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Drops for newborns for nasal congestion, runny nose
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
Nasal drops for newborns are used by mothers very often, but this is not always what your child needs. The issue of treating a runny nose, especially in small children, is very complex. Therefore, you need to know which drops and when to use.
Principles of treating a runny nose and using nasal drops
A stuffy nose can be uncomfortable for your baby and can affect their feeding and sleeping patterns. While it can be alarming, common colds are common in young children because their immune systems are still developing. Your baby's stuffy nose will usually clear up on its own within a week, but if not, there are plenty of remedies to help clear the airways. You can use a suction nasal aspirator to clear mucus from their little nose or saline nasal drops or spray.
Before using drops, there are some measures that can help ease breathing. Nasal aspirators are devices that allow you to suck mucus out of your baby's nose. They come in different shapes and sizes. Some are syringes with lights, some have a tube, and some are electric. It is not possible to give any advice on whether to use a nasal aspirator or not, or which one to use. Some parents buy one to suck mucus out of their baby's nose before feeding.
Run a cool humidifier. Most of us have very warm homes during the winter months, and this dry air can irritate your baby's nose. Using a cool humidifier in your baby's room while he or she is sleeping can provide some relief and prevent congestion.
Raise the crib mattress. It will be easier for your baby to breathe through his nose when his head is slightly elevated. You cannot put a pillow under your baby's head, so place a towel under the head of the mattress to raise it slightly. This will provide your baby with some relief while he sleeps.
Keep your baby well hydrated: a hydrated mucous membrane prevents drying, irritation and itching in this area. Therefore, if you are breastfeeding, you can apply to the breast more often, but for a shorter time. This will give the baby the opportunity to tolerate a runny nose a little easier, because when the nose is stuffy, it is difficult to eat for a long time.
When children have colds, flu, or allergies, nasal drops are an effective way to relieve mucus congestion. They consist mainly of a saline solution, which causes the blood vessels in the nose to constrict and thin the mucus and reduce swelling in the sinus area. Some nasal drops may contain additional active ingredients, such as steroids. But in newborns, using drops has its limitations.
Nasal drops from the first days of life are those that are not absorbed and do not have a pronounced systemic effect. These include saline drops. Indications for the use of such drops are nasal congestion, runny nose, mucous discharge from the nasal passages in children of different ages. The names of such drops are Aquamaris, Marimer, No-salt. Many doctors recommend nasal saline drops to relieve nasal congestion in infants. Providing something to such a child is difficult, but you can manage it with these simple instructions:
Wash your hands with soap and water.
Determine the appropriate dosage in the nasal dropper.
If your baby's nose is completely blocked by mucus buildup, first use a nasal aspirator to remove the mucus.
Place the dropper only after the baby's nose has opened, but try not to touch the side of the dropper to the nose itself.
Gently squeeze the bulb on the dropper bottle to administer the required dosage. If necessary, ask another adult to help you with this.
Keep your child in the same position for five minutes to allow the drops to flow into the nasal passage.
If your baby starts coughing, hold him or her upright in your arms.
But how do you put drops in a baby's nose? First, lay your baby on his back. Put a few drops of saline solution in each nostril. To avoid getting it wrong, it's best to have someone hold the baby. After that, you need to wait a few minutes and use an aspirator to remove the mucus, which has become more liquid.
Drops for a runny nose and nasal congestion, which can also be used, are vasoconstrictors. This group of drugs leads to a narrowing of small blood vessels in the mucous membrane, which reduces swelling and allows better nasal breathing. Vasoconstriction reduces nasal congestion by preventing fluid from draining from the blood vessels into the tissues lining the nasal passages. Vasoconstrictor nasal drops for a newborn can only be used before bedtime or feeding, when the child is already very ill. This should not be more than three times a day. Side effects of such drugs can occur if the mother accidentally or intentionally exceeds their dose. In this case, intranasal decongestants can be absorbed into the bloodstream and can have an effect on the heart.
It is not recommended to use oil drops in the nose of newborns. Although they have a reflex vasoconstrictor effect and this allows the child to breathe easier, such products can cause a strong allergic reaction in newborns. In addition, oil products with narrow nasal passages in newborns can increase mucus obstruction.
Colic drops for newborns can be used if your baby is between three weeks and three months old and has repeated episodes of crying for several hours. In this case, the mother may suspect colic in the baby. Colic drops are used internally, regardless of food intake. There are synthetic drops based on dimethicone or simethicone, and there are also herbal medicines based on fennel and dill. The main mechanism of action of such drops is the destruction of gases in the intestines, so the use of such drugs is completely safe due to the lack of absorption.
Medicines for a runny nose
Examples of nasal decongestants include: ephedrine, phenylephrine, xylometazoline, oxymetazoline. Otrivin baby is one of the topical drugs for the treatment of rhinitis. It is a long-acting decongestant that lasts for 8 to 12 hours. It should be used with caution in newborns.
Nazivin for children up to 1 year can be used in a concentration of 0.025%. Its use in newborns is permitted by the instructions. Nazol baby, like Nazivin, is a drug whose active ingredient is oxymetazoline. It can also be used in children from birth.
Saline is a drop that contains sodium chloride, so it is a regular salt drop. It can be used more than three times a day to clean the nasal passages.
Vibrocil is a combination of drops that contain phenylephrine as the main vasoconstrictor, and dimethindene as an antihistamine. Given this composition, such drops are not recommended for newborns, but can be used as prescribed by a doctor.
Interferon as a local antiviral agent can be safely used in newborns. The drug Grippferon is a recombinant interferon that acts on viruses directly on the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity. This leads to an increase in local immunity. But the drug does not affect the runny nose itself, so it is necessary to use other drops separately.
Derinat is one of the groups of nasal drops that do not exhibit vasoconstrictive action, but have a broad immunomodulatory property. The active substance of the drug is sodium chloride and sodium deoxyribonucleate. The drug has a local anti-inflammatory property, immunomodulatory, increases the local defenses of the nasal mucosa. The pharmacodynamics of the drug is such that it stimulates the activation of B- and T-cell immunity, which increases the reactivity of the mucosa to viruses and bacteria.
The pharmacokinetics of this drug is based on its rapid absorption and distribution by transport through the lymphatic pathways, which further enhances immune protection.
Miramistin is a broad-spectrum drug due to its active antiseptic property. The main effect of the drug is due to the destruction of bacteria and viruses. This allows local attack of pathogens and accelerates recovery. In newborns, the use of the drug is not indicated in the instructions, so it should be used only when absolutely necessary.
The main thing to know about nasal drops is that they are symptomatic treatment. And the use of any drops will not be able to reduce the time of treatment of a runny nose to less than one and a half weeks. As for a newborn child, the drops should be used with caution, and if they are vasoconstrictors, then no more than three times a day. Side effects are the same for all drugs in this group. Side effects of nasal decongestants include: burning, sneezing, dryness, local irritation, rapid heartbeat, tremors may also occur.
Dosing and administration
Storage conditions
Storage conditions are no different from those of other medicines, with mandatory restrictions for children.
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Analogues and reviews
An alternative to saline nasal drops is to use a simple saline solution. You can also make saline drops at home. Fill a small saucepan with distilled water and bring to a boil. Boil the water for 10 minutes to eliminate any bacterial impurities.
Measure 1/4 teaspoon of non-iodized or kosher salt and 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda and add them to 1 cup of warm water. It is important to use the correct amount of salt, baking soda, and water because if the solution is too salty, it can irritate the mucous membrane. Then add the salt and baking soda to the water. Continue stirring until completely dissolved. The salt solution can be stored for 24 hours in a clean container.
Reviews from mothers regarding the treatment of a runny nose lead to one thing - the main thing is to improve breathing through the nose of your baby using different methods. To do this, you need to use an aspirator, saline drops, and vasoconstrictors.
There are different nasal drops for babies, but the main thing you should remember is that you should not harm the child, but only help. Any drops should be used only according to age and the correct dosage. The main thing is that your child sleeps and eats peacefully, and you should help him with this not only with the help of drops, but also with other methods.
Attention!
To simplify the perception of information, this instruction for use of the drug "Drops for newborns for nasal congestion, runny nose" translated and presented in a special form on the basis of the official instructions for medical use of the drug. Before use read the annotation that came directly to medicines.
Description provided for informational purposes and is not a guide to self-healing. The need for this drug, the purpose of the treatment regimen, methods and dose of the drug is determined solely by the attending physician. Self-medication is dangerous for your health.