How to Cure a Baby's Runny Nose

Video Transcript

"Hi I am Dr. David Hill, and today we are going to talk about how to cure a baby's runny nose. Now babies may have runny noses for a variety of reasons. The most common is a cold, but babies can also get bacterial sinus infections, they can get allergies, and even gastroesophogeal reflux can at least cause some nasal congestion if not a whole lot of running. How do you tell the difference? Well a cold usually comes with other viral symptoms like sneezing and cough. Usually the runny nose last seven to ten days, but no longer than that. It is normal for the mucus to be green, yellow, and thick in the middle of a cold. However, it is not normal to have a fever more than about three days in a row or to have a fever that goes away for twenty-four hours, and then comes back. It is also not normal for the symptoms to last more than about ten days; except for the cough, which may last as long as three weeks. If a baby seems to have a lot of itching of the nose, especially babies over six months of age approaching twelve months you start to think about allergies. Particularly when the symptoms go on longer than ten days to two weeks. If there is a lot of watering eyes, and itching eyes that is also a suggestion of allergies. Finally if there is prolonged fever, prolonged symptoms you do have to think about a sinus infection. So if it is allergies you want to use an antihistamine. Cetirizine, Zyrtec is now approved for babies down to six months of age. As is a medication called Clarinex called called desloratidine is the generic name for that one. For a cold the baby is going to get over it, but there are some things to make your baby feel better. A humidifier may keep the mucous from drying up, and clogging the nose. You can also use saline drops in the baby's nose. Now you can go out and by saline drops. Little Noses is a popular brand, but you can also make them at home by taking one level half teaspoon of salt, and one cup of water. Put the salt in the water, heat it up for example in the microwave, let it cool down to body temperature, and then dribble two or three drops using a medicine dropper in each side of the baby's nose, each nostril. Then you can go in and suck that stuff out with one of those little suction bulbs that you got when your baby was born. They are usually blue or dark red in color. You can buy them for a couple of dollars at the store if you don't still have the one that you brought home with you from the hospital at birth. This will give your baby relief. Now remember suck straight back not up, and you don't have to put the suction bulb way down in the nose. Just a little bit right here at the tip will do just fine. Also don't over do it. You can do it too much, and pick up more congestion. So just before feeds, and before sleeps. Talking about curing a baby's runny nose I am Dr. David Hill."