A runny nose in babies is a common symptom. It is not pathological and does not seriously affect the baby's health. But without proper treatment, the runny nose will make the baby uncomfortable, leading to fussy crying, quitting feeding and insomnia. So what causes a runny nose in newborns? What can parents do to help alleviate discomfort? Let's refer to the "pocket tips" below!
The causes of a runny nose in babies
1. Changes in weather
The infant's nasal mucosa is inherently very sensitive. Dry air and cold weather cause mucus in your baby's nose to dry out and build up. They fill the blood vessels and tissues in the nasal cavity leading to congestion and runny nose.
2. Polluted environment causes many problems for the infant's respiratory system
Exposure to dust, tobacco smoke ... in the environment also leads to runny nose in babies. Not only that, if exposed for a long time, the baby is also at risk of other more dangerous diseases.
The infant's nasal mucosa is inherently sensitive, so it is easily affected by environmental factors
3. Allergens
Some children will be irritated by the scent of perfumes, milk scents or special floral fragrances. This irritation is the cause of nasal congestion and runny nose in children. Usually, a runny nose caused by an allergy is accompanied by symptoms like sneezing, red eyes, and an itchy rash.
4. Colds and flu
Because their immune systems are not fully developed, babies and young children often get colds and flu. During the first years of life, babies can catch a cold 6 to 10 times. Colds in children appear more common than the flu, and complications are also less serious.
Newborn babies with a runny nose caused by a cold are often accompanied by symptoms such as low-grade fever, sore throat, cough, and watery eyes. Meanwhile, if the baby has a runny nose due to the flu, it often shows signs of weakness, fatigue and loss of appetite, skipping meals.
The secret to treating a runny nose in a newborn
1. Physiological saline drops and nasal aspiration for babies
For babies with runny nose, the safest way to clean the nose is for mothers to use saline saline to drop their nose . The saline helps to loosen mucus that is building up in your baby's nose. When you notice that your baby sneezes several times a day, the mother can be small 3-4 times. By the time the baby starts a runny nose, the mother needs a small booster 5-6 times / day.
After she was small, she used a nasal aspirator to suck up runny nose. These should be done before feeding time to make your baby feel more comfortable.
Mother should use normal saline to drop the nose for children
2. Apply warm oil to the soles of the feet to reduce a runny nose
When you first see your baby sneezing, runny nose, parents can use warm oil to apply on the soles of their feet. Then massage gently. Parents can also rub oil on the baby's chest, abdomen and back. Keeping the body warm will help the baby quickly get rid of a runny nose.
When buying oil, be careful about choosing products with natural ingredients. Cajeput oil and eucalyptus oil are the two most commonly used by parents today.
3. Message the nose area and let the baby lie on one side
If your baby has stuffy nose on the left side, let him lie on his right side and vice versa. Then, you use your index finger to press lightly on the wings of the nose and gently rub. Do this a few times a day to help your runny nose circulate. From there you will feel more comfortable.
Message the nose area and let the baby lie on one side
4. Give infants plenty of fluids
When your baby shows signs of a runny nose, you can give your baby plenty of water, milk or juice. This makes the nasal discharge more fluid and easier to clean.
5. Take a hot bath for your baby
A hot bath helps keep your baby's body warm. In addition, the hot steam will loosen the nasal discharge. So mothers can easily use a nose suction device to suck clean.
6. Keep the surroundings cool, clean to prevent runny nose in babies
To limit runny nose in infants, keeping a cool, clean environment is extremely important. Parents should avoid exposing children to dust from outside. In addition, you should also choose to buy home cleaning solutions and room sprays with a pleasant fragrance. Avoid irritating your baby's young nose.
Usually when a baby has a runny nose, parents do not need to take their child to see a doctor. However, in some cases, you need to consult a medical professional such as:
Newborns have runny nose with high fever for more than 2 days
Runny nose accompanied by flu symptoms such as chills, dull pain all over the body, fever, vomiting ...
Suspected that a foreign object entered the nose
Symptoms of a runny nose in children due to allergies, in this case should quickly see a doctor for an effective treatment.
See more:
Children have a prolonged runny cough and how to treat it?
Can an infant with a stuffy nose lead to serious respiratory disease?
Good tip - Japanese mom sucks her nose within 3 notes!