Rinse the nose of a child

With the onset of cold and wet weather, various infections begin to attack our babies with particular strength. Especially lyutuyut respiratory infections, which are the main cause of cold and nasal congestion in children. The safest and most effective method of combating rhinitis of any origin is the washing of the nose with special anti-inflammatory and decongestant solutions. A large number of variants of such compositions of pharmacy or home production allows you to choose the optimal one for your baby.

But before using the method of combating the common cold by washing the nose, it is necessary to clearly understand that any manipulations in the head region are not as safe as it seems at first glance. On the one hand, the nasal "shower" is a good preventive and curative procedure. And on the other - a certain interference in the work of the respiratory system, so to conduct it once again without certain indications is not worth it.

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Indications for the procedure

It would seem that if this is an unsafe procedure, and the sprays and drops are not able to clean qualitatively the nasal passages, is it not better to abandon the idea of treating the runny nose, after all, it will already happen in a week, as the "folk wisdom" says. But the thing is that a badly breathing nose is not only a certain discomfort that causes the child to lose appetite, worsen attention, mood and sleep, but also a high probability of developing concomitant diseases and complications such as:

• Disorders in the work of the brain and nervous system
• Development of pathology of the respiratory system, the appearance of asthmatic attacks
• Decreased visual acuity
• Increase in adenoid size
• Violation of occlusion formation

A common cold from a small age can eventually cause certain delays in the development of the child, underdevelopment of speech skills. Therefore, at the first signs of nasal congestion the child should immediately see a doctor and take measures to eliminate the common cold and its causes.

Indications for washing the nose in a child can be:

• Rhinitis (rhinitis) of various origin, including allergic
• Frontal sinusitis (inflammation of the frontal paranasal sinus)
• Sinusitis, which is often the result of a repeated cold
• Inflammation of the tonsils (tonsils)
• Measures to prevent infectious respiratory diseases.

[2], [3], [4]

Technique of the washing the nose in a child

Washing of the nose for a child up to a year

Narrow and rather short airways in infants lead to the fact that the withdrawal of mucus in inflammatory and allergic diseases is difficult. First, mucus interferes with the baby's breathing normally, especially during feeding, when there is no possibility to get oxygen through the mouth. The child does not eat well, which means that he loses weight, often fits, becomes restless. Then in the nose of the baby crusts with pathogenic flora are formed. But the baby is not yet able to get rid of all these troubles by blowing itself, so it becomes necessary to clean the nozzle from the outside with the help of drops and rinsing.

In general, due to the peculiarities of the structure of the respiratory tract in newborns and infants, there is much debate about the advisability of washing the nose at such a tender age. Some doctors believe that such procedures are shown to children from the age of 4, because at an earlier age they can cause a re-infection of the neck and ears, and even cause inflammation in the brain. Other doctors do not see age-related contraindications and argue that under the supervision of a doctor, these manipulations will not harm the child.

Based on the last opinion, for infants, indications for washing the nose, in addition to the above, can also be:

• frequent exposure to contaminated air (public places, transport, dusty rooms, rooms with insufficient air humidity or specific smells that can cause allergic reactions),
• development of pathogenic flora on the background of stress, changes in climatic conditions in the place of residence, decrease in immunity, etc.

The procedure for washing the nose to an infant is carried out strictly according to the indications of the pediatrician and is aimed at ensuring that the prescribed medications are better absorbed in the cleared nasal passages, as well as improving the nasal breathing of the baby and preventing complications. This procedure should be carried out under the supervision of a doctor or in a medical institution.

Before you start directly to wash the nose, you need to carefully and very carefully clean the baby's spout from the accumulated mucus and crusts. Most often for this use a disinfected rubber pear of a small size, with the help of which suck up clumps from the nose of the baby. This should be done carefully, given that the child does not like such manipulations, and he begins to be capricious and turn away. In this case, most likely, you can not do without help.

It is better to wash the nose to a child for up to a year using salt solutions or decoctions of medicinal herbs such as chamomile, eucalyptus, sage, etc. Children's salt solutions of different manufacturers can be found on the shelves of pharmacies in the range. But you can prepare a salt solution for washing the nose in the child yourself. For this, a teaspoon of salt dissolves in a liter of purified (or boiled) hot water. Use the solution, pre-cooling it to room temperature. Salt will help to remove the swelling in the nose and will effectively fight the infection.

Rinse the nose for 2-3 months with a pipette, syringe and cotton buds. The toddler should be put on his back, turning his head to one side, and dropping the rasters dropwise into the nose with a pipette, making sure that there is not a lot of liquid, and the baby does not choke. It is necessary to wash each nostril alternately, and not both at once. After instilling the liquid with mucus is aspirated with a small syringe, removing the remainders with cotton buds.

Rinse the nose of older children, who are already confidently holding the head, is held in an upright position. In this case, the head of the child should be tilted forward and the mouth is open so that the fluid can flow freely through the mouth and nose. Thus, the treatment solution can not enter the respiratory tract.

Rinse with a syringe, injecting a small amount of liquid into the nostril and gradually increasing the pressure to allow the baby to get used to unusual and not very pleasant sensations. Purification of the second nostril is carried out, only having finished with the first. All manipulations are carried out carefully, without fuss and sudden movements, so as not to injure the child again physically or psychologically.

Do not forget that you can not do the nose wash immediately before going to bed or walking in the winter (if there is at least a little frost). This will prevent the ingestion of residual liquid in the respiratory tract during sleep of the baby and eliminate the risk of hypothermia during a walk.

The technique of washing the nose to an older child

While the child is not aware of the need for a procedure for washing the nose and because of the small age is unable to help you in this "wet" case, you can use the methods described above. As a rule, by the age of two children become small assistants to parents in the process of cleaning the nose. They begin to understand that flushing the nose allows them to breathe easier, so if the correct, perhaps even gaming approach, the child does not even resist manipulation.

This child needs only to explain that during the washing of the nose it is necessary to keep the mouth open and bend over the sink or bathtub where the procedure is performed. The described position will allow water to run out through the open mouth and the second nostril unchecked, carefully clearing the nasal passages from mucus and bacterial deposits. It is impossible to lift the head and tilt backwards so that the water does not get into the respiratory tract and the child does not choke.

To enter into the nostril solution for washing the nose children can be using a separate syringe or syringe without needles. As in the case of infants, the strength of the jet should be increased gradually, giving the child to get used to the sensations. Doing a nose wash at home, try not to overdo it, because a strong fluid pressure can damage the vessels inside the nose and lead to bleeding. Even worse, if the water under the pressure accidentally falls into the middle ear, because in our body the throat, ears and nose are connected between themselves. This subsequently can lead to such an unpleasant and long-term treatment in terms of treatment, as an inflammation of the middle ear (otitis).

The end of the procedure for washing the nose to the child should be the complete disposal of the remains of slime and water by blowing. Teach a child in a playful way to blow out air from the nose, like a small elephant from a cartoon does, and he will not have problems with smokying.

Children 4-5 years can be taught to wash the spout by themselves, closing one nostril with a finger and drawing water from the palm of the other hand of the second nostril. You can release the solution outward with your nose, releasing the first nostril, and through the open mouth.

Pharmaceutical preparations with devices for nasal lavage

In the pharmacy you can also buy a special device for washing the nose to children, which comes complete with a washing solution for Dolphin. The device for children is issued in the form of a bottle of plastic with a volume of 120 ml with a dosing cap so shaped that it fits tightly into the child's nostril, filling the whole space at the entrance to the nose and not letting the liquid flow out.

Washing the nose with a child with such a device becomes much easier and more effective. A convenient soft bottle, in which the prepared washing solution is poured, will help both parents and older children to optimally control the strength of the jet, squeezing the bottle stronger or weaker. At the end of the rinsing, the empty vial with the dispenser is compressed, injected into the nostril, and then the arm is weakened. Thus, the remnants of fluid are removed from the nasal passages.

The drug itself based on sea salt is made in the form of a powder with a rich mineral complex. There are variants of the drug with herbal supplements and without them. Vegetable components in the Dolphin: extracts of wild rose and licorice, which have the properties to increase immunity and facilitate the departure of mucous secretions. Sea salt itself has excellent anti-inflammatory, antibacterial properties and reduces swelling of the nasopharynx.

"Dolphin" for washing the nose children are used for both therapeutic and preventive purposes in case of viral infections. It effectively helps both with the usual cold coryza, and with purulent sinusitis. Assign the drug to children from the age of 4 years. It does not cause such side effects as mucosal edema or unpleasant sensations of burning or dryness in the nose of the child.

"Dolphin" is considered to be the best preparation of some kind with the optimal composition, but those who do not have this option for some reason, doctors can offer analogues of "Dolphin" for washing the nose in children: Aquamaris, Humer, Akvalor , "Saline", "No-salt", "Otrivin" and others. Some of these drugs are available only in the form of sprays, others - in the form of sprays and drops separately for adults and for children. Sprays are bottles with a ready-made solution of sodium chloride (purified sea salt) with an optimal acid-base balance.

Children's spray series Humer French made for children from 1 month to 15 years. The shape of the tip on the vial is optimized for the size of the nasal passages of the toddlers, thus eliminating trauma to the mucosa during the administration of the drug.

The Croatian preparation "Aquamaris" for washing the nose is considered the best analogue of "Dolphin", although it is slightly inferior to it in efficiency. Children of the first year of life, physicians are most often prescribed nasal drops, older people recommend the use of sprays. "Aquamaris baby" - a spray with the cap optimized for a baby's nose, the volume of the bottle is 50 ml. It consists of the purified water of the Adriatic Sea and does not contain any additives, which makes it safe and hypoallergenic.

There are also 3 versions of the drug with special additives, which are successfully used in the treatment of adults and children:

• "Aquamaris plus" with dexpanthenol has a healing and regenerating effect on the nasal mucosa and is successfully used in the treatment of sinusitis with mucosal lesions.
• "Aquamaris Sens" with ectoin has protective properties and helps to bind and remove allergens from the surface of the mucosa. It is customary to prescribe for allergic rhinitis and sinusitis in the background of the same problem to children, starting from 2 years
• "Aquamaris Strong" is a concentrated solution of sea salt, prescribed for children over 1 year old with a strong cold that accompanies the sinusitis and sinusitis.

Under the name "Akvalor" is meant a whole line of French drops and sprays for washing the nose in adults and children.

• "Aqualor baby" is available in the form of a spray and drops for newborns, the use of which is shown from the early days of the baby's life. It uses a pure isotonic 0.9% solution of sea water.
• "Akvalor Soft" is a preparation in the form of an aerosol for the treatment of an allergic rhinitis in adults and children, starting from 6 months.
• "Aqualor norms" - a variant of an aerosol for washing the nose with a cold cold. Children are prescribed from 6 months.
• "Aqualor forte" and "Akvalor extra forte" - sprays for washing the nose with a concentrated solution of sodium chloride. Assign in the event that there is a strong nasal congestion or an unremitting cold on the background of sinusitis or sinusitis. "Aqualor extra forte" in its composition has herbal supplements: extracts of aloe and chamomile, providing antiseptic action and increasing immunity.

The preparation of the American production "Salin" and the Ukrainian "No-salt" means - 0,65% solutions of sodium chloride with additives, providing, in addition to moisturizing and anti-inflammatory action, also antiviral, bactericidal, and antifungal effect. These drugs are shown to adults and children: drops - from the first days of life, sprays - from 2 years.

The Swiss series of products "Otrivin baby" based on sea water, which makes it easy and comfortable to wash the nose, includes nasal drops in the form of droppers and an aspirator for suctioning mucous accumulations in the nose for the smallest ones, as well as a nose wash spray for children over 1 of the year.

All these funds are designed to successfully combat various kinds of the common cold, removing inflammation and swelling, have a noticeable bactericidal and moisturizing effect on the nasal mucosa that allows using them both for therapeutic and preventive purposes.

Pharmaceutical antiseptics for washing the nose of a child

With difficult nasal breathing and runny nose, many solutions with antiseptic (antimicrobial) action will be useful for washing the nose. Some solutions from home medicine kits, such as furacilin, hydrogen peroxide, chlorhexidine, chlorophyllipt, miramistin, are suitable for the preparation of solutions.

Washing the nose with furatsilinom will clear the nasal passages from mucus and microbes, which helps to quickly cure the common cold and prevent complications. For manipulation, you can use furatsilin in the form of a ready-made solution or in tablets. The tablet preparation is used in the proportion: 1 powdered tablet per 200 g of purified warm water. You can do otherwise by dissolving the tablet in hot water and cooling the solution to a warm state (no higher than 37 degrees).

Rinsing the nose with hydrogen peroxide can be recommended for older children. Children have a very delicate, sensitive nasal mucosa, so a solution sufficient to treat it can cause it to burn, and a weak concentration will not bring the desired result. For rinsing it is better to use peroxide not in tablets, but in the form of a 3% solution. To wash the nose, the baby needs 3 drops of hydrogen peroxide to dissolve in half a cup of warm boiled water.

The good old "Chlorhexidine" is not intended for washing your nose, nor for rinsing your throat. Nevertheless, the significant antibacterial and antiviral effect of the drug prompted doctors to think of the possibility of its use as an antiseptic solution for purifying ENT organs in infectious diseases. For this purpose, a 0.05% solution is used, which can be bought at a pharmacy. And yet, despite the apparent safety of the solution, before using it for the treatment of the common cold, the child should consult a doctor. The danger of the drug is that it can cause allergic reactions, besides it can not be swallowed.

"Chlorophyllipt", like other antiseptics, is most often prescribed for washing the nose with bacterial rhinitis and sinusitis. Side effects of the drug are almost absent, which allows it to be used in the treatment of children, of course after consulting a doctor. Rinse the nose with a baby, using 1% alcohol solution. 1 tsp Chlorophyllipt is diluted with a glass (200 ml) of water or saline. The procedure for washing the nose is carried out thrice a day, instilling in each nostril no more than 2 ml of the prepared solution. Dripping the solution into the right nostril, the head is slightly tilted to the left, and vice versa.

Miramistin is a fairly harmless and effective antiseptic of a wide spectrum of action, which is used to irrigate nasal passages in rhinitis, sinusitis and sinusitis. Washing the nose with miramistin allows you to get rid of the bacteria that have accumulated there due to the fact that the active substance of the drug destroys bacteria and fungi at the cellular level, preventing them from multiplying

To spray the nose, use a spray, for washing - a special vial with a nozzle-dispenser. Miramistin has one big drawback - its use is accompanied by a burning sensation in the nose. This is not liked by small patients. Therefore, the procedure is most often carried out in a hospital. This also helps prevent hypersensitivity reactions.

It is doubtful whether it is advisable to use Miramistin for washing the nose in infants. A decent effect can be obtained with full and qualitative washing of the mucous membranes, which is impossible in the case of children under one year old. In addition, the common cold in children of this age is most often viral or physiological. In both cases, the use of this drug does not make sense.

Sometimes on the Internet you can find records that the baby's nose can be washed with Dimexidum. Of course, not in pure form. For example, the composition prepared as follows: "Dimexide" is mixed with boiled warm water in a proportion of 1: 5, then in this solution we add the same amount of nasal drops "Vibrocil" (ratio 1: 1). This composition is filled with a syringe in the nostril for a short time. According to the reviews, he removes swelling and inflammation, helping to get rid of the common cold more quickly.

But many doctors do not support such a method of treating the common cold, applying "Dimexide" only externally in the form of lotions and compresses with pain sensations (for example, with genyantritis). Whether there is a sense to check it on the child at a huge choice of more safe preparations and agents to solve, certainly, to you. In any case, the use of various methods and means for flushing the nose to the child should be discussed with the attending physician.

In severe and neglected cases of a common cold, as well as to prevent complications for children older than 2.5 years, an antimicrobial drug Polidex can be prescribed. This remedy is used only for the doctor's prescription, since it has more than a serious composition: 2 antibiotics plus a hormonal component.

"Polidex" for washing the nose in children is used in the form of a spray: one injection three times a day. The course of treatment is 5-10 days. If your child is prescribed this drug, the parents' task is to strictly adhere to the indicated dosage, so as not to harm the baby.

No matter how good the various means for washing the nose to the child, it is important to do the procedure correctly and carefully, taking into account the anatomical features of the structure of the nasal passages in children of different ages, as well as the possibilities of the children themselves. Only in this case washing will have a good effect and will not cause any complications. It is also necessary to monitor the correct concentration of washing solutions, so that treatment does not harm the small patient.

There is an opinion that washing the nose to the child leads to the development of otitis. It is for this reason, many mothers believe that it is better to not cure a cold at all. But in fact a runny nose in turn can cause sinusitis, sinusitis and the same otitis. And still it is not known what to cure it will be easier. In addition, the proper use of medicines and methods of washing the nose in children is unlikely to lead to undesirable consequences. Just treat this procedure responsibly.

Inexpensive means for washing the nose of a child

In life, there are different situations, and if you for some reason do not have the opportunity to buy pharmaceutical products to clean the nose of a child, do not despond all the same. After all, wonderful means for this purpose will always be at your fingertips. At any mistress in the kitchen there is some amount of ordinary table salt, and for some even iodized and sea salt. Are these not the tools that help to make the nose wash for a child inexpensive and effective?

Physicians welcome washing the nose with saline, which can be purchased at any even the smallest pharmacy. And it is inexpensive, and its packaging is such that it will last a long time, if the bottle is not opened, and take the right amount of liquid with a syringe. If there is nowhere to buy saline, it is worth recalling that this agent is an optimized saline solution. On a bottle of saline, you can read that it is a 0.9% solution of sodium chloride, and we already know that this is the composition used in many nasal spray. And to prepare it at home, knowing the proportions, it will not be difficult.

The optimum solution of sea salt in sprays is 0,9%. The same saturation in saline. This means that for 100 g of purified (or boiled) water, you need to take 0.9 g of salt. Half a liter of liquid will need 4.5 g of salt, which is just under half a teaspoon. Salt can be taken any, but without flavors. At the same time for children it is better to make a solution a little weaker than to oversaturate with salt.

In home saline solution you can add a little soda, and its effect will become even softer and more effective. If in the nose of the baby appeared jazvochki, not superfluous will be a couple of drops of iodine. But here, too, it is important not to overdo it, so that iodine does not burn the mucous of a child's spout. Still, sea salt will be preferable to home saline solutions for washing the nose for children and adults, since it initially contains the right amount of trace elements that will help relieve both the rhinitis and wound healing, and improve immunity slightly.

Rhinitis and sinusitis are the most common respiratory diseases in children. Washing the nose with a baby soda is one of the most inexpensive, safe and effective ways to treat these diseases. Soda is a wonderful antiseptic, so mercilessly kills the bacteria that have accumulated inside the nose. Soda solution is prepared on the principle of salt. For ½ teaspoon of soda, take ½ liter of warm boiled water.

Sometimes soda-salt solution is used instead of soda. In this case, soda and salt are taken in equal proportions. And 1 liter of a mixture is used per liter of water.

Contraindications to the procedure

But like any treatment procedure, washing the nose to the child also has its contraindications, which also need to be remembered:

• Greater chance of bleeding from the nose, associated with vascular weakness and other causes
• The presence of tumors and polyps in the nose
• Noticeable curvature of the intranasal septum
• Violations of the integrity of the tympanic membrane in the ear
• Inflammation of the middle ear (otitis).

If liquid discharge is absent, but there is a strong nasal obstruction, then the nose is flushed to the child after the application of vasodilating drops. This will help the solution to completely rinse all the moves in the nose, without resorting to a significant increase in the strength of the jet, and prevent liquid from entering the cavity of the inner ear. It is the neglect of this rule that becomes a frequent cause of otitis development due to improper washing of the nose.

Rinsing of the nose with otitis in children is not recommended, so as not to cause complications of the disease. Some mothers do this procedure at their own peril and risk slowly, using a jet of very small force. But the risk of developing complications remains in this case. With a cold on the background of otitis, it is more appropriate to use children's nasal anti-inflammatory drops.

As you can see, it is not at all safe to prescribe to your child the lavage of the nose, therefore, if there is a stuffy nose and runny nose, there is always a need for consultation of an otolaryngologist who will give the child the best treatment option.

But even the appointment of a doctor taking into account all indications and contraindications, as well as a large selection of drugs and home remedies, will not help cope with the disease and can even do harm if you do not know how to rinse the nose properly. Thus it is necessary to understand that for different age groups of children the ways of washing can differ.

[5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11]