In children and adults, a runny nose is a characteristic sign of acute respiratory diseases that are seasonal in nature. In autumn and spring, with a decrease in immunity, susceptibility to various infections increases. The risk group is children attending educational institutions. In the first days after infection, a liquid and transparent discharge from the nose begins. If you do not immediately take the necessary measures, then all conditions are created for the development of bacterial microflora. Most often these are streptococci and staphylococci.
There can be many reasons for a cold in a child, from a common allergy to dangerous and rare infections. It is good if the condition of the crumbs improves after applying the common and usual means for treating the common cold. But what if the snot in a child does not go away for a long time and even antibiotics do not help? In no case should you let the situation drift!
How long should a normal runny nose go?
Nasal congestion with proper diagnosis and treatment lasts no more than two weeks. On average, a runny nose goes away in 7–10 days. Only a ENT doctor can correctly diagnose and prescribe treatment for long-lasting snot in a child. Parents trying to heal their baby on their own are at risk of "healing" the disease.
Runny nose, lasting more than two weeks, goes into the chronic stage. Treatment of lingering rhinitis can last several months. If the snot in a child does not go away for a very long time, then the physical and emotional state of the baby will suffer. A prolonged runny nose can cause complications and serious health consequences.
Doctor's fault
There are situations when, after proper treatment and observation, the specialist still does not get snot from the child. The disease goes into a chronic stage. Parents do not want to understand the problem and begin to blame the doctors.
Complications primarily develop against the background of a viral disease, which the child’s immunity could not cope with. With a decrease in the protective functions of the body, bacterial infection can occur, which contributes to the development of chronic rhinitis. Immunity could decline even before the illness due to a lack of vitamins, malnutrition and stress. The disease only exacerbates the situation. In the event of chronic rhinitis due to reduced immunity, treatment should be started with the use of complex means containing essential oils. As a rule, these are nasal drops on natural ingredients. In addition to aseptic action, these drugs contribute to the normalization of nasal breathing. If after such treatment the child does not go snot for a long time, then in combination with these drugs, physiotherapy and inhalation from herbs containing useful essential oils are used - tea tree, thyme, juniper. Rinsing the nasal cavity with saline solutions is the most effective and popular type of treatment. It has no contraindications and is not addictive. Well-established aspirators. They are used when the child cannot blow his nose on his own.
Whites
The secretion of mucus from the nose is only a symptom of a disease or the result of an allergen entering the bloodstream. If the child does not go through white snot for a long time - this is either the beginning of the disease, or its complications.
Most often, white snot occurs in the autumn-winter period as a result of the interaction of viruses with the nasal mucosa. This can happen with weakened immunity. With infectious or viral etiology, an increased body temperature is observed. Children with strong protective functions of the body practically do not respond to such attacks. Still white snot can be the result of hypothermia or overheating, when the functioning of the mucous membrane is impaired.
There are a number of diseases in which the discharge from the nose turns white: adenoidid, sinusitis, sinusitis, complications after flu and measles, ethmoiditis, polyps.
During the neonatal period, white snot indicates poor adaptation. They can occur due to complications in childbirth.
If the child does not pass transparent snot for a long time, while the process of teething occurs, do not worry. More than half of the children during this period have nasal discharge.
If the baby is one year old and the snot does not go away, you need to know that white snot can appear during the period of replacing breastfeeding with artificial.
With the vasomotor type of discharge, the cause is dry air, inhalation of toxic substances such as paints or tobacco smoke, stressful situation.
Drug rhinitis is also characterized by light snot.
Yellow
Such snot occurs before recovery and can be released within a week. They soon pass, and recovery comes. But you have to be alert. If the yellow snot in a child does not go away for a long time, they may indicate the development of sinusitis. It can be recognized by other symptoms of the disease - headaches and fever.
With inflammation of the tonsils in the nasopharynx, bacteria can penetrate the sinuses, middle ear and even bronchi. If the yellow snot is accompanied by a constantly open mouth and snoring in a dream - tonsils should be checked.
If an allergic rhinitis has not been cured on time, then the discharge from the nose can also turn yellow.
The curvature of the nasal septum is the cause of a constant runny nose and yellow snot.
Foreign objects in the nasal cavity cause yellow suppuration.
A yellow tinge of mucus appears in young children as a result of being indoors with too dry air.
The snot in a child acquires a yellow-brown color with frequent nosebleeds.
Green
This color of mucous secretions is associated with an enzyme contained in white blood cells that destroy bacteria. After cleavage of pathogenic microflora, neutrophils (leukocytes) die too, the enzyme is released and stains the discharge. The brighter the greens, the more bacteria are contained in the body and the stronger the inflammation.
Green snot in a child does not go away for a long time if there is a complication after flu and other infectious diseases. Another such color will indicate ethmoiditis, sinusitis and frontal sinusitis.
Only sometimes, greens from the nose can occur as a complication of an allergic rhinitis.
Cold rhinitis
Liquid discharge from the nasal cavity, sneezing, shortness of breath can occur after hypothermia. In this case, the doctor diagnoses ARVI and prescribes symptomatic treatment. Do not think that an ordinary cold will pass by itself. If the child’s snot is green and does not go away for a long time, it means a complication of a catarrhal disease.
Allergic etiology
Determining the nature of the common cold can be very difficult. Both allergies and colds begin with nasal congestion, discharge from the eyes, and sore throat. It is important to identify allergic rhinitis in the initial stage. A mistake in treatment can result in such serious complications as Quincke's edema, anaphylactic shock, or even coma.
Manifestations of allergies are a reaction of the body with increased immune functions. If the snot in the child does not pass, this may mean that the pathogen is nearby. After diagnosis by a specialist, parents must comply with certain requirements for the organization of the regimen and nutrition of the patient. For a speedy recovery, it is necessary to carry out daily wet cleaning in the house, ventilate the children's room and revise the usual diet. If necessary, the doctor will prescribe antihistamines. Rinsing the nose with saline is also indicated for allergic rhinitis.
Bacterial etiology
Unlike an allergic rhinitis caused by a child’s increased immunity, chronic rhinitis is characterized by reduced protective functions of the body. To strengthen immunity, the doctor may prescribe multivitamins and immunostimulants. They will have an antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effect on the child's body. Hardening procedures and daily walks will not be superfluous, but only in the absence of a high temperature in the patient. Do not be afraid that such measures will harm the child. Everything that helps strengthen immunity will be useful. Do not lock the child in four walls with a tightly closed window. This may contribute to the rapid development of complications.
Runny nose
Chronic inflammation of the nasal mucosa occurs after prolonged use of vasoconstrictor drugs. An allergy to the components of the drug may also develop. In this case, the sensitivity to the drug action gradually decreases, and then finally disappears. There is a drug dependence of the body. In order not to get atrophy of the nasal mucosa, it is necessary to use drugs strictly according to the instructions and on the advice of a doctor. Uncontrolled intake of nasal drops causes swelling of the mucosa and its hyperemia. The mucous membrane dries up and polyps form on it. They cause discomfort and make breathing difficult. Removing polyps is a rather painful procedure. After surgery, they can form again, and the treatment is delayed for many years.
Medical rhinitis is observed by ENT doctors. Treatment is carried out using conservative and surgical therapy with a complete rejection of the drugs against which it arose.
Children's doctor Yevgeny Olegovich Komarovsky about a prolonged runny nose in children
Recognize a prolonged runny nose, according to the doctor, by the following signs:
- Unilateral nasal congestion.
- Nasal discharge may be watery or thick.
- Constantly ajar mouth.
- Swelling of the nasal mucosa.
- Gnarled speech.
- Lack of sensitivity to odors and taste of food.
- Snore.
- Headache.
- Intestinal disorders in the form of diarrhea and vomiting. If nasal breathing is difficult, then this is due to the large amount of air entering the stomach when food is swallowed.
- Change in emotional state. The child becomes tearful and irritable.
- Weight loss occurs due to lack of appetite.
According to Dr. Komarovsky, snot does not go away for a long time in a child for various reasons, but the most important thing to remember: several months of difficulty in nasal breathing can contribute to a delay in the development of the child. The reason for this will be oxygen starvation of the brain.
Abundant liquid secretions are absolutely not dangerous for the child. The main thing is to prevent them from drying out. The crusts contain a sufficient amount of protein so that they become a breeding ground for bacteria to grow. Thick green mucus can indicate both the bacterial nature of the occurrence, and the mixed - virus-bacterial. Yellow-green snot indicates only a bacterial disease.
According to Komarovsky, it is not difficult to determine the real cause of a prolonged runny nose. If you take mucus for bacterial sowing, then it can be used to identify which type of treatment to choose. With a large number of lymphocyte cells, a runny nose is of a viral nature. If there are many neutrophils, the nature of the disease is bacterial. If eosinophil cells predominate - an allergic rhinitis.
Evgeny Olegovich calls the appearance of green coloring of snot a good sign. This means that protective cells do their job.
Interestingly, bacterial rhinitis can be recognized even in the early stages by such signs as itching and sneezing. The difference from an allergic rhinitis is that it does not sneeze for more than 2-3 hours, after which it "runs away" for 3-5 days. Then the mucus becomes thick, headaches begin, tears flow, appetite is disturbed, the nose is completely blocked. And only after all this do real green snot appear.
You can treat a bacterial rhinitis without antibiotics, if there are no complications. But still, parents should not make their own diagnoses and prescribe treatment. Only a doctor can determine why a child does not go snot for a long time. Other diseases, such as tonsillitis or pharyngitis, also have similar symptoms. Complications of a bacterial rhinitis are otitis media and sinusitis.
Many parents don’t see a dangerous disease in the common cold and bring sick children to kindergarten. And Evgeny Olegovich does not see anything good in this. While the mucus is not normal, it is better to sit at home. No one will rinse the baby’s nose with saline during the day so that he does not have complications. Only relatives and friends can do this with all their care and love.
It is good if it is possible to create a humidity level of 50-70% in the baby’s room. If there is no special humidifier, you can hang wet material on the radiators or put a container of water in the room. Even an aquarium with fish will be a humidifier.
High temperature at home also contributes to a more rapid development of infection. For a speedy recovery, a room thermometer should show from +18 to +20 degrees.
What does Dr. Komarovsky advise instead of antibiotics?
A lot of time in the fresh air will help the nasal mucosa recover and resist the effects of pathogenic bacteria. Another helper is plain water. The more a child drinks, the more liquid the mucus becomes. Such mucus comes out of the nasal passages more easily. Evgeny Olegovich recommends giving water that is appropriate for the child’s body temperature. So the liquid is better absorbed into the intestines, which will give a positive result.
Dr. Komarovsky does not recommend
- If the snot in a child does not pass for a long time, nasal drops with antibiotics should not be used. With viral and allergic rhinitis, they do not help. On the contrary, they can provoke an allergy. An addiction to the antibiotic is dangerous, and when it is needed, it will be powerless against a complex infection.
- Use of vasoconstrictor drugs at the beginning of a viral disease is impractical. You can not deal with mucous secretions in the initial stage, since they are a natural protective reaction of the body to the penetration of viruses.
- If the green snot does not pass in the child, you do not need to irrigate the nasal mucosa with the juice of vegetables or aloe. This leads to the rapid reproduction of pathogenic microflora.
- Do not bury your nose with breast milk. It is an excellent breeding ground for bacteria.
Prevention
Simple actions will help prevent inflammation of the nasal mucosa and avoid complications after ARVI:
- It is better to dress the child in the weather, in order to prevent hypothermia.
- Personal hygiene and cleanliness in the baby's room contribute to strengthening his health and immunity.
- Hardening and balanced nutrition also make the child resistant to colds.
- During seasonal epidemics, you should not visit crowded places with children: entertainment complexes, cinemas and supermarkets.
- If a patient appears in the family, it is better to isolate him from the child.