A runny nose in babies not only affects their appetite but also disrupts sleep quality, causing discomfort and constant fussiness. Parents must use the right methods and master effective ways to relieve nasal congestion. So, how can you alleviate a baby's runny nose?
First, how to wipe a baby's nose:
Babies too young to blow their noses can have their heads elevated with a small pillow. Gently warm the tip of their nose with a soft, warm, damp towel for a moment before carefully wiping away mucus. Cotton swabs moistened with water can also be used to clean crusted mucus from the nostrils.Infants' nasal passages are still developing. They are small and have abundant blood vessels in the nasal mucosa, making inflammation common. Promptly clearing mucus is crucial. Second, provide a good indoor environment: Babies' delicate nasal passages are extremely sensitive to indoor conditions. Exposure to cold or dry air accelerates blood circulation in the nasal mucosa, causing congestion, swelling, and increased secretions.Therefore, controlling indoor humidity and temperature while ensuring proper air circulation is vital for alleviating your baby's runny nose symptoms.
Third, pay attention to your baby's diet:
During episodes of a runny nose, parents should monitor their baby's dietary intake. Opt for neutral-natured foods such as pork, chicken, neutral fruits, and vegetables;Avoid seafood, pungent, or cold-natured foods like shrimp, crab, cold beverages, and fried foods. Excessive consumption of cold-natured foods can lead to internal coldness and qi deficiency, while pungent foods may cause both cold and heat imbalances in the body, worsening thick nasal discharge. Thus, adjusting the baby's diet appropriately is crucial during this time.
Fourth, monitor the baby's activities:
Babies tend to sweat during daytime activities. After sweating, they may feel warm initially but are prone to catching a chill afterward, which can worsen runny nose symptoms. Pay close attention to adjusting the baby's clothing promptly.At night, babies often kick off their blankets, so promptly covering them is vital. Regular, appropriate exercise helps boost immunity. Taking your baby outdoors for fresh air can also alleviate runny nose symptoms.
Many factors contribute to relieving a baby's runny nose, and several medications offer effective treatment.So, what medications should babies take for a runny nose?
1. Clear nasal discharge: Crying or emotional distress can affect lung qi, causing a runny nose. This typically resolves on its own with increased hydration.
2. Prolonged discharge leading to fluid depletion: This may cause internal heat or indicate the body's defense mechanisms are working, resulting in thicker mucus. Drinking plenty of warm water is recommended.
3. Exposure to wind-cold: Initial invasion of cold air may cause sneezing and clear discharge. If detected early, drink large amounts of warm water or apply warm compresses to the face to boost cold resistance.
3. For wind-cold invasion: When cold pathogens first enter, causing sneezing and clear nasal discharge, immediately drink large amounts of hot water or apply hot compresses to the face to enhance the body's resistance to cold. If symptoms persist or cold pathogens have closed the pores, preventing sweating while nasal discharge continues, boil warming herbs like ginger, scallion whites, and cinnamon bark in water to generate heat, induce sweating, and expel cold.
4. Yellow nasal discharge may result from excessive use of warming herbs, prolonged illness, or post-illness yin deficiency causing floating false heat. Adjust treatment based on severity: start with plain water, then chrysanthemum tea, then honeysuckle tea. Additionally, consume more moisture-producing foods.
A runny nose isn't an illness; avoid self-medicating, especially with Western drugs. If other symptoms become unmanageable, consult a doctor—but opt for supportive therapies over suppressants. Regularly washing your face with cold water can strengthen resistance to cold.
5. Mild colds (sneezing, runny nose): Baoying Dan (wind-cold colds), Taurine Granules (wind-heat colds), Zhu Po Hou Zao San, Xia'er Baotai Kang (wind-heat), Xia'er Ganmao Granules, Fuganlin Oral Liquid, Xia'er Jindan;
6. Colds, coughs:Monkey Date and Calcium Bile Powder, Baby Protection Pill, Pediatric Cold Granules, Pediatric Lung-Clearing Oral Liquid, Pediatric Cough Syrup (Liquid), Qingxuan Cough Relief Liquid;
7. Cough, Excessive Phlegm: Pediatric Cough Syrup (Liquid), Lung-Clearing and Phlegm-Resolving Granules, Mucosolvan, Pediatric Digestive Aid and Cough Relief Oral Liquid, Baby Protection Pill, Monkey-Jujube and Calcium Bile Powder, Jian'er Qingjie Oral Liquid;
8. Common Antiviral Medications: Banlangen (Traditional Chinese), Xinbolin (Western);
9. Common anti-inflammatory drugs (antibiotics): Cefixime, Azithromycin, Amoxicillin, etc.
However, whether using antiviral drugs, antipyretics, or antibiotics, note the following:
(1) Strictly follow prescribed dosage and administration schedule.
(2) Drink plenty of water to promote drug absorption and excretion.
(3) Avoid using paracetamol for children under 3 years old, as their liver and kidneys are not yet fully developed.
(4) Do not administer antipyretics if the child or their family has a history of allergy to fever-reducing medications.
(5) Do not take aminophylline and baking soda-based alkaline medications simultaneously, as this reduces their effectiveness.
(6) Ensure the child gets adequate rest.