The occurrence of a runny nose in children is a familiar phenomenon, so parents often do not worry much about this and do not take any measures to treat it. In fact, snot is often a symptom of a more serious illness. And in view of the special anatomical structure of the baby nose, it is necessary to identify the causes of the common cold, otherwise complications may arise in the future. Therefore, parents must know how to help their child and how to treat snot at home.
Causes of the common cold
We will understand for a start with the causes of the common cold. If in infants (infants) snot is a common problem due to narrow nasal passages, in older children (about 2 years) a stuffy nose is the first symptom of a cold, allergy or advanced chronic rhinitis. Let's talk about them in more detail.
Acute (infectious) runny nose
If rhinitis occurs, you should not panic, but it is best to be prepared and as much as possible to alleviate the child's nasal congestion and swelling. Usually, when talking about a runny nose in a child, we mean infectious or acute rhinitis that occurs as a result of the virus entering the body or the active growth of bacteria.
How is it manifested? Doctors distinguish several stages of the disease:
- The first stage is “dry”, manifested by severe dryness and swelling of the mucosa, which causes nasal congestion.
- The second stage is “catarrhal”, when blood flow increases due to swelling of the tissue, which leads to the secretion of nasal mucus. Other organs may be affected at this stage, so a sick child will complain of severe nasal congestion, decreased sense of smell, wheezing in the throat, stuffy ears, lacrimation, etc.
- The third period is characterized by a decrease in edema, easier breathing, and the ability to recognize odors. The consistency of the nasal passages at this moment changes color and becomes thicker.
If the baby has all these signs, parents need to buy a cold remedy for the child (from 2 years old the child can be given vasoconstrictive drops in the nose) or resort to treatment with alternative methods.
Chronic runny nose
Another, more serious reason - adenoids is the proliferation of nasopharyngeal tonsils, which is often found in children from 2 years of age with frequent colds and otitis media. The chronic form of rhinitis also occurs due to improper or untimely treatment. If the child regularly catches a cold, does not breathe through his nose while sleeping, complains of headaches, loss or distortion of taste for more than a week - this is a neglected form of rhinitis. In this case, it is urgent to contact the ENT, since only he can diagnose this disease (runny nose).
Allergy
She can appear at any age. Allergies are the third most common cause of rhinitis. Most often, the reaction appears on the dust, hair and saliva of the animal, the material of bedding, pillows and blankets, flowering and pollen, poplar fluff, some types of products.
Spicy foods and spices can also cause baby snot. In general, everything that causes irritation of the nasal mucosa can lead to a runny nose. Even secondhand smoke. Therefore, before treating a snot in a child, it is worth determining whether he has an allergy. If the guess is confirmed - immediately eliminate the pathogen.
The rarely encountered causes of rhinitis include the incorrect anatomical structure of the nasal septum and tumors of various etymologies.
In any case, if you are not able to independently determine the cause of rhinitis or you do not know how to treat a runny nose in children of 2 years old, be sure to contact the otolaryngologist. Otherwise, the consequences can be more than serious: from headaches and problems with inflammation of the middle ear to chronic runny nose, oxygen starvation of the brain or mastoiditis. To prevent this, let’s figure out how to quickly cure a runny nose for a child who is 2 years old.
ethnoscience
So, if you determine that your child has acute rhinitis, and not chronic or allergic, then you can try to fix the situation with improvised means. It is better to start in the early stages of the disease until the disease gives constant relapses. The local pediatrician will tell you how to treat a cold in a child (folk remedies), 2 years is the age when you can safely resort to alternative medicine. Parents should do the following manipulations:
- Make your baby a pair of mustard foot baths. Let him drink a large amount of liquid: tea with honey, raspberry jam, lime blossom or lemon. Place three drops of Kalanchoe in each nostril.
- Take inhalations with a cold: children (2 years) can be allowed to breathe hot steam from a decoction of herbs. For these purposes, you can brew mint, eucalyptus, sage. Dilute the liquid with essential oils: 2 drops of the product are added per liter of water. The child should breathe steam for 15 minutes, covered with a towel. Ventilate the room regularly.
And, most importantly, conduct thorough hygiene of the baby's nasal cavity - clean it of mucus. Teach the peanut to snot out of each nostril one at a time (in no case at the same time, since blood vessels can burst).
Medication for the common cold
Alternative recipes for the common cold is not the only solution, especially with severe swelling of the mucous membrane. However, you should not abuse obscure drugs, especially without consulting a doctor. Before using the medicine, it is necessary to thoroughly clean the baby’s nose from mucus with a cotton swab and liquid paraffin (rotational movements). This should be done carefully so as not to damage the fragile vessels of the baby that are not fully formed. Only after this procedure can you drip your nose.
So, what can be used without consulting a specialist? First, ease the general condition of the child. You can lower the temperature with antipyretic children’s Ibuprofen or Paracetamol. Secondly, clean your sinuses and ease your breathing at the first sign of nasal congestion. For these purposes, you can use a runny nose drop for children 2 years old based on Aquamaris sea water or ordinary saline, which is sold at any pharmacy.
If rhinitis lasts several days, vasoconstrictor drops will help ease breathing and reduce dilated and inflamed nasal capillaries. For example, Galazolin or Nazivin. Most often they are dripped at the very height of the disease. You can not use these funds for more than 10 days, because the reverse process will go. And yet - be sure to check in the pharmacy the age for which the medicine is intended - 2 years in our case.
Treatment of the common cold according to Komarovsky
His technique is very effective. What does the famous doctor Komarovsky recommend? He suggests treating a runny nose in a baby in the following ways:
- Clean the peanut nose with cotton flagella. It is them, and not a pear with saline solution, because it can cause inflammation of the middle ear.
- Use sea drops and saline: two drops in each nostril to soften the crusts.
- Carefully ventilate the room where the child is; be sure to drink plenty of water with it.
Remember the main rule, which Komarovsky often speaks of: a runny nose is the fight of immunity against infection, but you cannot sit back. If the baby’s nose is blocked, he will begin to breathe with his mouth, and, therefore, the mucus of the throat will dry first, and then the bronchi. All this can provoke the development of bronchus or pneumonia. Therefore, be sure to maintain moist fresh air in the room, moisten the sinuses with saline solutions, oil products and special drops.
If the runny nose is allergic, then neither fresh air nor the above medicines will help. In this case, to eliminate the attack, you can drip "Naphthyzinum".
When to see a doctor
As for childhood illnesses, here, of course, a visit to the doctor is necessary, if folk recipes for the common cold did not help and you decided to resort to the help of medications. The second point is if the child's snot does not pass within 10-14 days. In this case, without using effective treatment, you run the risk of converting common cold rhinitis into a chronic disease with serious consequences for the baby.
Rhinitis Prevention
How to treat a runny nose in children of 2 years, we figured out, but how to prevent its occurrence? Prevention implies:
- regular ventilation and cleaning of the room so that microbes do not multiply;
- proper healthy nutrition of the child;
- regular walks in the fresh air;
- hardening;
- during ARVI epidemics - lubrication of the wings of the nose with antiviral drugs;
- timely immunization.
It is important to protect the baby from food allergens - chocolate, nuts, honey, which can also cause allergic rhinitis.
How to relieve an attack of rhinitis
First of all, it is necessary to maintain the correct microclimate in the room where the sick child is. Humidity should be at least 50%, and better than that, since, according to Dr. Komarovsky, dry air will dry out the mucus, which means it will provoke a decrease in body resistance. This can be achieved with special humidifiers. The temperature in the room should be no more than 18-20 degrees.
Before treating a runny nose in children of 2 years with medication or folk remedies, it is necessary to thoroughly and correctly clean the sinuses of the baby. Blow the snot in turn: first with one, then with the other nostril. If the child still does not know how to do this, you can remove the mucus with an aspirator. Manipulation must be done carefully so as not to damage the tissue and not to cause infection. Scarves are better to use disposable, with their repeated use, you can bring the infection again.
Prohibited Actions
An experienced pediatrician will tell you what it is impossible to treat a runny nose in children of 2 years . Remember, in no case do the following manipulations:
- do not drip breast milk into the nose - this leads to the growth of bacteria;
- do not put garlic, onions, soap in your nose - this leads to overdrying or burns of the mucous membrane;
- do not drip antibiotics into the nasopharynx;
- do not abuse vasoconstrictors.
All these actions lead to serious and dangerous consequences.
Instead of a conclusion
These methods will help you safely get rid of rhinitis or prevent its occurrence. Some of them are time-tested, while others are still in doubt. Therefore, remember: any treatment is individual, and what cures one child in the case of another will be ineffective.
For example, regular ventilation of the room will benefit absolutely everyone, but drops in the nose can both cure and cause allergies. And improper therapy can provoke the development of various complications. Therefore, when choosing a treatment method, be sure to consult a doctor.