How To Relieve Sinus Congestion In Toddlers?
What Are The Sinuses?
Whether it’s a newborn baby or a toddler, you as a parent wish to provide utmost nourishment and care for your child, especially in the growing years. But with shifting climatic conditions and a polluted environment, you might need to take that extra bit of protection. However, sometimes the sinuses may act up.
If you find your child coughing, sneezing, or with a stuffy nose, he/she most likely has nasal congestion, which needs relief almost immediately. According to experts, over-the-counter cough and cold medicines prove ineffective on toddlers and may have side effects. Therefore, you need to consult a pediatrician and get safe, effective treatment for your child.
A blocked nose or sinus can cause breathing difficulties for your child so, you need to make sure that you get them the right treatment at the right time. Remember, before your pediatrician decides on a treatment plan, understand the root cause of the problem.
Today, you’ll learn more about relieving sinus congestion in your toddler so you can handle the problem better if it recurs.
What Is Sinus Congestion In Toddlers?
The immunity level of toddlers remains lower as opposed to when they reach their teenage years. Moreover, since the bodily growth remains underway, the chances of sinuses clogging up are higher.
Primarily, you will find sinuses as moist air spaces within the facial bones and around the nose. If your child gets a cold or a blocked nose, it happens due to an infection, swelling, or irritation in these air spaces causing what is known as sinus congestion or sinusitis. It is common and usually follows after a cold or bouts with allergies. However, it can get treated easily with the help of your child’s pediatrician.
Symptoms Of Sinus Congestion In Toddlers
The symptoms of sinus congestion in your toddler may be similar to those of a cold. However, if your child develops other symptoms like fever, getting immediate help remains of the essence. The temperature rise could also indicate sinusitis or other infections like ear infection, pneumonia, or bronchitis. Therefore, if you find your toddler showing the signs mentioned below, seek help from their pediatrician.
- If your child has difficulty breathing or finds himself unable to breathe, seek help at the earliest.
- You should call up the doctor if they start choking after being fed or coughing suddenly.
- If your child’s skin changes color and turns blue while coughing, immediate medical help is the next step forward.
- Being out of breath is worse even for adults. So, if your toddler seems to have that problem, check with your doctor if it’s a sign of sinus congestion or any other infection.
- When talking or eating gets hampered, it’s a sign that your child needs medical attention. And, when you club this with other symptoms, it’s more or less sinusitis.
Causes Of Sinus Congestion In Toddlers
As you may already know, all kinds of health issues or infections, including sinus congestion, have specific causes. While sometimes you may not be able to tell the difference between a cold, sinus, or other viruses due to the similarity between the symptoms, practicing proper hygiene, especially when it comes to the well-being of your toddler, is a must.
Additionally, the causes of sinus congestion in toddlers include:
- Allergies that cause itchy, watery eyes but do not lead to fever or temperature rise.
- Bacterial infections cause sinus congestions, especially after a cold. Such congestion needs to get treated accordingly. Therefore, understanding the causes always helps figure out the right treatment method.
- Flu can cause cold-like symptoms, thus blocking your toddler’s nose and causing fever that could run from a few hours to days.
- Structural defects in the respiratory system of your child can lead to a deviated septum or enlarged adenoids. This area is where the mucus settles, thus leading to a blocked nose.
Therefore, when you visit the doctor after identifying the signs of sinus congestion in your toddler, make sure you ask them the cause. So, you can get the best possible treatment for your child.
Treating Sinus Congestion In Toddlers
For the treatment of any condition or infection, identifying its causes and symptoms should take priority. Once that gets achieved, you can move on to the treatment. In the case of sinus congestion in toddlers, the experts chose the treatment method based on the signs and symptoms of congestion or blockage shown by the child in question.
Taking this into consideration, some of the most effective treatments for sinus congestion include:
- Unadulterated saline nose drops or sprays loosen the mucus inside and help squeeze it out with the bulb attached to the device. It is one of the safest treatments, and the products do not require a prescription.
- Using a vaporizer or humidifier can also help clear out blocked nasal passages. However, make sure your toddler isn’t within easy reach and doesn’t sit close to it.
- Create an angle for your child to rest their head. Use a pillow under the mattress so that your toddler’s head gets slightly raised, helping drain out the mucus from the sinuses. However, this method should not suffice for those children below two years of age.
Either way, you should consult the pediatrician before trying any of these treatment methods with your toddler. Only experts can gauge the extent of congestion and therefore suggest the necessary treatment.
Toddler Sinus Congestion – Prevention Tips
Although sinus congestion or sinusitis is treatable, preventing it in the first place may help contain other problems that may arise as a result. There are plenty of prevention tips that you will find helpful for your toddler. Here they are:
1. Use chemical-free saline sprays, washes, or both to keep their nose as moist as possible.
2. You can use a humidifier or vaporizer in dry indoor environments.
3. Make sure your child stays away from cigarette smoke.
4. Keep your toddler away from things that may cause allergy symptoms.
5. Make sure water does not enter your toddler’s sinuses.
6. Help your child learn and practice good hand hygiene.
7. Keep your toddler up to date with immunizations.
8. Do not let your child come in close contact with those who have colds or other upper respiratory infections.
These tips may help you prevent any adverse respiratory conditions or infections in your toddler and nurture their growth.
How To Relieve Sinus Congestion In Toddlers Naturally?
In most cases, natural treatment methods are encouraged, and medicines are discouraged. Some medications can cause adverse side effects and could lead to temporary or permanent damage to the body. Therefore, you should opt for the following natural methods to relieve sinus congestion in toddlers.
1. Inhaling steam can help loosen the thick mucus and make it easier for your toddler to breathing. However, make sure it doesn’t become too hot as it can breathing difficult.
2. Use a humidifier in your toddler’s room to keep the air moist and reduce congestion.
4. Chemical-free nasal sprays or saline nose drops help soothe an irritated nose and will help your toddler breathe properly.
6. You can opt for OTC pain relievers only after consulting your child’s pediatrician. Make sure you have their consent before you pick them up.
7. Give your toddler water and other approved fluids to thin out the mucus and help them cough it out. Fluids also prevent dehydration.
8. An elevated head sleeping position may help some children. However, before you try this method, speak with the pediatrician to avoid any mishaps.
9. Keep the air clean, and do not allow anyone to smoke near your toddler, as it can lead to long-term respiratory issues.
10. If your child is older than a year, you can try giving them 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of honey for cough and cold.
When To See A Doctor For Sinus Congestion?
When it comes to toddlers, do not attempt self-diagnosis or examination. It is better for your child’s overall health that you seek consultation when you find the problem to be beyond your understanding or knowledge. Although, in the case of sinus congestion, you can take your toddler to the doctor if:
- The symptoms last for more than a week, and natural remedies fail to work.
- Your toddler has a high fever continuously for days.
- Your toddler is younger than three months old and has a very high fever.
- The symptoms worsen after a week.
In any of the above cases, you should visit a doctor at the earliest and seek immediate medical help.
Summary
Whether it’s over-the-counter medications or natural therapies, when it comes to the health and well-being of your toddler, taking a risk is never an option. Therefore, before opting for any treatment methods for sinus congestion, speak to the pediatrician. Depending on the symptoms, he/she will suggest the best treatment option available for your child.
Aims Healthcare makes sure that you and your child receive proper treatment at the hands of highly qualified and certified medical professionals. Considering the times that you live in today, getting medical help at home can help you a great deal. So, if you seek our Doctor on Call service, you will find our doctors at your doorstep within minutes to attend to your health problem. We make the best healthcare professionals accessible and just one call away. So, to receive personalized medical care, comprehensive diagnosis, treatment, and after-care exclusively at your doorstep, get in touch at +971 505 136 505 or fill this form and one of our dedicated team members will contact you at the earliest.
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