Nasal Congestion: How to help your little one

Nasal congestion is common in children and the younger they are the more problematic it can be for their little airways to breathe.

The most common causes are:

• cooler temperatures
• viral infections
• hay fever
• other allergies

To help them out, you might consider:

• keeping the room a bit warmer overnight
• warm baths and showers 
• nasal drops of saline or breastmilk
• avoiding irritants like smoke, dust, pollens and animal dander

It's best to avoid:

• using nasal aspirators too frequently
• putting anything in their nose that could damage the lining (including little fingers!)
• nasal decongestant sprays
• long term reliance on antihistamines

Also, Beware the foreign body!

A nasty infection can develop if something is left in the nose that shouldn't be there.

Suspect a foreign body if:

• Only 1 side of their nose is affected
• Symptoms last longer than a week
• You think they might have put something up there

If their symptoms are not improving, you can’t seem to get on top of it or you suspect a foreign body, come and see me for a gentle examination.