As sad as it may be, not a single child has yet grown up without colds and illnesses. Often a symptom of these pathologies is a runny nose. In this case, the snot can be very liquid and transparent or have a thick consistency and a bright yellow-green tint. This article will tell you how to treat a runny nose in a 2 year old child. Often at this age, babies go to kindergartens. It is there that the greatest risk of contracting viral or bacterial infections arises. Also, from the information presented, you will learn how to treat a runny nose in a 2-year-old child with folk remedies.
The nature of the symptom
Before treating a runny nose in a 2-year-old child, it is worth learning about what caused his appearance. The baby’s sap can be physiological. In most cases, they do not require any additional correction. Also, a runny nose sometimes appears due to environmental influences. The cause of mucus in the nose can be dry air.
Viral and bacterial snot should always be treated with the help of a specialist. However, often mothers and fathers try to overcome the disease on their own. Allergy is another cause of the common cold. To determine exactly how to treat a runny nose in a 2-year-old child and find out the main cause of the symptom, consult your ENT specialist. If there is no such specialist in your clinic, then at least see a pediatrician.
Self-correction: expert opinion
Before treating a runny nose in a 2-year-old child at home, it is necessary to consult a doctor. Remember that there can be many causes for this unpleasant symptom. Often with improper therapy, parents independently bring the problem to the onset of serious complications. At the same time, the baby already needs a more serious and expensive treatment.
Doctors strongly do not recommend self-assignment. Often parents come to the pharmacy network and ask the pharmacist to advise them on any drug. However, they do not think that the pharmacist is not a doctor. The drug seller does not know the true problem of your baby. Remember that any drug should be given to the child only after the appointment of a doctor. Consider the basic medicines that you can use at home.
Spout flushing
Before treating a runny nose in a 2-year-old child with drugs, it is necessary to rinse the nasal passages. Surely the baby still does not know how to blow his nose. Therefore, you will need an aspirator. Now there are a great many devices for removing mucus from the nose, but the most popular is the Otrivin aspirator.
Washing can be carried out by such compounds as Aqualor, Aquamaris, Rinostop, and so on. All of them are approved for use in children after the first year of life. Many are available from birth. You can also prepare a saline solution yourself. To do this, boil a liter of water, add a teaspoon of salt into it, then cool. At each rinse, inject 5-10 drops of fluid into each nostril. Then remove the mucus with an aspirator.
Physiological treatment of the common cold
If a child has a runny nose due to dry air (2 years), how to treat it? First, pay attention to the conditions in which the baby is. The air temperature in the room should be at the level of 18-22 degrees. Also, air humidity cannot be lower than 50-60 percent.
In order to eliminate dry air and thereby cure the nozzles - moisten the room. This can be done using modern appliances. If you don’t have the opportunity to purchase one, just hang wet towels or diapers. Also, some mothers arrange water containers around the room. This option is less effective, but also effective. Ventilate the room more often with a runny nose.
Sleep and rest
How to treat a runny nose for a child (2 years)? Komarovsky - a famous pediatrician - says that for a sick child it is necessary to provide the most comfortable conditions. First of all, this is the position of the body during sleep. Lay the pillow up. You can use the means at hand to slightly raise the head of the bed.
If this is not done, then during sleep, the nozzles will flow down the back of the throat. Often this is accompanied by a cough. Moreover, inexperienced parents begin to treat the described symptom. However, antitussive drugs in this situation are redundant.
Drink plenty of food and good nutrition
How to treat a runny nose in a 2-year-old child at home? In order for the sneakers to go faster - it is necessary to properly organize the regime and place of stay of the child. With a cold, the baby needs more rest. Do not force the baby to get up at the usual time. If the baby wants to sleep longer - provide this opportunity.
Do not force the child to eat. Especially if he doesn’t want to. Make your child a delicious drink that he loves. During the illness a variety of fruit drinks and freshly squeezed juices are very useful. Tea with lemon, honey and raspberries will increase immunity and bring about a recovery time. Give the patient more ordinary water.
With severe nasal congestion
If a child has a runny nose (2 years), how to treat it? With severe nasal congestion, it is advisable to use vasoconstrictor medications. Without them, a runny nose can often be complicated by otitis media due to existing edema. The most popular and prescribed agents are drops and sprays “Nazivin”, “Vibrocil”, “Snoop”, “Rinostop” and so on. Most of these products contain xylometazoline or phenylephrine.
Please note that such drugs can not be used for more than five days in a row. Some are completely allowed for a period of three days. Many sprays are allowed for use from two (some from 6) years. The use of vasoconstrictor drugs should be carried out strictly according to the instructions. Otherwise, addiction to the medicine will occur.
Antiviral medicines
If your child is 2 years old, a bad cold than what to treat? Most often, the symptom appears with a viral lesion. In this case, an increase in body temperature and general weakness can be observed. If antiviral therapy is started on time, then recovery occurs within a few days.
Among the antiviral drugs that can be used at home, one can distinguish Derinat, Ingaron, IRS 19, Interferon, and so on. All of them are sold in pharmacy chains without a prescription from a doctor. Treatment with these medicines is performed for 3-10 days.
Bacterial origin
How to treat a runny nose in a 2 year old child? Green snot suggests that the origin of the pathology is bacterial. In this case, appropriate medications are required. In the absence of proper therapy, the disease can be complicated by bronchitis or pneumonia.
Most often, doctors prescribe antibacterial drugs for home use. These are drops of Isofra, Polydex and Protargol. The last type of drug is the safest. The basis of this medicine is silver. The medication has an antiseptic, drying and anti-inflammatory effect. Less commonly, you may need to take an antibiotic inside. In this case, the recommendation should be given by a doctor. Amoxicillin or azithromycin based preparations are used.
Homemade drops
How to treat a runny nose in a 2-year-old child at home? Correction can be carried out with alternative drugs or improvised means. Often, parents independently prepare drops for the baby. Here are some popular and effective recipes:
- grate the onion, add a few drops of olive oil and dilute with boiled water;
- take vitamins A and E in the same proportion, add a teaspoon of liquid honey;
- squeeze beet juice and mix it with honey in a ratio of 2 to 1.
Burrowing such home-made medicines is permissible up to 5 times a day. Be sure to monitor the baby's reaction to treatment.
Folk recipes
What is the best way to treat a runny nose for a child? 2 years is an age in which you still do not want to give medicines, but you also need not to delay the treatment. Many parents resort to folk correction methods. Perhaps they are helping someone. However, if improvement has not occurred within a few days, then it is better to consult a doctor. Also, if the baby worsens, urgently go to the clinic. Here are some popular and effective events:
- Warming up the legs. Often with a cold, parents warm their feet. To do this, use mustard, iodine mesh, ointments based on essential oils and other means. Such treatment is acceptable in the absence of temperature in the baby.
- Hot tub. Warming up a child in a bath or bath is another option. In this case, you can use essential oils. They will facilitate breathing and accelerate the regeneration of damaged mucous membranes. A condition of treatment is also the absence of fever.
- Inhalation. Breathing steam - grandmother's treatment for the common cold. However, many experts now dispute its effectiveness. Where inhalation pencils, for example, "Golden Star", are of great benefit.
- Thermal treatments. You can warm up the sinuses with a boiled egg or heated salt. Remember that this manipulation is permissible only in the absence of purulent separation from the nasal passages.
Medicinal herbs with anti-inflammatory, expectorant and antiseptic effects will be useful for the child. However, they must be given very carefully, because there is a likelihood of an allergic reaction. Consult your doctor for this treatment.
Short conclusion
You have learned how and how to treat a runny nose in a 2-year-old child at home. If complications occur, hospitalization is sometimes required. In this case, the correction is carried out already in the walls of the hospital under the supervision of doctors. Remember that improper treatment and untimely access to a doctor is the first cause of complications. If your baby is bothering with a runny nose, it is worth showing it to the local pediatrician. Health to the child!