5 Ways to Overcome Nasal Congestion in Children

Nasal congestion often interferes with children's activities, especially during sleep. To overcome this, you can apply several ways to deal with nasal congestion in children at home. Nasal congestion occurs when the tissue in the nasal cavity becomes irritated and swollen. This condition can be caused by various things. However, in children, nasal congestion is generally caused by a common cold.

Apart from coughing and colds, nasal congestion in children can also be caused by various other things, ranging from allergies, sinusitis, vasomotor rhinitis, to more serious conditions, such as nasal polyps, to Churg-Strauss syndrome.

How to Overcome Nasal Congestion in Children

As previously mentioned, although it can lead to a serious condition, complaints of nasal congestion in children are more often the result of a common cold or a cold cough. This condition will usually subside on its own within a week. However, if you feel anxious, especially if your little one becomes fussy or complains that they can't breathe freely, there are several things you can do to relieve the nasal congestion that he is experiencing, including:

1. Give the child more fluid intake

For toddlers, you can give them more fluid intake, either water, fruit juices, or warm soups, to help thin the mucus that has accumulated in the nose so that it comes out more easily. However, if your little one is under 6 months old, you can help relieve the stuffy nose he is experiencing by breastfeeding him as often as possible.

2. Bathe the child with warm water

The next way you can do to relieve nasal congestion in children is to bathe them in warm water. Not only does it make him feel more comfortable, the moist air from warm steam can also open the little one's nasal cavity and thin the mucus in his nose to make it easier to come out.

Read Too: Can Babies Bathe When They Have a Fever?

In addition to taking a warm bath, Mother also overcomes nasal congestion in Little One with steam therapy. This can be done by turning on a warm shower or filling the tub with hot water. Then, take your little one into the bathroom and close the bathroom door tightly. After that, accompany your little one and let him breathe in the warm steam in the bathroom so he can breathe easy.

3. Adjust the child's sleeping position

Sleeping position with the head higher than the body is known to relieve nasal congestion. You can do this by helping your little one sleep using two pillows. However, avoid using too many pillows, yes, Bun. The reason is, sleeping with your head too high can actually make your little one's neck hurt, making it difficult for him to sleep comfortably.

4. Use a snot suction tool

A nasal aspirator or a snot suction device can be used to help remove mucus or mucus that is stuck in a child's nose, especially if the child is not able to blow his own nose. To use it, lay your baby down or tilt his head first. Then, put 2-3 drops of saline solution into each nostril and wait 60 seconds to loosen the mucus in the blocked nose. After that, help the child to sit back down. Press down on the nasal aspirator and insert the dropper or tip into the nose. Then loosen the pressure on the nasal aspirator until the mucus or mucus in the nose is sucked into it.

5. Avoid exposure to air pollution

If the nasal congestion experienced by children is caused by allergies, you should avoid exposure to air pollution, such as cigarette smoke and dust. The reason is, exposure to dust and smoke can exacerbate irritation or allergies that your little one has, so that nasal congestion complaints get worse. If necessary, also use a humidifier to keep the air in your little one's house or room moist. By keeping the air moist, irritation in your little one's nose can be reduced and mucus that clogs is easier to expel.

In adults, nasal congestion can be overcome by taking drugs on the market, such as decongestants and antihistamines. However, these drugs are not safe for consumption by children, especially if children are under 4 years old.

Read Too: Recognize the Symptoms of Dangerous Baby Diseases and How to Handle It

Therefore, if the nasal congestion complaint in your child does not improve even though the mother has tried various ways to deal with nasal congestion in the child above, take the child to the doctor for further examination to get the appropriate treatment.