No one’s childhood is complete without such common phenomena as a cold and a runny nose. In order to avoid more serious troubles and health complications, it is unacceptable to let the treatment go by its own accord. The basic rule for getting rid of a cold is to regularly release the nasal passages from the accumulating mucus. This article will tell you how to teach children to blow their nose. At first glance, the question is simple. But still it is very important to choose the most suitable time, the right ways, take into account the age and mood of the child.
Useful skill
Cleansing the nose by blowing your nose is part of the usual hygiene routine. And during periods of colds and viral diseases, timely removal of microbial mucous secretions is the key to a successful and faster cure. In addition, a runny nose not only complicates breathing, but also poses a threat of various complications, such as sinusitis, otitis media, tonsillitis.
Therefore, mothers should not ignore the question of how to teach a child to blow his nose. After all, along with mucus, bacteria spread in the respiratory tract and nasopharynx, especially if the baby is in the habit of drawing the nozzles into himself.
The ability to blow your nose properly allows you to avoid unpleasant procedures for washing the nasal mucosa in the office of an ENT doctor. Parents who took their children to such procedures know firsthand what this test is for them and the baby.
In addition, a situation may occur in the nostrils of the "little researchers" of various small items. Sometimes the formed skill of intensive exhalation by the nose can help get rid of a stuck object on its own without contacting doctors.
When can I start learning baby
It is clear that babies learn to blow their nose does not make sense. For these procedures, there are many different tools and devices on the market. It is also unlikely to be able to achieve positive results in exploring a new skill during a runny nose.
But a year and a half or two-year crumbs in full health and good spirits are quite realistic to attach to the development and consolidation of good habits.
Important points
Often, even adults do not know how to teach a child to blow their nose properly, because they themselves did not think about it. Therefore, you should immediately fill in the gaps. For effective and correct implementation of this simple hygiene measure, it is necessary to remove mucus from the nose, exhaling alternately through one or the other nostril, while the second should be clamped with a finger. Doctors also recommend that it will be better if you open your mouth. That's how simple it is!
Very often, mothers who ask the child to blow harder, while closing both baby's nostril passages. Due to increased pressure in the nose, the risk of mucus entering the ear cavity is increased. Such an action according to the law of physics can be the right move to otitis media. Therefore, the main thing is not to overdo it in good intentions, and especially on how to teach a child to blow his nose. Komarovsky, who has become an authority for many parents in aspects of treating children, categorically prohibits the practice of intense blowing of the nose in children with a tendency to frequent otitis media. By the way, to care for such babies, doctors also do not recommend using moisturizing sprays and fluids administered under pressure to rinse the nasal mucosa.
We teach the child to blow his nose playfully
The most suitable form of training for such a task as teaching children to blow their nose is, of course, a game or based on imitation of elders. It is unlikely that they will be able to captivate the process with boring stories and tips of the baby. More attention to it may attract adult observation. Therefore, it is worth portraying the process of blowing your nose in a handkerchief so that he sees with his own eyes how to clean his nose without harming his health.
The children are different, and if your child is in no hurry to learn from you, then there should be no reason for disappointment. It makes sense to be patient and start playing games with him.
From simple to complex
At the initial stage, "blow through the mouth." This is such a game. Show your baby how to blow out a small candle. Soap bubbles and a small whistle are great workout tools. When the crumbs get used to blowing their mouths, the same thing should be done with the nose. Show by your example, let it repeat.
The next experiment is to use a handkerchief. Let the child observe how you can blow with your nose and force the air to move the tissue. The kid should also try practicing.
For games with a nose, a panting hedgehog, a train and a boiling kettle often come in handy. Show him fun! Your task is to teach the child to portray them with his nose. After such training it is much easier to move on to the main question: "How to teach children to blow their nose?"
Next, the child needs to gradually show how to blow air from the nose of each nostril separately. Through the same games that were practiced with two nasal passages, now try to blow away candy wrappers, feathers, holding one nostril with your finger.
Lastly, start the game so that the baby takes the handkerchief, covers your nose, and blow out the air with your olfactory organ, then switch roles. The child, looking at the effect exhaling on the handkerchief, will more likely understand what they want from him. And the mother’s fixed skill will be easier to use at the moment when it is useful. The fixed skill for mom will be easier to use when it comes in handy. In practice, it will be enough to remind the child about the hedgehog or just say "blow with your nose."
Useful Tips
A runny nose in itself, even for adults, brings a lot of inconvenience and discomfort, and for little children - and even more so. Caring parents always want to create conditions in order to alleviate the condition of their child, to contribute to his speedy recovery. Therefore, both mom and dad, and any other family member, will patiently and carefully take part in such an important matter as teaching a child to blow his nose.
In addition, it will not be superfluous to familiarize yourself with tips for dealing with a runny nose, thanks to which you can achieve easier discharge of mucus from the nose and eliminate or reduce the use of medications.
1. It is recommended (in addition to airing) to moisten the room in which the sick baby is. For this purpose, special devices and ordinary wet towels are used, which are hung on radiators. You can also spray moisture from the spray gun onto the curtains in the room.
2. The baby should be comfortably laid on the bed so that the upper part of his body is raised about 45 degrees.
3. To clean the nose with a severe cold, it is better to use disposable dry handkerchiefs (wipes). This is due to the fact that a wet handkerchief is an excellent medium for the reproduction of viruses and bacteria.
conclusions
Failure to timely hygiene of the nasal passages and appropriate treatment can cause side complications - sinusitis and otitis media. When swallowing mucous secretions from the nose, further spread of the disease, for example, pharyngitis, tonsillitis and so on, may occur. The sooner a child learns to blow his nose, the better for him in terms of speedy recovery.
Kids love to imitate adults, so with this feature it’s easy to solve the problem of how to teach children to blow their nose. Especially if you approach her on time, competently and, most importantly, patiently, easily and playfully.