Nasal Congestion and Solutions in Infants

One of the situations that mothers observe most in their babies is nasal congestion. Top respiratory tract infections are the leading causes of nasal congestion. In addition, as the humidity in the air decreases, the inner parts of the babies’ noses may dry out and they may have difficulty breathing. In addition, the growth of adenoid is another condition that causes nasal congestion. In allergic children, problems such as nasal congestion are also encountered during allergy periods.

What problems does nasal congestion cause in babies?

Wheezing and nasal congestion, which seems like a simple situation in babies, can cause serious problems. The sleep patterns of the babies, which cannot breathe easily due to nasal congestion, begin to deteriorate. The baby who cannot sleep regularly will also be restless, suffering from gas pain and does not want to suck. If the precaution is not taken or the correct treatment is not applied, nasal obstruction causes serious diseases in the long term, up to otitis media and upper respiratory tract infections.

What are the symptoms of nasal congestion?

When babies experience nasal congestion, they can give you some tips. These tips are such as breathing through the mouth and wheezing. You can hear these breath sounds more clearly when they sleep. Except that;

• Gas pain,

• Anorexia,

• Making sounds like snoring while sleeping,

• Frequent waking up and restlessness are among the symptoms of nasal congestion.

How Does Nasal Congestion Affect Baby?

Although nasal congestion does not seem to be a very important condition, it affects the quality of life. Babies who have a stuffy nose cannot sleep comfortably and as a result, their energy level drops significantly. This situation also brings crying attacks and unrest in the baby. Allergic problems such as a cold clogging the nose can cause ear infections or upper respiratory infections during periods when the nose is thoroughly blocked. Therefore, action must be taken when it is noticed.

How is Nasal Congestion in Babies?

You will need to consult a doctor in case of nasal obstruction due to upper respiratory diseases. For the reasons other than these, the things that should never be considered as nasal congestion treatment and that can only be done with the purpose of precaution and instant relief are as follows:

Salt Water Drops

Salt water drops should be your first precaution against nasal congestion. In order to apply salt water drops to your baby, you need to tilt your baby properly, push the chin backwards and gently spray two or three drops of salt water into both nostrils.

Babies may resist or cry because they are uncomfortable doing this procedure, but products called saline provide the nose to open in the short term. So if your baby shows resistance to you, you should definitely grab your head and spray the drop quickly. Saline drops suitable for age should be selected for nasal drops that end nasal congestion in a short time. In this regard, drops are not recommended for children under 3 years old, except for sea or ocean water.

Steam bath

Many experts recommend using natural methods to remove nasal congestion. The steam bath is also the most widely used of these natural methods. At the same time, steam can help relax the mucus that causes the baby’s nose to become blocked. To create a steam bath, you can work with your baby in the steam room for a few minutes by running a hot shower for a few minutes. After doing this, the baby’s nose will soften in a short time and the mucus in it will start to be thrown out. Nasal congestion in babies is not completely removed by steam bath; but the baby will provide a high level of relaxation thanks to the steam bath.

Use Cold Mist Humidifier

Dry weather will worsen nasal congestion more in infants. For this reason, the cold mist humidifier can help remove nasal congestion by creating moisture in the air. In this regard, in order to eliminate the congestion in your baby’s nose, you should definitely run a cold mist humidifier and adjust the humidity balance of the room well.

Drink Water To Your Baby Frequently

Getting the baby to drink enough water keeps the mucus thin. Therefore, it is very important to encourage the baby to drink water. However, there are different opinions about water consumption. Since babies fed with breast milk meet their water needs from breast milk, they do not provide water consumption. For this reason, it is absolutely necessary to consult with a specialist and take action about when the water should be drunk in infants.

Keep Your Baby Upright

It is very important that the child is in an upright position in the fight against nasal congestion in infants. Because the mucus will come out as a result of keeping your baby upright. Therefore, care should be taken to keep babies upright at all times. In order to prevent nasal congestion during sleep, the baby should be supported from the waist and the head should be raised. In this way, it is ensured that the baby is comfortable during sleep.

Avoid Using Substances That May Cause Congestion

You should definitely keep babies away from smoke and cigarettes that cause nasal congestion. Babies who constantly breath smoke or are exposed to quite bad weather in winter experience more congestion. For this reason, parents should keep the babies as far away as possible from the smoke and smoke factors. You should definitely raise one side of the bed slightly before going to bed so that the baby with a blocked nose can sleep comfortably. Because the baby will breathe more easily when the head is high.