A runny nose is a common occurrence in babies, especially during spring when colds are prevalent. After catching a cold, a runny nose is the most likely symptom, posing a significant threat to your baby's health. So, how can you relieve a baby's runny nose?
When exposed to cold air, children may develop a runny nose due to sensitivity. Morning runny noses or congestion are often allergy-related, producing clear, watery mucus.However, colds can also cause a runny nose. If the discharge is yellowish, it may indicate a viral infection. For the common cold, medications like Mulberry and Tangerine Cold Tablets, Pediatric Cold Granules, Banlangen Granules, Yinqiao Detoxification Granules, Liushen Pills, or Vitamin C are generally sufficient.
If nasal congestion is mild and does not interfere with eating or sleeping, parents need not intervene. Symptoms typically resolve within 7–10 days.
If congestion affects eating or causes mouth breathing during sleep, administer nasal decongestant drops.For example, 0.5% phenylephrine nasal drops can be used. This medication constricts dilated blood vessels beneath the nasal mucosa, alleviating congestion. When administering drops, parents should avoid applying medication to both nostrils simultaneously. Instead, apply one drop to the more congested side first, wait approximately 5 minutes, then apply one drop to the other side.
If blockage is caused by accumulated nasal secretions, use a cotton swab to gently roll and remove the mucus. If secretions have hardened into a crust, use a cotton swab to gently push the crust slightly deeper into the nasal cavity to stimulate a sneeze, which often expels the mucus with the airflow. Alternatively, gently lift and remove the nasal secretions with a cotton swab.
Assist your baby with blowing their nose promptly. When a child develops a runny nose, it indicates their body's immune response is active. The baby's body requires timely detoxification. Since infants cannot blow their own noses, mothers should carefully assist them. This alleviates discomfort and facilitates timely expulsion of toxins.
Give your baby a warm bath. When your child has a runny nose, you can give them a warm bath. The steam from the warm water helps your baby sweat, which can alleviate the runny nose.
Parents should use a soft handkerchief to wipe away nasal discharge. Since babies' skin is delicate, excessive wiping can cause discomfort. After cleaning, gently press a damp towel against the area and lightly apply a thin layer of moisturizing oil to prevent skin cracking and soreness.
If nasal congestion stems from foreign objects in the nostrils, gently remove secretions with a cotton swab lightly moistened with water. Use the gentlest touch possible. Never push objects further in. Seek medical attention to safely remove any foreign objects.Additionally, applying a warm towel to the bridge of the nose can help relieve congestion. If nasal passages are blocked by mucus, hindering breathing, a nasal aspirator can assist in suctioning out the mucus.
Beyond standard care for a runny nose, certain fruits can enhance recovery. So, what foods are beneficial for children with a runny nose?
1.Brown Sugar Ginger Tea
Method: Slice 10g of ginger, boil in water, add 15g of brown sugar, and drink while hot.
Benefits: Ginger's pungent and warm properties dispel wind and cold. If you catch a cold in winter, drinking a bowl of brown sugar ginger tea to induce light sweating effectively expels cold pathogens. However, this is only suitable for mild wind-cold colds.
2. Daikon Radish Soup
Method: Slice 250g daikon radish, simmer in water, and consume warm.
Benefits: Daikon radish effectively aids respiratory ailments like coughing and phlegm production. While not a direct cold cure, this soup alleviates discomfort such as nasal congestion and coughing.
3. Honeysuckle Porridge
Method: Simmer 9g honeysuckle and 9g light fermented black beans in water, strain, then add 60g japonica rice to cook into porridge.
Benefits: Honeysuckle (cold in nature) clears heat, detoxifies, disperses wind-heat, and inhibits influenza viruses; light fermented black beans (cool in nature) are often paired with honeysuckle to treat wind-heat colds.Highly suitable for those with wind-heat colds or influenza characterized by fever, headache, and sore throat.
4. Rice Vinegar Radish Salad
Method: 250g raw radish, rice vinegar to taste. Slice radish, soak in vinegar for several hours. Serve daily as a side dish. One serving per day.
Benefits: This salad disperses wind-heat, aids digestion, and detoxifies. Suitable for influenza.
5. Hangzhou Chrysanthemum Sugar Tea
Preparation: 30g Hangzhou chrysanthemum flowers, sugar to taste. Steep chrysanthemum flowers in boiling water in a teapot, then add sugar to taste.
Benefits: Daily consumption helps clear lung qi, relieve coughing, and dispel stagnant heat in the triple energizer. Suitable for infants with early-stage wind-heat colds presenting headaches and fever.