny nose with blood.

Sometimes blood may drip from the nose, that is, nosebleeds occur. There is even a special area from which almost all nosebleeds originate - Kisselbach's zone.

You should not be afraid of this symptom, you need to put the child down, throw back your head and put cold on the bridge of the nose, but for no more than five minutes, so as not to catch a cold in the maxillary sinuses.

You can roll up turundas from soft paper (napkins, toilet paper) and insert them into the nostril so as not to stain your clothes with blood.

Sometimes a nosebleed can simply occur because a child who doesn't cut his nails simply picks his nose.

A child develops a runny nose: what to do?

The stages of the disease, like any developing process, are clearly defined in time. They are most pronounced in the typical case when an incipient runny nose develops due to hypothermia:

Reflex stage, which is the shortest and lasts only a few hours. It is at this stage that primary edema forms due to hypothermia, without the influence of pathogens. Mild unpleasant impressions are possible: rawness (dryness and soreness) in the nose, worsening breathing;

Stage of viral rhinorrhea. Lasts several days and is associated with the direct influence of viruses. It is at this time that the child can be infectious to others. Of course, it is advisable that he wear a mask;

The third stage most often marks the beginning of recovery - symptoms decrease in the reverse order of their appearance. But sometimes the depleted mucous membrane cannot protect itself, and then a “landing force” of microbes lands on it, after viral inflammation first occurred.

Source: website Therefore, the answer to the question “how long does a child’s runny nose last” suggests, at a minimum, two options. The first - about a week with strong immunity and the second - for as long as desired - with a weak level of immune defense, since it enters the chronic stage.

The frequency of the disease also affects the speed of recovery. If a child is bothered by frequent sniffles, it may simply be the course of chronic rhinitis with long periods of relatively pronounced remission.

How to properly treat a runny nose in a child?

To do this, you need to follow a soft, physiological approach, and in no case do harm with your activities.

The dangers of prescribing harsh vasoconstrictor drugs at the very beginning of treatment and antibiotics have already been discussed.

Therefore, it is possible to provide a general scheme according to which it is necessary to act from the onset of the disease until the “critical point” is reached, which approximately occurs on the 4th or 5th day from the onset of the disease.

It is during this period that it will become clear whether your treatment has achieved its goal, or whether you need to call a doctor and add stronger drugs to the treatment.

Principles of correct and reasonable treatment

If you look at the instructions for children's medications for intranasal administration (numerous sprays, dosed drops), you will notice that the approach to treating an infant aged 8 to 9 months will differ in both approach and dosage of medications from the principles of treating children, say , preschool age - at 5 or 6 years old.

toilet the nasal passages at the first the appearance of rhinorrhea and difficulty breathing, especially in infants before feeding. This is very important for proper nutrition. For the toilet, you need to use turundas made of soft cloth or gauze, which are moistened with a solution of baking soda at the rate of 1 tsp. per glass of warm water;

then to babies to create immune protection drop a drop of mother's milk into each nostril, containing secretory immunoglobulins that protect the baby from germs and viruses;

if there is no breast milk, you can drip drugs that enhance immunity, or just warm olive or linseed oil;

it is necessary to ensure constant discharge of mucus, which contains many viral particles. To do this, it must be sufficiently liquid and should not dry out.

Therefore, the child must receive a sufficient amount of fluid inside: the mucous membranes should not dry out. If nasal breathing is impossible due to crusts and a clogged nose, then breathing through the mouth causes a significant loss of moisture through the lungs;

instillation of saline solution or drops of sea water is The next remedy for combating dry nasal mucosa. You can use oil solutions of fat-soluble vitamins: A and E, even in children 1 year of age and earlier.

Their harmlessness allows you to drip as often as you want, especially if there is no ionizer or humidifier at home: this compensates for dryness, which is very high especially in city apartments in winter, when water heating radiators are very hot.

Treatment with medications

The article does not set out to give a comparative overview of all available drugs, so we will limit ourselves to covering one or two of the most effective and popular drugs in each group that can be used:

Vasoconstrictor drops

Indicated as the main remedy for allergic rhinitis, together with antihistamines:

“Nazol Baby” and “Nazol Kids spray” for children from birth and from the age of 6 years;
"Nasivin" is a drug that lasts about 12 hours (long-term action).

Antihistamines

"Fenistil", "Allergodil". These drops are indicated for use even in babies aged 1 – 2 months;
"Tizin allergy". Used in children over 5 - 6 years old, can also be successfully used by adults;
“Zyrtec” in the form of an intranasal spray effectively relieves swelling and allergic rhinorrhea without causing side effects;

Miramistin for runny nose in children

You can find information on the Internet that Miramistin can be used as a remedy for children's runny nose. The thing is that this is not entirely true: if this drug can be used after unprotected sexual intercourse, this does not mean that it can be poured anywhere.

Below are arguments that refute the effectiveness of this remedy in almost all cases of childhood (and adult) rhinitis:

in the market era, the manufacturer would definitely release Miramistin spray for intranasal use, however, the manufacturing company does not agree to this;
the drug is intended to protect the mucous membrane and destroy bacteria on its entire surface Therefore, for ordinary viral rhinitis, the drug useless. It is effective against hepatitis viruses, HIV, but not adenoviruses;
with a bacterial complication and serous-purulent discharge, Miramistin will also be ineffective, since it is first desirable to identify the causative agent.

And, although the instructions contain indications for treating the oral cavity, and in otolaryngology it is indicated for irrigation of the pharynx and ear, the drug is not indicated for instillation into the nose according to the instructions.

In addition, Miramistin promotes the formation of a dry scab in the wound, and for the nasal mucosa, this is extremely harmful, since the pathogen remains in these dried crusts.

Antibiotics for a runny nose in a child

The use of antibacterial drugs and the precautions associated with them have already been discussed above. Here are a few of the best representatives:

A good cold remedy for children

What should you put in a child’s nose when they have a runny nose without regard for safety? What remedy can a mother give, in the hope of helping, but without harm or side effects?

What to do if a child’s runny nose does not go away for a long time?

If, against the background of a decrease in immunity, a frequently ill child develops a persistent, persistent, long-lasting runny nose, then in this case he is shown immune drugs containing antiviral protection - interferon and other active components:

In order to quickly cure rhinitis in a child at the initial stage, it is not necessary to use medications, which may have various side effects.

Numerous traditional medicines can be used, which can either prevent the disease from dragging on and becoming chronic , or even prevent the disease even before its first manifestations.

So, for example, going to the bathhouse, warming up the whole body, and drinking tea with raspberries, honey and linden blossom can simply prevent a cold from becoming active in the body due to hypothermia.

Mustard in socks

This method refers to reflexology techniques. Its meaning is to pour dry mustard powder into the child’s socks to improve blood circulation in the feet.

Since the vascular networks in the body are connected by reflexes, this causes an increase in immunity in response to the irritating effect of mustard.

This method cannot be used in children under one year old, or when the temperature rises. This is a preventative method it can be resorted to only in case of hypothermia, which happened a few hours ago, and, according to the fears and experience of parents, can turn into a cold.

Mustard is poured 1-2 teaspoons into children's socks at night, and woolen socks are put on top.

Saline solution

Saline solution prepared at home is the same saline solution, provided that it has a concentration of 0.9% salt, which is equivalent to the state of blood plasma. It is very useful to use devices to rinse your nose with salt water heated to 38 - 40 degrees.

In addition to mechanical and atraumatic cleaning of the mucous membrane, water has the ability to draw water out, and with the water, swelling of the nasal mucosa goes away.

In the case of multiple drug allergies, the use of saline solution along with cleansing, moisturizing, and warming can cause the disease to recede.

Beetroot juice for a speedy recovery

How to cure a child’s runny nose quickly at home using vegetables? Many believe that for this you need to use raw beet juice, which is first left to settle in the refrigerator and then dropped into each nostril.

The entire effect of this event will be reduced to moisturizing the nasal mucosa, and beetroot juice has no advantage over ordinary salted water. In any case, studies have not shown any acceleration of the period of rhinorrhea when using this remedy.

Radish and honey

Black radish juice with honey has a great immunogenic effect: the top of the radish is cut off and a hole is made in the center. Honey is placed in the hole and closed again with a radish lid.

The entire structure is placed in a warm place for several hours. At this time, the radish will release juice, which should be taken 1 tbsp. spoon.

It can be used in children from 3-4 years of age, as it strengthens the immune system well and alleviates not only the runny nose, but also bronchitis, tonsillitis and other colds.

Essential oils

Drugs such as essential oils can only be used if the child does not have a significant allergic history.

After all, essential oils can cause severe bronchospasm. Thus, it is almost impossible to force a child to breathe essential oils of garlic and onion.

Therefore, tea tree oil, mint oil, eucalyptus oil, and lemon oil would be a good alternative. Thuja oil has a good healing effect. This oil is obtained from thuja needles, and it has a pronounced immunomodulatory effect.

In addition, vapors of essential oils can moisturize and soften the mucous membrane of not only the nose, but also the bronchi, having a beneficial effect on the ciliary epithelium.

For more detailed information on the use of a nebulizer in the treatment of ENT diseases, you can read the article below:

In addition to treatment:

The main purpose of this article was to make parents understand that in most cases, a runny nose (rhinitis) is a natural process

A runny nose occurs more often in children than in adults and is more severe. The inflammatory process that begins in the nasal mucosa can spread to the bronchi, lungs, and auditory tube. To avoid complications, you need to relieve the swelling of the nasal mucosa as quickly as possible and return the baby to normal nasal breathing.

“Runny nose” is the common name for rhinitis, an inflammatory process in the nasal mucosa. The main symptom of this disease is the intense formation of muconasal secretion (nasal mucus). The mucus itself does not pose a health hazard. It performs a protective function, moisturizes the inhaled air, traps dust particles, and has antiseptic properties.

With a viral or infectious disease, the amount of mucus secreted increases significantly. The body intensively produces muconasal secretions to neutralize microorganisms that disrupt the functioning of the nasopharynx. As a result, the patient suffers from profuse mucus discharge from the nose.

Important! In childhood, infection from the nose often penetrates the respiratory organs, auditory tube, and paranasal sinuses. Rhinitis is especially dangerous for infants.

Types of rhinitis

Symptoms of rhinitis appear in many pathological conditions. The most common causes of inflammation of the nasal mucosa in childhood: infection, allergic reaction, reaction to irritants (cold, dust), atrophy of the nasal mucosa.

For treatment to be effective, it is important to determine the type of rhinitis in a child.

Type of disease	Causes	Peculiarities	Character of mucus
Infectious rhinitis	Introduction of influenza pathogens, rhinoviruses, adenoviruses and other pathogenic viruses and bacteria into the child’s body	During the course of the disease, three stages are distinguished: swelling of the mucous membrane and nasal congestion, then the release of copious watery mucus, at the final stage - thickening of the mucus and gradual disappearance	At first there is no mucus, then abundant clear discharge appears. They gradually thicken and acquire a greenish, yellowish, white color.
Allergic rhinitis (hay fever)	Allergic reaction to pollen, animals, food and other sources of allergens	Upon contact with an allergen, itching and burning in the nasal cavity, sneezing, and mucus begin. This type of runny nose is characterized by seasonal exacerbations.	Mucus is serous, watery
Vasomotor (neurovegetative) rhinitis	Irritation of the nasal mucosa for no apparent reason or due to temperature changes (for example, when entering a warm room from the street in winter)	The child secretes mucus from the nose constantly or during periods of seasonal exacerbation	Small or, conversely, abundant transparent nasal discharge of a watery or mucous nature. In some cases, only nasal congestion is observed
Atrophic (medicinal) rhinitis	Abuse of vasoconstrictor drugs for the nose	After a runny nose, nasal discharge continues. The nose may be dry and itchy	The amount of mucus may vary and the mucus is watery

Causes

Infectious rhinitis usually develops against the background of acute respiratory viral infection. The most common causative agents of this disease are rhinoviruses; they cause a runny nose in at least a third of cases. Rhinitis is much less commonly caused by influenza viruses, adenoviruses, coronaviruses and others.

A runny nose can be of bacterial origin, and in most cases it is caused by streptococci. In the chronic form of the runny nose, the range of pathogens is wider: these include opportunistic bacteria, several types of staphylococci, fungi, and specific pathogens. In the nasopharynx of healthy children there are constantly colonies of microorganisms that can become active due to decreased immunity.

Non-infectious rhinitis in children can occur for many reasons:

reaction to environmental irritants (cold, tobacco smoke, smog, household dust, chemical fumes);
use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, aspirin);
reaction of the nasal mucosa to allergens;
disruption of the nasal mucosa due to prolonged use of vasoconstrictor drops and sprays.

Symptoms

With any type of rhinitis, changes occur in the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract. This manifests itself in the following symptoms:

difficulty breathing;
narrowing of the nasal passages caused by swelling;
unusual sensations in the nose: burning, itching, tingling;
tearfulness of the eyes;
headache;
redness of the nose and upper lip;
formation of nasal mucus.

If the baby’s rhinitis has become chronic, the symptoms are less severe. The child constantly has a stuffy nose, the amount of nasal discharge either increases or decreases. The nature of the mucus may change from more abundant and watery discharge to thicker, purulent discharge.

Diagnostics

A pediatrician, otolaryngologist, or allergist can diagnose your child. Tests and examinations that may be required to diagnose rhinitis:

general examination of the child;
anterior rhinoscopy (examination of the nasal cavity using a special dilator);
laboratory examination of a nasal swab.

If rhinitis occurs as a symptom of an infectious disease (measles, influenza, whooping cough), additional diagnostic methods may be required. If you suspect an allergic nature of rhinitis, the doctor will suggest conducting a specific examination (skin tests, provocative tests).

Video - How to treat a runny nose

Complications

Acute infectious rhinitis in a child can lead to the spread of the inflammatory process to the respiratory tract, paranasal sinuses, and auditory tube. The younger the child, the higher the risk of complications.

What diseases can a runny nose lead to:

otitis media;
sinusitis;
inflammatory processes in the larynx, trachea, bronchi;
pneumonia;
bronchial asthma.

Treatment

In most cases, rhinitis in children is treated at home. If the disease is severe and has complications, hospitalization may be required. In what cases does a child need urgent medical care:

temperature above 39.5 °C;
respiratory failure;
loss of consciousness;
convulsions;
purulent process in the nasal cavity.

Treatment of rhinitis should be comprehensive and symptomatic. Key points in therapy for a runny nose:

cleansing and disinfection (sanitation) of the nasal cavity;
inhalation;
use of vasoconstrictor drugs;
physiotherapeutic procedures;
distraction therapy.

Sanitation of the nasal passages

To eliminate the symptoms of rhinitis, you need to periodically clear the child's nasal passages of mucus. Rinsing the nose with disinfecting solutions facilitates nasal breathing and enhances the protective properties of the mucous membrane.

Children's nasal passages are narrower than those of adults, so the use of nasal rinsing devices that create excessive pressure (syringes, syringes) is unacceptable for them. The flushing procedure can harm the child if performed incorrectly. Together with the fluid, the infection from the nose enters the sinuses and Eustachian tubes.

It is advisable that the baby independently draws liquid into the nose. To do this, you can pour the solution into a cup or directly into the child's hands. Special teapots for nasal hygiene - jala neti or neti pot - are suitable.

Attention! Before the procedure, the child must blow his nose. If the nose is very stuffy, you can instill a vasoconstrictor. When the child's breathing is restored, you can begin rinsing.

The procedure is performed over a sink or bathtub. During the administration of liquid, the child needs to tilt his head slightly to the side. The solution is poured into the nostril that is located higher than the second. After the liquid has flowed into your nose, you need to slowly turn your head in the opposite direction. The solution will pour out of your nose at this point. Now you can move on to rinsing the other nostril.

You can make your own rinsing solution or purchase it at a pharmacy. Drugs such as Dolphin, Aqua Maris, Aqualor equipped with mini-devices for rinsing the nose. Do not purchase the version of the drug intended for adults. Baby rinsing bottles create a gentle shower that is safe for your baby's health. A homemade solution can be prepared using sea salt, Furacilina or Miramistina.

Vasoconstrictor drugs

To reduce the amount of mucus and ease breathing in children, vasoconstrictors are used in the form of drops and sprays. Only drops are suitable for infants. Such drugs should not be used for longer than the period specified in the instructions (usually 5-7 days). If your child’s runny nose does not go away within a week, you should consult a doctor.

Products containing xylometazoline, naphazoline, and oxymetazoline are suitable for children. Examples of pediatric vasoconstrictor drugs:

Vibrocil (from birth);
Nazol baby (from 2 months);
Otrivin for children (from 1 year);
Sanorin (from 2 years old);
Naphthyzin for children (from 6 years old).

The safest remedy for treating runny nose in children is considered Vibrocil. It combines antihistamine and vasoconstrictor properties. The drug does not cause recurrent swelling of the mucous membrane, has a gentle effect on it, and does not disturb the pH of the nose. It can be used for as long as possible – up to 14 days, so it is suitable for chronic rhinitis.

Important! If the period during which you can use vasoconstrictor drops has expired, and the child still suffers from nasal congestion, you can use drops with an astringent and anti-inflammatory effect:

Collargol (3% solution);
Protargol (1-2% solution).

Antibiotics

Antibacterial therapy is prescribed by a doctor only for complicated rhinitis. Local antibiotics are suitable for treating a runny nose: sprays, drops, ointments. The course of treatment with such drugs is about 10 days.

Antibacterial drugs for rhinitis:

Fusafungin (aerosol for inhalation);
Bioparox (aerosol for inhalation);
Isofra (spray);
Polydex (spray and drops);
Bactroban (intranasal ointment).

Video - Runny nose in a child

Healing procedures

A runny nose in children can be quickly eliminated with the help of distraction therapy. These are various thermal and irritating effects on the body of a sick child. At home, you can use hot foot baths, apply cups and mustard plasters, apply warm compresses to the bridge of the nose.

Attention! Warming procedures cannot be carried out during the acute period of the disease, as they can intensify the inflammatory process. They will be useful during the child’s recovery stage. For children under one year of age, home warming methods are contraindicated.

A doctor may suggest the following types of physiotherapy to treat a runny nose:

UV therapy;
UHF therapy;
laser treatment;
electrophoresis;
magnetic therapy;
nasal rinsing using the “cuckoo” method;
hardware inhalations.

Folk remedies

Traditional medicine methods will help with mild forms of rhinitis or during the recovery stage. You can make your own nasal drops by squeezing juice from medicinal plants and vegetables. Such drops have a mild antiseptic effect, moisturize and restore the nasal mucosa. Fresh juice of beets, aloe, and kalanchoe is enough to bury in the nose 2-3 times a day, 2-3 drops.

A strong folk remedy for rhinitis is garlic-based drops. You need to squeeze the juice from several cloves of garlic, mix it with sunflower or olive oil and let the mixture brew for 6 hours. It is advisable to observe the proportions: no more than two drops of juice per teaspoon of oil. The product is instilled into the nose, 1-2 drops 2-3 times a day. This recipe should be used with caution, as garlic juice irritates the nasal mucosa and can cause a burn.

Important! A less aggressive treatment method is garlic inhalations. You can make “beads” for your child from garlic cloves on a string or let him breathe over a cup of chopped garlic.

Traditional medicine recommends warming the bridge of the nose for rhinitis. This can be done using a boiled egg. Boil the egg, remove it from the water and wrap it in a scarf without peeling it. This compress should be kept on the nose and bridge of the nose until the egg cools down. It is advisable to repeat the procedure 2-3 times a day.

Rhinitis in children is usually easy to treat if left untreated. It is important to eliminate the inflammatory process in the nasopharynx before it spreads to neighboring organs. In the absence of complications, a runny nose goes away in 7-10 days. how much you read on our website.

How to treat a runny nose of various origins in a six-month-old child? Treatment of a runny nose in children with folk remedies at home. What can a 6-month-old baby do for a runny nose?

How to treat a runny nose quickly

Antiviral

Nasal rinsing

Antihistamines

Warm

Vasoconstrictors

Inhalations

Massage

Carrot and beet juice

What not to do

When it is impossible to get rid of a runny nose quickly

When to call a doctor

The safety of treatment with folk remedies is important

Saline solution for rinsing the nose and treating a runny nose

Plants are faithful helpers in the fight against the runny nose.

A collection of folk recipes for nose drops for children

Ingestion of folk remedies for a runny nose

Using Asterisk for a runny nose

How to cure a runny nose with onions.

Garlic oil.

Beet.

Aloe and Kalanchoe.

Warming up.

Inhalations.

Next, we will look at quick and effective folk remedies for treating runny nose in infants and children under one year old.

What is a runny nose?

Anatomy and function of the nasal cavity

Anatomy of the nasal cavity

Functions of the nasal cavity

Causes of runny nose in children

Infectious causes of runny nose in children

Non-infectious causes of runny nose in children

Allergic rhinitis in children

Stages of development of a runny nose

Symptoms of a runny nose in a child

Cough and runny nose in a child

Fever and runny nose in a child

Runny nose without fever in a child

Runny nose in infants

Complications of a runny nose in children

Treatment of runny nose in children

Drops and sprays for runny nose in children

Inhalations for a runny nose in children

Treatment of runny nose in children with folk remedies

Rinsing the nose for a runny nose in children

Nasal instillation for a runny nose in children

Heat compresses for runny noses in children

Terminology. What is a “runny nose” anyway?

What should you not do if you have a runny nose in children?

The main causes of runny nose in children

What complications can there be?

Rhinitis in children: main symptoms

A child develops a runny nose: what to do?

How to properly treat a runny nose in a child?

Principles of correct and reasonable treatment

Treatment with medications

Vasoconstrictor drops

Antihistamines

Miramistin for runny nose in children

Antibiotics for a runny nose in a child

A good cold remedy for children

What to do if a child’s runny nose does not go away for a long time?

Mustard in socks

Saline solution

Beetroot juice for a speedy recovery

Radish and honey

Essential oils

Types of rhinitis

Causes

Symptoms

Diagnostics

Video - How to treat a runny nose

Complications

Treatment

Sanitation of the nasal passages

Vasoconstrictor drugs

Antibiotics

Video - Runny nose in a child

Healing procedures