Stuffy or runny nose - children
Nose - congested; Congested nose; Runny nose; Postnasal drip; Rhinorrhea
A stuffy or congested nose occurs when the tissues lining the nose become swollen. The swelling is due to inflamed blood vessels.
The problem may also include nasal discharge or "runny nose." If excess mucus runs down the back of your throat (postnasal drip), it may cause a cough or sore throat.
You've got that feeling again: Your nose is stuffy, your head seems heavy, and your sinuses feel swollen and on fire. You once again, have Nasal Congestion. Many people think that their nose gets congested from too much thick mucus. But, usually, your nose gets stuffy when the tissues lining it become swollen. The swelling is from inflamed blood vessels. Your nose can become stuffy because of a cold, the flu, and allergies. Sometimes the congestion goes away in a week, sometimes you have it nearly every day or during certain times a year, especially if you're allergic or sensitive to something like pollen, tobacco smoke, or pet dander. If your baby is congested, you can make your own saline drops, adding a quarter teaspoon of salt to a half-cup of lukewarm water. Lay your child on his or her back, put a rolled up towel beneath their shoulders, and put two or three drops into each nostril. After 30 seconds, turn the child on their belly to help the fluids drain. You can also use an infant nasal bulb, called an aspirator, to help remove some of the mucous in their nose. Other tips for helping kids include raising the head of your child's bed; Have your child drink plenty of fluids; Use a cool-mist vaporizer in your child's room at night; DO NOT use over-the-counter cough and cold medicines for any child under the age of 6. They don't help much anyway, and they can cause serious health problems in kids. Older kids and adults can take over-the-counter medicines to help relieve their stuff nose. Oral decongestants can shrink the blood vessels throughout the body, including in the lining of your nose. Nasal decongestants are more targeted, but shouldn't be used more than 3 days in a row. Antihistamines may reduce the amount of mucus in your nose. But these medicines don't treat the problem, just the symptoms. You can also try gentler solutions, like a Neti pot, saline irrigation, saline nasal drops, using a vaporizer or humidifier when you sleep, and drinking plenty of fluids such as hot tea or chicken soup. A stuffy nose will usually go away in about a week. But if it doesn't, or you get congested at certain times of year or when you're around pets or smokers, your doctor can help you find out if you have allergies and get you the right treatment to make any allergies less of an annoyance.
Most of the time, nasal congestion in older children and adolescents is not serious by itself, but can cause other problems.
When nasal stuffiness is just on one side, the child may have inserted something into the nose.
Nasal congestion can interfere with the ears, hearing, and speech development. Congestion that is very bad may interfere with sleep.
The mucous drainage may plug up the eustachian tube between the nose and the ear, causing an ear infection and pain. The mucous drip may also plug the sinus passages, causing sinus infection and pain.
A stuffy or runny nose may be caused by:
- Common cold
- Sinus infection
The congestion typically goes away by itself within a week.
Congestion also can be caused by:
- Hay fever or other allergies
- Use of some nasal sprays or drops bought without a prescription for more than 3 days (may make nasal stuffiness worse)
- Nasal polyps, sac-like growths of inflamed tissue lining the nose or sinuses
- Vasomotor rhinitis
- Small objects in the nostril
Tips to help infants and younger children include:
- Raise the head of your child's bed. Put a pillow underneath the head of the mattress. Or, place books or boards under the legs at the head of the bed.
- Older children may drink extra fluids, but those fluids should be sugar-free.
- You can try a cool-mist vaporizer, but avoid putting too much moisture in the