A long runny nose in a child causes. Chronic runny nose in a child: possible causes, diagnosis of concomitant pathologies, consequences. Folk recipes for a lingering cold for children

Treatment of a protracted runny nose in children must be carried out without fail, but you should only know the exact diagnosis. We are talking about a runny nose that lasts more than two weeks. The cause is both colds and an allergic reaction. Parents of children under three years of age should be especially attentive to the problem. At this age, not all drugs are approved for use.

Acute manifestations of the common cold disturb the first 7-10 days of the disease. Already in the following days, the symptom becomes protracted. In this case, you should definitely consult a doctor to exclude complications and alleviate the condition of the child.

Factors that lead to prolonged snot in a child:

• decreased immunity;
• severe hypothermia;
• dry air in the room;
• predisposition to allergic manifestations;
• the presence of adenoids;
• snot can drag on due to chronic infections or due to an untreated cold;
• anatomical defects or acquired injuries of the nasal passages.

A prolonged runny nose in a child can be recognized not only by the fact that it does not subside even after 10 days. There are other signs as well.

1. Congestion and swelling of the nasal cavity, and in the presence of infection, the symptom is constantly disturbing, and occurs periodically during allergies.
2. The child's condition is deteriorating. He looks lethargic, tired, eats poorly, may complain of pain in his head.
3. With a bacterial infection, the snot may be thick, viscous, dark green or brown in color. In the case of allergies, the mucus in the nose is viscous and clear.
4. The sense of smell may decrease.
5. Deterioration of sleep and appetite.
6. An overdose of vasoconstrictor drugs is indicated by itching in the nasal passages and crusts on the mucous membrane.

You need to urgently consult a doctor if prolonged rhinitis is accompanied by copious discharge from the nose, there is a cough, wheezing is heard, and body temperature has risen.

It is imperative to treat a runny nose. If the runny nose drags on, while free breathing is disturbed, problems with the heart and bronchi can develop. One of the severe complications is arrhythmia and bronchial asthma. An untreated runny nose can lead to sinusitis or otitis media.

allergic nature

If the cause of a prolonged runny nose is an allergy, then it is necessary, if possible, to eliminate irritating factors. It can be indoor plants, pets, feather pillows, dust, powders. The most common cause is food allergies: honey, nuts, citrus fruits, chocolate.

The immune system begins to counteract the irritant, a lot of mucus is released. Therefore, with allergies, not only a long runny nose in a child without a rise in temperature is disturbing, but also tearing, difficulty breathing, swelling and itching. Additionally, a rash can be found on the body.

How to treat a chronic runny nose in a child of allergic origin? The following actions and drugs can help.

1. Regular washing of the nasal mucosa with saline solutions is recommended. You can use saline, Physiomer or Aquamaris.
2. Antihistamines of general action are prescribed: Cetrin, Zirtek, Fenistil, Suprastin.
3. Vibrocil nasal drops or glucocorticosteroids, such as Nasonex, may be prescribed. These drugs are able to eliminate foci of inflammation, relieve swelling.

How to get rid of allergic rhinitis? Be sure to follow a hypoallergenic diet, if possible, find out the irritating factor in order to eliminate it.

Infectious course of the disease

It is necessary to treat a prolonged runny nose resulting from an infectious lesion of the respiratory organs. An infection caused by bacteria or viruses spreads to the lower respiratory tract. The pathological process involves the bronchi and lungs.

The cause of a prolonged runny nose in a child can be sinusitis. In addition to nasal congestion, there is pain that increases when the head is tilted down.

It may be necessary to treat a prolonged runny nose in a child with the use of the following groups of drugs.

• Before instillation of drugs, the nose is cleared of mucus, you can use a special aspirator. The use of saline solutions is recommended: Aquamaris, Aqualor, Quicks.
• It is necessary to limit or completely eliminate the use of vasoconstrictor drops. They dry the mucous membrane and lead to addiction.
• Be sure to help increase the body's defenses. For this purpose, vitamin complexes and immunomodulators can be prescribed.
• Washing the nose with an antiseptic Furacilin is effective.
• To thin the mucus, inhalations with Fluimucil can be prescribed.
• Vasoconstrictor drops for children over 3 years old, you can drip only 5-7 days. Often prescribed for children Otrivin, Nazivin.
• How to treat if a runny nose does not go away for a long time and purulent or green discharge from the nose appears? In this case, antibiotics are prescribed. Isofra or Polydex spray has a similar effect. Oral antibiotic tablets, such as Amoxicillin, may be prescribed.
• From a prolonged runny nose, Levomekol ointment can be prescribed. Using a cotton swab, the ointment is distributed over the nasal mucosa.
• Protracted rhinitis is sometimes cured with anti-inflammatory drugs: Pinosol, Sinupret, Tantum Verde.
• Derinat is able to relieve inflammation, eliminate swelling, heal the mucous surface, and increase immunity. It can be used up to 1 month.

Physiotherapy procedures, as well as acupressure, will help get rid of a prolonged runny nose in a child. At the level of the wings of the nose, circular movements are made clockwise. Massage is recommended three times a day.

If during a cold, in addition to a runny nose, there is also a cough, treatment involves the inclusion of other drugs that thin the sputum and bring it out.

Features of infancy

In infants, a long runny nose in the first two months may be the norm and be associated with physiological characteristics. Liquid discharge from the nose indicates the adaptation of the body to new environmental conditions.

The onset of a respiratory disease caused by bacteria or viruses is indicated by other symptoms: fever, cough, difficulty breathing. The child refuses milk, does not sleep well, constantly asks to be held. In this case, we are no longer talking about a physiological runny nose.

Allergies can also attack the fragile body of the baby. He often sneezes, there is lacrimation, swelling of the nasopharynx. The snot is liquid, transparent.

The nose of babies must be freed from mucus. Otherwise, excess mucus will flow into other organs, provoking bronchitis, otitis media. A special aspirator, which is sold in a pharmacy, will help. Before insertion into the nasal passage, press the pear to release air. Then they are released, as a result, all the mucus will be inside the pear.

It will not be possible to cure a protracted runny nose in a child without following the general recommendations:

• saline solutions should be used with caution;
• you can walk, but only if there is no temperature;
• a child older than 8 months can be supplemented with compotes, juices;
• the room must be regularly ventilated;
• daily need to do wet cleaning;
• medicines should be instilled into the nose, sprays should not be used.

How to cure a prolonged runny nose in a child up to a year? Treatment must be prescribed by a specialist after examination and additional examinations.

1. If the swelling of the nose becomes severe, the child is unable to suck milk because of it, does not sleep, then the doctor may prescribe vasoconstrictor drops, for example, Nazol Baby, Nazivin 0.01%. It is best to drip before daytime and nighttime sleep. They cannot be abused. For children under 2 years of age, vasoconstrictor drugs do not drip for more than three days.
2. With a prolonged runny nose in infants, you can use the combined drops of Vibrocil. They have anti-inflammatory, antihistamine, vasoconstrictive action.
3. Antiseptic preparations will help get rid of a protracted severe runny nose. Drops of Protargol, Albucid have such an effect. They can also treat a runny nose in infants.
4. To increase immunity, the doctor may prescribe an immunostimulating agent for the child: Grippferon, Genferon, Viferon.
5. For newborns, the drug Derinat is suitable. Drops will help remove swelling, cope with a prolonged runny nose and increase immunity. The dosage is equal to two drops in each nasal passage.
6. If there is dry air in the room, crusts in the baby’s nose, you can use oil formulations. For example, drops Pinosol, Kameton eliminate not only dryness, but also reduce inflammation.
7. In extreme cases, antibiotic medications may be prescribed. Drops of Polydex stop the reproduction of bacteria, eliminate inflammation, relieve swelling. The dosage is equal to one drop in each pass twice a day.

A runny nose can lead to complications. The baby loses weight, dehydration occurs. Can develop conjunctivitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, otitis media, ethmoiditis. Treatment is continued until complete recovery.

Prolonged runny nose, which experts call chronic rhinitis, is a severe inflammation of the nasal membrane. Pathology is most often not an independent disease, but a manifestation of other acute diseases, including infectious lesions, influenza, severe trauma to the nose and nasal septum. There is a prolonged runny nose due to the development of rhinitis, which has not been treated for a long time or unsuitable drugs have been used for therapy. In most cases, the disease manifests itself in children during the wet season, especially during the thaw period in winter. It is imperative to carry out treatment of the pathology in order to prevent its transition into a chronic form.

You can recognize the disease by a number of characteristic signs that are most often distinguished by patients and specialists:

• discharge from the nose lasts more than 10 days;
• there is difficulty in nasal breathing;
• the sense of smell has significantly worsened or completely disappeared;
• the usual phlegm from the nose has been replaced by thick and purulent masses, which may be yellow or green;
• in the nasal cavity there is a strong burning sensation or itching, aggravated after waking up;
• along with these symptoms, severe drowsiness, increased fatigue are noted;
• headaches are often noted;
• there is an accumulation of purulent masses in the nasopharynx;
• sleep became intermittent, it is quite difficult to fall asleep due to the reduced function of nasal breathing.

Attention! If these symptoms appear, you should immediately seek help from a specialist in order to exclude the development of sinusitis and other types of sinusitis. In children, such complications can develop quite quickly.

Video - How to treat a prolonged runny nose in a child

Chronic allergic rhinitis in children and its treatment

In children, such a pathology is most often provoked by an allergen that enters the body constantly. This may be due to inhalation of a harmful substance or due to direct contact. A lingering runny nose of an allergic nature in children can be caused by many factors, including flowering, house and street dust, excretions and pet hair.

If the cause is related to the flowering of indoor or outdoor plants, you should remove all flowers from the house, do not walk in places with a lot of flowering trees, and be sure to rinse the nasal cavity after going outside. It is also desirable to maintain normal humidity in the room and hide the windows with a special dust-catching mesh, which also traps pollen. In case of an allergic reaction to pets, even indirect contact with them is necessarily excluded in order to prevent deterioration of the condition.

The most difficult is the therapy to eliminate a protracted allergic rhinitis of an allergic nature due to the constant exposure to a house tick. In this case, upholstered furniture, pillows are completely removed, wet cleaning is constantly carried out.

Attention! Regardless of what caused a prolonged allergic rhinitis, antihistamines should be taken. They will reduce swelling of the mucousand will not allow inflammation to take on severe forms, including asthmatic ones.

Antihistamines for chronic colds

Fenkarol

A traditional drug that involves the use of 2 tablets 2-3 times a day. The dosage may vary according to the severity of the symptoms and the age of the child. The exact course of treatment is determined only by a specialist, in severe cases it can last up to two weeks. Take the medication 30 minutes after eating, so as not to reduce its effectiveness.

Tsetrin

Cetrin is one of the most modern drugs for the treatment of allergies.

One of the most modern drugs for the treatment of allergies, including in childhood. It is necessary to use the medication in individually selected dosages. Usually for children, the specialist recommends 5 mg of the active substance daily. Cetrin should be taken with or without food from one day to two weeks. For kidney problems, treatment with this antihistamine is strictly contraindicated.

Diazolin

A medicine is produced in the form of a dragee, which should be taken one hour before meals. The dosage of Diazolin is selected taking into account the age of the child and the specifics of a prolonged runny nose. The number of dragees can be equal to 6 per day, take the drug after the same period of time. The drug is well tolerated and rarely causes side effects.

Attention! It makes sense to take such drugs even with the non-allergenic nature of the pathology. They significantly accelerate the removal of puffiness and allow you to remove symptoms such as itching and burning..

Ultrasound and mineral therapy against prolonged rhinitis

The ultrasound and mineralization procedure is carried out using Vulkan-1, a preparation specially developed for the treatment of the common cold. He is able to distribute medical solutions containing medicinal salts from the Urals and Transcarpathia through the sinuses. Also for therapy, you can use sea salt and solutions of medicinal herbs. The liquid penetrates deep into the respiratory system, due to which they are cleansed, restored and healed.

Medicinal substances eliminate the nasal passages from harmful bacteria and infections, erosion of the mucous membrane and wounds on it completely disappear. At the same time, there is a significant moistening of the respiratory tract, the mucus becomes fluid, completely comes out, which eliminates congestion and further inflammation.

Also, after the procedure of mineralization and irrigation of healing solutions, it is recommended to disinfect the nasal cavity with ozone and ultraviolet radiation. This greatly accelerates the death of infection and viruses, and also relieves inflammation.

Attention! These methods are suitable for the treatment of any type of disorder in children. Before starting the sessions, it is imperative to seek help from your doctor, as there are contraindications.

Inhalations against prolonged rhinitis in children

For the treatment of children, such procedures are especially useful, since with the help of inhalations it is possible not only to cure a prolonged runny nose, but also to improve the tone of the respiratory system. There are several ways to carry out the procedure.

Attention! When using hot inhalations, care should be taken to ensure that the child does not burn the face with steam. If the baby is very mobile, it is better to refuse such treatment..

Vasoconstrictor drops for children

Tsipromed

A feature of these drops is the presence of an antibiotic in them, which allows not only to reduce inflammation, but also to remove all purulent masses. Tsipromed is used for purulent rhinitis only in the presence of thick green or yellow discharge. To achieve the desired effect, the baby may be advised to take 2 drops up to 4 times a day, the exact dose is checked with the doctor. Therapy lasts up to 10 days.

The drug is available in the form of a spray, which shows a quick effect. It makes breathing easier in just 3 minutes after use. To obtain a stable result, you can use the drug 2 times a day, two doses in each nostril. The course of treatment is no more than 5 days.

Suitable for use from the first year of life. Use the medication 1-2 drops in each nasal passage. The exact number of daily applications should be clarified with the pediatrician, since their number depends on the age of the baby. Usually you can not use Otrivin Baby more than three times a day. Additionally, Aquamaris saline solution should be used with drops. The duration of treatment is not more than 5 days.

Attention! Experts with a prolonged runny nose do not recommend further use of vasoconstrictor drops, since often a long-term symptom is provoked by their uncontrolled use, which is addictive. If there is no other choice, the type of drops should be changed every three days until a lasting effect is achieved..

The popular observation that no matter how you stuff a person with medicines for a cold, and for the prescribed week he will still sniffle, does not always work with little ones. Children may not cope with the cause of rhinitis in a period that is usually enough for a strong body to recover. A prolonged runny nose in a child for more than a couple of weeks can seriously concern his parents. The root of evil lies partly in the tender age and condition of the organism, which is still gaining strength and form. Before the age of four, children have nasal cavities and airways that are only partially functional. They are not yet able to fully warm up and humidify the inhaled air. Narrow short passages give way faster under the onslaught of mucus, swelling and making it difficult to breathe. The snot does not fulfill its protective function.

Often, parents believe that a prolonged runny nose in a child will go away on its own. But doctors are of a different opinion. Violation of the respiratory function inevitably leads to an excessive load on the heart muscle, the pulmonary apparatus. This can be the beginning of many protracted pathologies, respiratory infections of the upper and lower respiratory organs, and undermine the immune system. Only a qualified otolaryngologist is able to identify the objective cause of the ailment and prescribe adequate treatment.

Provocateurs

A constantly snotty nose is typical for children with a fragile immune system. Their protective functions are still weak against attacking pathogenic microbes and other factors. Rhinitis is often aggravated after being in a team in a kindergarten or school.

Allergy can be a significant cause of rhinitis. The reaction can be triggered by periodically recurring seasonal allergens (flowering plants) or by factors constantly present in the environment (household dust, pet hair).

Erroneous therapy or untreated acute lesions of the upper ENT organs can lead to chronic diseases of the maxillary sinuses and other nasal inflammations. A companion of these ailments is a prolonged runny nose in a child, which does not allow him to breathe calmly. The condition can be aggravated by prolonged exposure to a cold, damp environment.

There may be other provocateurs of a protracted runny nose:

• With dysfunction of the vascular tone in the nose, the mucosa inadequately vigorously releases a secret in response to any stimuli. This condition is considered to be vasomotor rhinitis.
• Abuse of local vasoconstrictors forms immunity. Instead of capillary constriction, we get hypersecretion of mucous secretions.
• Constant drying, irritation of the nasal mucosa is also caused by the dry air of the habitat of the crumbs.
• Hyperplasia of adenoid vegetations narrows and blocks the nasal passage, causing problems with the ears, respiratory diseases.
• Morphological anomalies of the nasal passages, formed as a result of a bruise or inherent in a child from birth, can also serve as a source of a prolonged runny nose in children.

Reasons for breastfeeding

Before understanding how to treat a prolonged runny nose in a child, it would be good to understand the factors that cause it.

The vulnerability of the growing respiratory organs and the low adaptation of the crumbs to the environment in the first months causes regular physiological rhinitis. There are no other painful symptoms. The baby is active, eats well, snores in a dream, with his mouth slightly open. Mucus is discharged from the nasal passages, but it is not dry, it comes out easily. This feature of the newborn disappears after the third month of life.

The very low humidity of the baby's habitat leads to drying of the mucous and protective secretion, turning it into dry scaly crusts. Breathing through the nose is difficult. But there are no exceptions as such.

Various allergens cause excess snot, sneezing, watery eyes due to an allergic response of the body. In rare cases, a rash on the epidermis is added to them.

Infectious rhinitis develops due to improper therapy when the respiratory tract is affected by bacteria or viruses. Accompanying the state of weakness, hyperthermia, unwillingness to eat. Green purulent exudate can indicate the bacterial nature of the pathology.

Warning signs

Certain symptoms should draw attention to themselves and raise doubts about their harmlessness. If the snot has been coming out of the baby's nose for more than a week, it has been disturbing sleep with wheezing and an aggravated cough, the baby is weakened, lethargic, gets tired faster than usual, take the situation seriously. Also indicate possible problems should be difficulty breathing through the nose, irritability, uncontrollability. Babies cannot fully suckle breast milk or formula from a bottle. The acuteness of the perception of smells, taste buds may decrease. Nasal secretion comes in different shades and thicknesses, from clear to hazy yellow. The latter circumstance should arouse vigilance, since this is a direct indication of the bacterial nature of rhinitis. They can become inflamed, redden eyelids, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat.

Symptoms in an infant

At first, the baby often sneezes due to capillary spasms. It bakes in the nose, irritated nasal membranes dry up, turn pale. They soon turn red. The nose begins to flow, it becomes difficult to breathe. Without treatment, the discharge becomes thick and greenish due to a bacterial lesion, to which a virus can attach over time.

Diagnostics

To find the objective cause and the very possibility of effective treatment, it is necessary to visit the ENT. After questioning and collecting complaints, the doctor examines the nasal cavity with the help of special mirrors. Inspection will reveal lesions in the lining of the nose, the presence of polyps. To clarify the inflammatory processes, you will have to take an x-ray of the paranasal sinuses.

If an allergy is suspected, tests and samples are taken to determine the irritant. The blood is examined for various indicators, a bacterial culture of the nasal secretion is performed.

Elimination of causes and therapy

How to treat a child with a prolonged runny nose depends on its source, the general well-being of the baby. Medicines may be needed, and perhaps a change in environmental conditions will be enough. Very young children are helped to recover by creating favorable conditions, strengthening their immunity with the help of natural immunomodulators.

It will help to dilute thick sputum and relieve dry cough by inhaling herbal tea infused with boiling water for a quarter of an hour through an inhaler. St. John's wort, marigold flowers, mint will be effective. It is useful to inhale a little coniferous essential oil in an aroma lamp or by dropping onto cotton wool. Use with success oils of aniseed fenugreek, creeping thyme. For three-year-olds and older children, you can point-point massage the areas of the nasal wings, applying the same oil.

Physiological runny nose

To improve the condition of the baby's nasal mucosa, it is enough to increase the humidity in the house above 50%, ventilate the rooms, keep the temperature at an acceptable comfortable minimum, regularly visit the child in the fresh air, and give enough water. Systematically pump out secretions from the nose, drip moisturizing saline solutions with sea water: five to six procedures during the day.

Allergic factor

When the body responds to the allergen with swelling of the nasal lining, clear discharge, constant sneezing without fever or other ailments, it is extremely important to remove the influence of the irritating factor. Regularly mop and dust floors, discard carpets. Tobacco smoke is a harmful irritant. Therapy consists in taking antihistamines, steroid hormones.

false rhinitis

With this ailment, the lining in the nose changes structurally, impairing blood circulation. Those suffering from it are tormented by constantly flowing colorless snot, clogged nose, inability to breathe, reduced recognition of odors, and resistance to treatment. With a mild form of the disease, histamine blockers and hormone therapy are prescribed. In advanced cases, surgical treatment may be required.

medicinal rhinitis

With prolonged instillation of vasoconstrictors into the nose, the opposite effect occurs. The use of vasoconstrictor drugs should be discontinued.

Do not torment children with nose drops of honey or milk, especially onion or garlic juice. There may be a mucosal burn, an outbreak of microorganism growth, thickening of mucus.

bacterial runny nose

Antimicrobial therapy is applied, initially local. It acts locally in the nasal region, bypassing the stomach. The active substances enter the blood in a minimal amount, without burdening the liver and excretory system with an extra load. And if the condition worsens, - in the form of injections, solutions or capsules. Medicines that lead to capillary constriction can be used for no longer than a week. Homeopathy acts against microbes, reduces inflammation. Doctors use the nasal lavage procedure, popularly called the "cuckoo". The nasal cavities are irrigated with disinfecting compounds, purulent exudate is sucked out.

Viral nature of the disease

If the body attacks the rhinovirus or adenovirus, SARS develops. At the same time, the secret from the nasal passages comes out colorless, the nose is clogged, aches, impotence throughout the body, the temperature jumps, the eyes are red, teary. In a week, the body usually copes with the disease. It is useful to strengthen its resistance with immunomodulators, vitamin preparations, hardening. In severe cases, antiviral drugs are prescribed.

Therapy should be carried out by the attending otolaryngologist. Untimely or incorrectly chosen treatment leads to serious health consequences in the form of inflammatory processes in the lungs, maxillary sinuses, bronchi, and ears.

As a rule, the transition of the common cold to a chronic form is caused by the improper use of antibiotics and vasoconstrictors. A runny nose is not treated with antibiotics. But to harm health, making the body immune to this class of drugs, when they are really needed, they can. And vasoconstrictors deceptively easily eliminate the symptoms, but do not affect the cause, give cardiac complications, delay healing. After all, they eliminate local protective mucus, disrupting blood circulation in the capillaries. Their use is allowed in rare cases of necessity strictly under medical supervision.

Acceptable non-traditional recipes

You can add auxiliary support to the arsenal of basic therapy with some traditional medicine recipes. Be sure to share your thoughts with your doctor, get his approval before applying these tips.

1. Symptomatic relief from a runny nose can bring droplets from beetroot, carrot juice, from the leaves of Kalanchoe, agave, chamomile broth. Strengthens endurance intake of onion juice mixed with sugar.
2. If you overcome a cough, applying mustard plasters moistened with warm water with the back side to the chest area, the back of the baby will help. The kid wraps himself in warm clothes, warms up to twenty minutes. After removing them, spread the skin with baby cream, send the baby to sleep in warmth.
3. You can warm the legs for a couple of hours with mustard plasters, putting them in dry warm socks. The first time you need to wait up to five minutes, making sure that there is no allergic reaction. Otherwise, you must immediately stop the procedure. You can not use this method with crumbs younger than a year. It is also prohibited with hyperthermia. The epidermis should be healthy, without wounds.

Treat all the respiratory ailments of your child, strengthen and harden his growing body.

Prolonged runny nose in children (aka chronic rhinitis) is an inflammation of the nasal mucosa, which lasted more than 7 days. If you do not urgently begin to eliminate it, complications may arise that can even lead to disability.

Most often, a prolonged runny nose in babies appears in winter, when the weather is damp and the thaw begins. In order for the disease not to become chronic, it is necessary to treat it in a timely manner.

Types of rhinitis

A child may begin a prolonged runny nose of different types, each of which is characterized by its own symptoms. Consider the features of each of them:

1. Vasomotor - appears due to increased sensitivity of the nasal mucosa to various irritants (cigarette smoke, strong odors, chemicals, etc.). This type of disease can also develop as a result of foreign objects entering the nose, due to stress or certain pathologies (for example, adenoids, deviated septum) (see also:).
2. Allergic - occurs due to the ingestion of an irritant (dust, pollen, animal hair, etc.) on the nasal mucosa. Such a runny nose can cause a child to sneeze, clear discharge from the nasal passages, shortness of breath, severe lacrimation, rashes on the skin, cough, etc.
3. Infectious rhinitis develops as a result of pathogens (viruses, fungi, bacteria) entering the nasal mucosa. Microbes provoke its inflammation.

Causes of a protracted runny nose in children

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You should not start treating a runny nose in a child without finding out the cause of its occurrence. It can signal the development of a dozen different diseases, many of which are quite serious. Consider the main causes of rhinitis in children 2-4 years old. It is provoked:

• allergic reaction;
• sinusitis;
• injury or damage to the nasal mucosa;
• hyperplasia of adenoid tissues (we recommend reading:);
• dryness in the room;
• abuse of nasal drops.

allergic reactions

Allergens that contribute to the occurrence of a runny nose can get on the baby's nasal mucosa. In this case, pollen, cigarette smoke, dust, food (strawberries, milk, chocolate, honey, eggs), animal hair, etc. act as irritants.

Signs of allergic rhinitis are frequent sneezing, white transparent mucus from the sinuses, skin itching, urticaria, conjunctivitis. There are also more severe cases when a runny nose provokes the development of spasms in the bronchi, and it is very difficult for the baby to exhale.

A runny nose can be allergic in nature and occur when an allergen gets on the nasal mucosa

Sinusitis

If a child does not have a runny nose for a long time, then this may indicate complications, one of which is sinusitis. This pathology consists in the accumulation of pus in the sinuses of the nose, as a result of which the inflammatory process begins. Sinusitis in children requires complex treatment, during which antibiotics are necessarily used. If the disease is very advanced, the baby may need a puncture or sinus lavage.

Sinusitis is manifested by severe headache and ear pain. If a child at 2-4 years old makes such complaints, then he should be quickly shown to the doctor in order to avoid complications such as meningitis, deafness, and mental retardation.

Trauma or damage to the mucosa

Rhinitis can occur as a result of mechanical, chemical or thermal damage, that is, as a result of injury to the nasal mucosa. An injury can occur, for example, due to the "favorite" activity of some children - picking their nose with a finger, pen, pencil.

Depending on the degree of damage, the doctor prescribes the necessary treatment. If the mucosa is not severely injured, then everything can be corrected with the help of wound healing agents. In other cases, surgical intervention is required.

Hyperplasia of adenoid tissues

Another reason why children 2-4 years old develop a prolonged runny nose is hyperplasia (pathological growth) of adenoid tissues near the base of the nasal cavity from the side of the pharynx.

An enlarged tonsil blocks the nasal passages, preventing the child from breathing normally. The accumulation of snot is accompanied by a constant sensation of a lump in the throat and a violation of nasal breathing. Pathology is quite common in babies.

Dryness in the room

Due to its structure, a child's nose, unlike an adult, reacts negatively to poor-quality air. If the air in the room is too dry, the body may react to it with a prolonged runny nose.

In order to save the child from this type of rhinitis, you just need to humidify the air. If the parents do not have such an opportunity, then there is only one thing left - to stock up on clean scarves and wait for the heating season to end.

Abuse of nasal drops

There are two reasons for the development of a runny nose from drugs:

• as a side effect of the drug taken;
• rebound effect (when drugs are taken in excessive doses).

The second type of rhinitis, which is also called drug-induced, can manifest itself 4-6 days after the start of treatment for the common cold with vasoconstrictors. If the drops are used longer than the period recommended by the doctor, the mucous membrane gets used to them, and the treatment becomes ineffective. The drug will have to be canceled, and this threatens to increase the swelling of the nasal mucosa, that is, its congestion. That is why you should not use vasoconstrictor drops longer than the time indicated in the instructions.

One of the causes of a prolonged runny nose can be the abuse of vasoconstrictors.

How can you help your child recover faster?

Each parent wonders what to do if a runny nose in a child does not go away for a long time. How to quickly cure it? To start:

• carry out wet cleaning in the room where the baby is located;
• ventilate the room;
• install a humidifier;
• clean the baby's nose with a damp gauze turunda.

There is no need to give a child strong medicines if a runny nose does not affect his well-being. The gentle mode will be the most acceptable for him in this situation. It consists in simple rules of care:

• the baby should be left at home instead of the usual trip to kindergarten or school;
• take a walk with your child - the walk should not last more than an hour.

Children who have begun to snot should drink a lot (for example, compote, homemade jelly, lemon tea). To cure a baby, he can be given milk with honey, but on condition that he is not allergic to the product.

A large amount of liquid drunk with rhinitis will help the baby recover faster

Don't forget to clear your nose. To do this, you need to use a saline solution. Suitable drugs such as Otrivin, Marimer, Aquamaris. Regular washings are the key to a quick recovery.

Therapy depending on the cause of the disease

As a rule, not all parents at the first symptoms of rhinitis in a child seek medical help. They try to eliminate the disease on their own, without finding out the causes of its occurrence, and this is their main mistake. All mothers and fathers should know that the effectiveness of treatment directly depends on the nature of rhinitis. Let's get acquainted with the principles of treatment of different types of rhinitis in more detail.

Treatment of allergic rhinitis

If, as a result of diagnostic measures, it was found that the baby's rhinitis is allergic in nature, then the first measure to combat it is to identify the allergen and protect the child from contact with the irritant. Next, the allergist will prescribe antihistamines or nasal drops with a vasodilating effect. Do not forget that the latter should be used no more than 3 times a day and no longer than a week.

Vasodilating drops are considered the safest option for children. They fight nasal congestion in the baby and make breathing easier.

Therapy for vasomotor rhinitis

Many methods are used to treat this type of rhinitis. The simplest of them is treatment with medications. The little patient is prescribed:

• vasoconstrictor drops (decongestants);
• rinsing the nasal cavity with saline (we recommend reading:);
• topical antihistamines (to block sensitivity to irritants);
• anticholinergics (to control and block the symptoms of vasomotor rhinitis);
• corticosteroids (to eliminate signs of illness).

If conservative methods of treatment have not yielded results, the baby undergoes surgical therapy:

• laser photodestruction;
• radioelectrocoagulation;
• ultrasonic disintegration;
• vasotomy.

Laser therapy for chronic colds

Elimination of an infectious disease

For the treatment of prolonged infectious rhinitis in children, the following therapeutic measures are used:

1. local treatment (the nose is instilled with saline and cleaned with an aspirator or pear, warmed with warm salt);
2. taking general strengthening and immunomodulatory drugs;
3. physiotherapy procedures.

If infectious rhinitis does not go away for more than two weeks, and yellow-green pus is released from the sinuses, the child is prescribed antibacterial drugs. They can be in the form of ointments, and in the form of sprays and liquid medicines.

General Treatments

Regardless of the reason for the baby's snot, everything must be done so that they can easily flow out of the nasal cavity. In this case, you need to ensure that the mucous membrane does not dry out. There are several methods of treating prolonged rhinitis in children, each of which has its pros and cons:

1. medication;
2. folk remedies;
3. with the help of physiotherapy.

Quartz heating of the nose

The use of medications

• vasoconstrictor (Nafthyzin, Nazivin, Galazolin, etc. to eliminate swelling of the nasal mucosa) - taking this group of drugs has severe time limits;
• antihistamines (Claritin, Suprastin, Telfast, Levocabastine, etc.) - for the treatment of an allergic form of the disease;
• antiviral (Interferon, Gerferon, Oksolin, etc.) - for the treatment of infectious rhinitis;
• antibiotics (Bioparox, Polydex, etc. (we recommend reading:).) - for the treatment of bacterial rhinitis;
• moisturizing drops (Aqua Maris, Aqualor, etc.) - to maintain the normal functioning of the nasal mucosa.

Treatment at home

If the baby has snot, and there is no way to get to the doctor, then you can start treatment at home, following this scheme:

• rinse the nose using water with sea salt;
• using an aspirator to remove mucus from the nasal passages;
• drip nose with special drops;
• using an inhaler, carry out inhalation;
• lubricate the nose with warming ointment.

Do not forget that self-treatment is very dangerous, so take your child to the doctor as soon as possible. Only he can prescribe effective treatment.

Physical procedures

In some cases, the method of physiotherapy is more effective than any medication. For the treatment of a child, there are many different devices for home use. One of these is a nebulizer, which breaks down the drug into micro particles. The medicine, when inhaled, does not enter the blood and digestive system. It only affects the nasal mucosa.

The device for UV irradiation of the nasal cavity will help cure a runny nose in 5-6 procedures. In addition, it is used for quartzing rooms.

Another runny nose in a child is eliminated with a blue lamp. It should be noted that this method is not used for all types of diseases.

Features of the treatment of children in 2-3 years

When a child is only 2-3 years old, it is very difficult to treat a runny nose. The range of drugs for this age is limited, and many folk methods are undesirable, as they can harm him. In addition, a 2-3-year-old baby is unlikely to know how to blow his nose properly, which also complicates the recovery process. What to do in this case? How to treat rhinitis in a child? The answer is simple - follow the doctor's recommendations.

Treatment should be carried out as follows:

• clean the nose of mucous accumulations using saline or sea salt products (Physiomer);
• use vasoconstrictor drops to restore breathing through the nose;
• use antibacterial or antiviral drugs to treat the disease;
• make sure that the conditions in which the child lives contribute to a speedy recovery.

In order for the recovery to proceed faster, it is necessary to create favorable conditions for this: the optimum air temperature should be 20 degrees, humidity - 50-60%

In general, the treatment of a runny nose in a 2-3-year-old child does not differ from the treatment of children of other age categories. The main thing is to ensure that the drugs are appropriate for the age of the small patient.

Difficulties in the treatment of rhinitis in children

Nasal congestion brings babies a lot of inconvenience, because, compared to adults, they do not know how to get rid of snot by blowing their nose. Because of this, a large amount of secretion accumulates in their nasopharynx, which makes breathing difficult, there is a feeling of nausea, headaches begin and appetite completely disappears.

Toddlers can’t understand what their mother wants from them, trying to clean or rinse their nose. In response to these actions of hers, they are mischievous, turn their heads, preventing her from completing the necessary procedure. In order to avoid such difficulties, parents should take an organized approach to the treatment of snot in children.

With the development of various complications, the recovery process may slow down, a protracted one develops. Non-passing snot causes a lot of inconvenience to the baby, interfering with normal sleep. An inflammatory process that lasts longer than 2 weeks requires a mandatory consultation with a specialist and additional diagnostics to draw up a treatment plan.

When is a runny nose considered prolonged?

Acute rhinitis is a pathological symptom that occurs against the background of viruses or pathogens entering the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract. What to do if a child does not have a runny nose for a long time, and what kind of rhinitis can be considered protracted? Normally, an unpleasant symptom against the background of proper treatment should pass in one to two weeks, otherwise it is considered protracted. This condition may indicate the development of a chronic form or signal the addition of another infection.

The reasons

Most often, a runny nose, which lasts more than a week, is a consequence of developing during the peak of respiratory viral infections. As a rule, they do not go away with improper treatment of the disease or its complete absence.

There are other reasons why a runny nose in a child may not go away for more than three weeks:

• Weakening of the immune forces of the body.
• Allergic origin of rhinitis.
• , inflammation of the paranasal sinuses.
• Latent infections in the body (mycoplasmosis, etc.).
• Accession of a bacterial infection.
• Frequent hypothermia.
• Congenital or acquired curvature of the nasal septum, the presence of polyps, hypertrophy of the inferior turbinates.

In some cases, a runny nose that does not go away for a month or more may be the result of the development of a disease such as. This pathology is characterized by abundant secretion of clear mucus, accompanied by sneezing. The provoking factor is most often dust, cigarette smoke, irritating odors.

Why is it dangerous?

Many parents mistakenly believe that a runny nose that persists for more than a month is not dangerous for the child and will go away on its own without treatment. In fact, a long-term inflammatory process negatively affects the work of other internal organs - the heart, lungs and others. In addition, rhinitis that lasts more than a week can lead to otitis media and sinusitis.

Which doctor treats a chronic runny nose in a child?

Diagnosis and treatment of rhinitis in children is carried out by a pediatrician who observes the child. With the development of complications for additional examination and drawing up a new treatment plan, you should contact an otorhinolaryngologist (ENT doctor).

Treatment

In order to cure a prolonged runny nose in a child, it is necessary to correctly establish the initial cause of its occurrence - only by acting on the etiological factor can an unpleasant symptom be eliminated.

Regardless of the etiology of the disease, a mandatory method in the treatment of protracted forms of rhinitis is washing - this procedure will remove allergens, viruses, pathogenic bacteria and foreign bodies from the nasal cavity. In addition, with the help of washing, the pathological mucous discharge is easier to remove.

Treatment of a runny nose caused by a viral or bacterial infection in children is carried out with the help of phytopreparations - ready-made dosage forms containing essential oils of plants, for example,. The tool has an antiseptic, mucolytic and deodorizing effect.

In the event that rhinitis lasts more than 3 weeks, you should contact a specialist for additional research. To establish the pathogen, a bacteriological culture of discharge from the nose is done. After that, local antibiotics are prescribed.

In case of violation of nasal breathing, decongestants are used - vasoconstrictor drugs. However, it should be remembered that they are used with great care, no more than 5 days, as they can be addictive. For the correct dosage, children over 2 years of age should buy metered nasal sprays. A good adjuvant for protracted rhinitis is inhalation with saline or herbal decoctions.

In cases where rhinitis is of an allergic nature, for its treatment it is necessary to identify the allergen and eliminate it - without this it is impossible to get rid of an unpleasant symptom. Most often it is fluff and feathers from pillows, household dust that settles on soft toys, carpets and other textile interior items. As a preventive measure, wet cleaning is carried out daily in the child’s room, his diet is reviewed, and in case of exacerbation, an antihistamine is given, which is selected by a pediatrician or an allergist on an individual basis.

Children with weakened immune systems are prescribed vitamin preparations to strengthen the body. After consultation with an immunologist, immunostimulating agents may be recommended. It is necessary to remember the daily routine, which necessarily includes daily walks in the fresh air.

Prolonged rhinitis is an unpleasant phenomenon that can significantly complicate the life of a child and his parents. It is important to identify its cause and eliminate it in order to avoid complications. The choice of medication depends on the provoking factor. It is unacceptable to select drugs for children on their own.

Useful video about the common cold