How to rinse the nose of a child if he is still too small to blow his nose on his own? This question seriously worries many parents and quite rightly, because if you do not know how to do it correctly, you can cause serious damage to the baby.
You should not refuse the procedure because of uncertainty and fear, because it is very important to remove accumulated mucus from the nose. You need to calm down, pull yourself together and find out how to properly and quickly clean the nose of a small patient.
Why are such events needed?
Washing the nose in young children can be both a mandatory medical procedure and a preventive or hygienic one. It all depends on the age of the baby.
- If the baby is only a few weeks or months old, then the nose should be washed for hygienic purposes in order to remove crusts. For this, saline or special drops are used.
- At the age of 1 to 3 years, the nose is treated to moisturize the mucosa, even if the baby is completely healthy. Pediatricians recommend doing this for prevention purposes during influenza epidemics or during the flowering season, when allergies are very common. Most of the pathogenic microflora enters the child's body through the nose. If the mucosa is well hydrated, they will not be able to gain a foothold on it and will wash out along with the mucus.
- At the same age, the nasal passage is washed for various colds, since such events replace blowing and moisturize the mucous membrane. Children rarely blow their noses, and sinus secretions accumulate in the passages, thicken, and make breathing difficult. In addition, this thick mucus is a breeding ground for bacteria, so it must be liquefied and removed. And washing will help with this.
That is why it is so important to know how to rinse your baby's nose at home, regardless of whether he is a year old or three, sick or healthy.
The problem is that little children categorically do not tolerate any procedures, it is difficult to make them sit still, they do not agree to turn their heads, inhale or exhale. At the same time, some children scream so piercingly that parents despair and refuse any manipulation.
Don't rush. Everything will work out if you know how to do it correctly even for the most capricious child, there is nothing complicated in this event, and not only mom, but also dad can handle it.
How to carry out the procedure correctly
So, there are several options and ways to wash the nasal passages in young children. The first is the easiest when the procedure is performed on the baby to remove the crusts:
- It is better to lay the baby on the changing table on the back, so that it is convenient for the mother to bend over it.
- At the ready should be a pipette with a solution that needs to be injected into the nasal passages. It can be a saline solution, a decoction of chamomile or a medicine.
- So that the child does not accidentally jerk his head and the mother does not injure the nose with a pipette, you should carefully hold the child with the palm of your forehead and at the same time quickly inject 2-3 drops of liquid, first into one and then into the other nostril.
- After the introduction of the solution after 1-2 minutes cotton swab peels are removed.
If mucus needs to be removed, a small rubber bulb can be used. In the same way, holding the baby's head and arms so that he does not make sudden movements, first one nostril is quickly released, and then the other. You need to act confidently, however, very carefully. The mucus must be removed completely, but it must be done in such a way that the thin mucosa is not injured and there is no bleeding.
It is somewhat more difficult to cope with a baby from two years old and older, who is restless and capricious. Rather than force him or carry out the procedure by force, through screams, tantrums and even fights, it is better to explain to the baby why this is being done, let him hold a rubber pear or a syringe without a needle, show how water is collected and poured into it, which will help him breathe better with his nose and sleep at night. Children at this age already understand everything quite well, and when they realize that they will not be hurt, but, on the contrary, will meet halfway. At least they won't run and scream.
Rules for washing the nose for a child of 2-3 years
The little patient sits down on a chair or the mother goes to the bathroom with him. If this is a girl, then you should first take the hair to the back of the head and collect it in a bun so that it does not interfere.
Mom draws a solution for washing into a pear or syringe (it can be saline, sea water, chamomile decoction) and little by little, gently injects it into the nostril.
It is important that the child breathes through the mouth and leans over the sink. Water will flow partly through the mouth, partly through the other nostril. Together, all the mucus with microbes will come out.
Then you need to tilt your head to the other side and repeat the process. In conclusion, the baby should blow his nose, if he already knows how to do it.
That's all the wisdom, there is nothing complicated here. And the most important point is the calmness and confidence of the one who performs this procedure.
Nasal lavage is a fairly effective procedure that has a number of positive effects. It is carried out in children and adults to relieve symptoms, relieve nasal congestion, or, conversely, reduce mucus. But washing should be carried out very carefully, since the nasal mucosa is a rather delicate formation.
A runny nose, or, as doctors call it, is a condition that is familiar to everyone. There can be several reasons for the appearance of a runny nose:
- The most common among them are colds or the flu. In this case, a common cold pattern with frequent sneezing and discharge, which is familiar to many parents, develops.
- Another common type of rhinitis is. It can be seasonal or appear in certain conditions when there is contact with the allergen. Animal hair, plant pollen, house dust, household aerosols can cause rhinitis. Manifestations of a runny nose are accompanied by redness of the eyes and profuse lacrimation.
- The third type of rhinitis is. It is associated with the peculiarities of the regulation of vascular tone, which is why all year round, without connection with allergens or . There is practically no discharge from the nose, but the feeling of congestion is almost always present. It is relieved by vasoconstrictor drops, but not for long, and their duration may gradually decrease.
There are other causes of a runny nose - nasal trauma, pathology of the nasal septum, inflammatory processes in the nasopharynx or sinuses,. Too dry or dusty air, a sharp change in ambient temperature (from a warm room to a cold street or vice versa) can cause sneezing and discharge from the nose.
When should you rinse your nose?
Rinsing the nose, like any medical procedure, has a number of indications. In order to figure out when to rinse your nose, you need to understand what effects such a procedure has.
The most obvious effect is the mechanical removal of mucus, which contains bacterial waste products, irritants, dust and other harmful particles. It is not always possible to remove them from the nose when blowing the nose, especially if the mucus is thick, and the liquid with which the nose is washed washes away harmful substances from the mucosa.
From here, the second effect is also obvious - thick nasal mucus liquefies and is removed from the nose much more easily. It helps to get rid of nasal congestion, clear it of excess mucus, becomes important condition prevention and other sinusitis.
Dried mucus crusts also soften, and it becomes possible to remove them painlessly with a cotton swab.
With copious discharge from the nose, washing removes excess mucus and reduces its formation for a while. In this case, it is better to wash before bedtime so that the patient can fall asleep without suffering from snot. But a copious flow of secretion is far from always an indication for washing the nose, sometimes it can be harmful, so in this case, consultation with a doctor is required.
Medications
For washing the nose in pharmacies, you can buy various drugs. Among them there are those that are suitable for children, and and are considered the best of them. Both of these drugs are made on the basis of sea water.
By their salinity, they approach the natural salinity of the blood, so they do not irritate the mucous membrane, unlike distilled water. In addition to the actual water, both drugs contain useful trace elements that promote healing of the mucosa. Both drugs are allowed at any age.
Saline has a similar but weaker effect. Its biggest advantage over Aqualor and Aquamaris salt solutions is the price. Salt solutions can be used not only for therapeutic, but also for preventive purposes. For example, daily rinsing of the nose during a cold or allergy season will be useful.
Another group of nasal rinses is local antiseptics. This group includes:
All three products are safe for the nasal mucosa, have an additional disinfecting effect, which can prevent bacterial complications. These substances must be diluted before use. boiled water. Which remedy will be better in each specific situation, it is better to ask the doctor.
Safe folk remedies
The safest among folk remedies is ordinary boiled water. It should be warm (about body temperature), never hot or cold.
Can be used as a solution for washing infusions or decoctions of various herbs -, lemon balm, mint,. Herbal preparations can be bought at a pharmacy or prepared independently. The dried grass is brewed with boiling water, insisted for 2-3 hours, after which it is heated to body temperature and used to wash the nose.
Saline solutions, similar to pharmacy ones, can be prepared at home.To do this, dissolve table salt in warm water (a third of a teaspoon per glass of water). You can use a mixture of salt and soda (mix in advance and add a third of a teaspoon of the finished mixture to the water), you can add 1 drop of iodine. It should be remembered that such solutions must be used with great care - there is a risk of damage to the nasal mucosa, and it is better to replace them with saline.
How to wash the nose of a child?
In order for nasal lavage to be beneficial, you need to follow a few simple rules. It is believed that you can wash your nose from any age, even the smallest children, but the method of introducing the solution is very important.
Before washing, the child should blow his nose properly or, if he does not know how, parents need to clean his nose with a special pear.
How to wash your nose:
- For infants, the nose is washed with a pipette. The procedure is very simple - the solution is drawn into a pipette and instilled into each nostril, after which the child must be held vertically. The liquid itself will flow out of the nose, parents will only need to wipe it off the baby's face, if necessary, clean the nose again.
- For older children, you can use a syringe bulb. It should be small and with a soft tip. The pear is carefully inserted into the nostril and slightly squeezed. After the procedure, the baby needs to blow his nose thoroughly. It is not necessary to press hard on the pear - the pressure of the liquid should be small so as not to damage the mucous membrane and not cause asphyxia in the baby.
- The most popular nasal lavage device is the syringe. A small one, 2 ml in volume, is best suited. The needle must be removed from it and fluid should be injected into the nose under a slight pressure. If the solution starts to come out of the second nostril, this is normal. Flushing with a syringe is acceptable at any age in children and adults.
After the procedure, the child again needs to blow his nose or clear his nose, drip vasoconstrictor drops that are allowed at his age. For babies, this, and other means. When choosing them, you should carefully read the instructions and strictly follow them.
Are there any contraindications to the procedure?
There are a number of restrictions when it is impossible to wash the baby's nose or you need to do it at another time. Absolute contraindications to the procedure include:
- Injuries of the face and nose.
- Deviations of the nasal septum.
- , papillomas and other formations in the nose.
- Foreign bodies in the nose and nasopharynx.
In all these cases, it is impossible to carry out washing, this can lead to dangerous consequences. Copious excretion secretion can become an obstacle to washing the nose, and the procedure, instead of benefit, will be harmful and lead to impaired nasal breathing.
In addition to absolute, there are relative contraindications. These include an allergy to a certain solution (to prevent it, you need to carefully read the composition of the product and, if necessary, replace the drug), severe swelling of the mucosa (it is necessary to drip vasoconstrictors, if it does not help, consult a doctor).
How to properly wash the nose of a child with Dolphin can be found in the video:
What do yellow snot say in a child, how to treat them correctly?
In addition, washing the nose should be done at least two hours before going outside, especially in winter, and one hour before bedtime. This is important because nasal fluid comes out gradually and over time. Children under two years of age who cannot blow their nose on their own should carry out the procedure very carefully and it is better if this is done by a doctor in a clinic.
Dangerous cold symptoms that require a doctor
A runny nose is not always a harmless disease, sometimes it can be a sign of quite serious conditions. How to recognize them and understand that you need to see a doctor as soon as possible:
- Runny nose does not go away or get better within a week.
- The child's condition is deteriorating.
- The child constantly has difficulty in nasal breathing, despite medical procedures.
- Discharge from the nose became thick, green, profuse.
- There were headaches, pain in the sinuses of the nose.
- Developed against the background of a runny nose.
- There were skin rashes, conjunctivitis, difficulty breathing.
These symptoms indicate that the baby has developed complications of the common cold - inflammatory or allergic. In this case, the sooner treatment is started, the greater the chances of the baby recovering.
Parents of infants should remember that a runny nose at this age gives complications very easily and always proceeds with it, therefore it is better to consult a doctor immediately if the usual medical measures have not helped - this will save the baby's health and parents' nerves.
Saline, not every parent knows, and this is a big minus. Washing the nasopharynx or nose is not just an effective hygiene procedure but also good preventive measure against viral diseases of the respiratory tract.
How to rinse a child's nose correctly?
To begin with, crusts and mucus that have accumulated there are removed from the nasopharynx and nose. This, firstly, will improve the main function of the nose - warming and purifying the atmospheric air, and secondly, will make breathing free.
With the help of washing, you carry out the sanitation of the child's nasal cavity - kill microorganisms and clean from dust. Such measures reduce the likelihood of ARI in a child. It turns out that even if your child does not suffer from a chronic runny nose or other respiratory disease, then washing the nose will not harm him, but on the contrary, it will help. Doctors sometimes recommend this procedure for each child, for example once a week.
So baby? There are three different ways to do this:
1. For very young or cranky children.
Or capricious child? This question is asked by many new parents. Everything is very simple - with the help of warm boiled water or You need to put the child on his back and drop the solution into the nostrils with a pipette. The liquid will go first into the nose and then into the nasopharynx, where the child can swallow it. Any mucus that remains is removed from the nose with a rubber spray, better known as a pear. This method is not the best for washing the nose, but if such a procedure is required, then it is better to do it this way than not to do it at all.
2. The second method of washing the nose is designed for older children.
How to wash the nose of a child 2 years and older? Children of this age already understand why this procedure is necessary, and they can be asked to help you. After noticing improvement in breathing, over time, children themselves will be able to ask you to repeat the procedure for washing the spout.
Sea water is an ideal solution for the sanitation of the nasal cavity. It is made from (take 1 - 2 tsp) and 1 cup of boiled still warm water.
Sea salt is easy to buy at the pharmacy or you can replace it with other products. For example, in 1 cup of warm boiled water, dilute 1 teaspoon of table salt, baking soda and add a couple of drops of iodine there. From decoctions of chamomile, eucalyptus, sage, St. John's wort and calendula, you can also prepare an excellent one. For one time, about 150 ml of any solution is enough.
Now let's take a closer look at the procedure itself, how to wash a child's nose. Step one: take your child to the bathroom and tie his hair up in a bun so it doesn't get in the way. The child tilts his head and opens his mouth with his tongue hanging out. First, you draw a solution into a rubber bulb, which you will inject into the child's nose.
Fluid should flow from the nose through the mouth or through the adjacent nostril. Thus, all the dirt from the nose comes out. Flush two nostrils in turn, and then ask the child to blow his nose well.
This method is the most efficient and effective.
3. The third method of washing the nose is designed for the child to independently carry out the procedure.
How to teach a child to do this procedure on their own? It's very simple - ask the child to collect warm water in the palms and inhale it through the nose, then spit it out through the mouth. Immediately after the procedure, the child should blow his nose.
After washing the nose, all therapeutic drops or ointments intended for the nose act much faster and more effectively, they act directly on the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx. In conclusion, we note that it is important to wash the nose not only in the presence of a runny nose, but also for along with other methods.
Rinsing the nose is a very important procedure for both bacterial or allergic rhinitis, and for the prevention of colds. In case of illness, after the correct release of the nostrils and nasopharynx from excess mucus, all therapeutic agents act more effectively, quickly removing swelling and removing pathogenic bacteria.
In modern conditions, both pharmaceutical preparations and folk remedies. When choosing, evaluate the condition of the child and be sure to consult a doctor.
How to rinse the nose of a child with a cold?
Before using a therapeutic spray or drops for a cold, you need to clean the child's nostrils. Of the harmless nasal rinses, experts recommend a weak (7 - 12%) solution of common salt.
In second place are products based on sea water, including: "Humer", "AquaMaris", "Salin" and "Physiomer". There are also effective and harmless decoctions of medicinal herbs. The choice of what to rinse with correctly depends on the age of the child and the reasons that caused the runny nose.
According to experts, enough effective remedy for washing the nose for children under the age of one year - a decoction of calendula, chamomile or sage, a weak saline solution or warm mineral water(choose a variety of "mineral water" on the recommendation of a doctor).
Solution sea salt we prepare at the rate of 1 teaspoon per 250 - 350 ml of warm water. We take one and a half to two times more table salt.
To prepare a decoction that can be used to wash the nose of a child, use 2 to 3 teaspoons of one or different herbs or flowers (finely crushed). Raw materials must be placed in a bottle and pour 100 - 150 ml of boiling water. Cover the container and keep for 15-20 minutes.
A decoction to wash the nose of a child with a runny nose at home can be prepared from a wider range of herbs:
- hypericum,
- calendula,
- chamomile,
- celandine,
- sage.
A mixture of three or four herbs will be even more effective. It is recommended to cook celandine without mixing with other herbs. To prepare St. John's wort (2 teaspoons per 100 ml), use a water bath for 10 to 15 minutes.
Be sure to note that the use of herbs is excluded when a runny nose is caused by an allergy to pollen (hay catarrh).
What should be the decoction?
Washing with a solution (decoction) at a temperature of about +35 degrees is most effective. The closer to body temperature, the better to wash the child's nose.
At a more “mature” age of 2–5 years, it will be easier to rinse the nose, since children already better understand the purpose of medical procedures. A weak solution of sea, table (rock or iodized) salt is also appropriate here, which must be prepared at the rate of 1 teaspoon per glass of warm boiled water.
How to wash the nose of a child?
First of all, it is necessary that the baby be calm, not afraid and not panic. When you have chosen how to wash your child's nose, you can proceed to this procedure.
One of these tools will do:
- pipette;
- syringe without a needle;
- pear (syringe) with a capacity of 35 - 50 ml.
A lot of solution or decoction will not be needed - 50 milliliters is quite enough, since washing the child's nose is limited to the nostrils. Avoid getting flushing agent in the nasopharynx. To wash the nose of a child under the age of one, lay it on its back. Then raise your head a little, pour a few drops of decoction into each nostril with a syringe or pipette.
Then remove the liquefied mucus with a douche. If necessary, washing should be repeated.
Having the skills of how to rinse the nose of a child up to a year old, you can without special work learn a more complex procedure for an older baby. For washing in this case, a 5 or 10 cc syringe without a needle or a large pipette may be sufficient, but sometimes a small (50 ml) syringe - a pear for washing the nose will be more convenient.
Even better if this instrument is equipped with a removable spout made of smooth plastic - a material convenient for disinfection before and after the washing procedure. For self-rinsing, children 4-7 years old will use a soft plastic small watering can in the form of a teapot with a spout.
Since a child of 2-5 years old needs to rinse the nose more intensively than a baby - with the passage of fluid through the entire nasopharynx, this procedure is best done in the bathroom.
Prepare 100-150 ml of warm (+25…+35C) solution or decoction and fill the pear with it. The child should bend over the sink, and the product should be poured into the nostrils carefully and gradually, so that the baby has time to spit everything that gets into the throat and mouth from the nasopharynx.
If it turns out to pour the solution into one nostril, and pour it out the other, then this is also good. In between injections of flushing fluid, the child should, if possible, blow his nose.
Before washing your nose with a runny nose, check the patency of the nasopharynx. If it is very difficult to breathe through the nose, then limit yourself to washing the nostrils according to the method intended for one-year-old children.
This will help relieve swelling of the mucosa, restore breathing through the nose and increase the effectiveness of the treatment of the common cold with sprays and drops.
Since washing a child’s nose at home is often easier than in a hospital, the mother will be the best doctor.
The child is very sensitive to the intervention of strangers in his personal space.
And his mental tone affects the success of treatment no less than a remedy that can be used to wash the nose with a runny nose to a child. Health to your kids!
The materials posted on this page are for informational purposes and are intended for educational purposes. Site visitors should not use them as medical advice. Determination of the diagnosis and choice of treatment method remains the exclusive prerogative of your attending physician.
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All pediatricians agree that it is necessary to wash the child’s nose from time to time. But this procedure is more complicated than it might seem at first glance. It is necessary to take into account the age of the child, choose the best remedy in accordance with the task of washing, act technically and accurately.
Why wash your child's nose
AT different occasions washings have a different purpose - there are three of them in total:
- Support local immunity of the nose. This goal is relevant when it comes to children of infancy. Their immunity is not yet formed. The nasal passages are short and narrow, the body does not always cope with their cleaning. To wash off dust, dirt, small allergens, pathogenic microorganisms, pediatricians recommend preventive rinsing at least once a day.
- Moisturize mucous. If the air in the house is too dry - and this happens in the arid regions of the country or during the heating season - dried crusts form on the mucous membranes of the child, which prevent him from breathing. Humidification is not always possible. Rinsing the nose in such cases is an effective solution.
- Cope with illness. If a child has a runny nose caused by allergies, colds, SARS or any other disease, rinsing will help clear the nasal passages, cope with congestion and moisturize the irritated mucosa. As a result, recovery will be somewhat faster.
Thus, washings have only three goals - prevention, moisturizing and treatment.
Interestingly, the habit of picking your nose, which parents often consider bad manners and capriciousness, arises from the fact that the child is having difficulty breathing and he is trying to get rid of dry crusts in his nose. Washing in this case is much more effective than trying to wean him by force.
Of course, washing is not a panacea. In some cases, they simply cannot be applied:
- with a tendency to nosebleeds - the pressure of the medicine can provoke a rupture of the capillaries and the child will bleed;
- in chronic otitis - in young children, the nasal passages are short, when washed, their contents can get into the ear and provoke an exacerbation;
- the presence of neoplasms - they will not only prevent the medicine from passing through the nasal passages, but can also be damaged as a result of washings, which is fraught with infection and inflammation;
- rupture of the eardrum - in this case, the danger that the medicine will fall into the middle ear is complemented by the likelihood that it will end up in the inner ear;
- curvature of the nasal septum - in this case, part of the medicine may remain in the nasal passages and there will be no way to suck it out from there;
- complete obstruction of the nasal passages - makes any preventive actions useless until the underlying pathology is corrected.
In the event that a child has intolerance to some components - for example, sea salt - you can always find something else that suits him - the same saline solution.
Preparations for washing
Despite the fact that the meaning of washings may be different, the solutions for them are approximately the same - their task is to wash the mucus and moisturize the mucous membranes, and not fight the infection, even if it exists.
In a pharmacy for washing, you can buy:
- Saline. In fact, this is a sterile solution of sodium chloride - that is, ordinary salt. It differs from home-cooked in the exact dosage that will not harm the child, and complete sterility.
- Sprays, drops based on sea water. They differ from a simple saline solution in the presence of trace elements that are present only in sea salt. They can be in different concentrations (weaker for preventive washings, stronger for washings during illness) and with different composition - sometimes herbal infusions are added to sea water, which complement its action. When buying, be sure to read the instructions - there are age restrictions.
- Antiseptics. They are not used for prevention, only for the treatment of diseases. Among them, Miramistin, Furacilin are gentle drugs. But for a child up to a year old, it is better not to wash their nose with them in any case.
The undoubted plus of pharmaceutical preparations is an accurately calculated dosage that cannot harm the child.. They are specifically designed for rinsing, often they have special nozzles that facilitate the procedure.
At home for washing are made:
- Boiled water. It is suitable exclusively for preventive washings - it helps to soften the crusts in the nose and wash them off gently. Feelings in the process, however, are not the most pleasant, since it has a minimal softening effect.
- Salt solution. Add a quarter of a spoon of salt to a glass of boiled water and stir well. It is not used in principle for the treatment of children under 1 year old - if the solution is too strong, the baby will not be able to explain this in any way.
- Herbal infusions. As a rule, it is calendula, sage or chamomile - a teaspoon in a glass of boiling water, leave for an hour. Babies are often allergic to plants, so before washing for the first time, you need to put a couple of drops on the skin and see if it turns red.
- Green tea. Steep a green tea bag in a glass of boiling water for an hour. Use the result obtained, like all other solutions.
It is very important to remember that nasal rinses for children should be chosen carefully, and that some options should not be used at all:
- Alcohol solutions. For a child under ten years old, even the small dose that is absorbed through the mucous membrane is enough to get a little poisoned. And if it gets in your mouth, it will be even worse.
- Untested herbs. Herbs cannot be used without checking on the skin - this is fraught with an allergic reaction, up to Quincke's edema.
- Burning compounds. Even if the child is sick, it is impossible to use burning compounds - it is more likely to burn the mucous membrane than to contribute to the cure. No mixtures with citrus fruits, with onions and garlic, with aloe and Kalanchoe.
If the child cries and protests during the procedure, there is no need to write off his behavior as whims - it is better to change the solution and look at the reaction.
Washing technologies
AT different ages children need a different approach to washing their nose - and this is natural, because a baby, for example, cannot even blow his nose, only sneeze. And this is the concern of parents - to accurately focus on age.
How to rinse the nose of a child under two years old
As a rule, at 2 years old, the child is already able to understand what the parent wants from him. But explaining to a one-year-old child what he should do is much more difficult. Therefore, washings at this age are carried out so that the baby does not need to understand anything.
The procedure for prevention should look like this:
- the child is placed on his knees, head to himself;
- a tube is rolled out of cotton wool - a little smaller in diameter than the nasal passages;
- drip a solution into the nose - carefully, just a couple of drops;
- wait until the solution moisturizes the mucous membrane and dry crusts soften;
- insert a tube into the nose and remove the crusts in a circular motion;
- if necessary, repeat.
The kid in the process should be calm - it’s good if the whole procedure takes place in the form of a game, to rhymes and rhythmic swaying.
With a runny nose due to illness, the procedure is carried out differently:
- the child is again laid on his knees, head to himself;
- with the help of a special soft pear, mucus is sucked out of the nose - the child himself cannot blow his nose yet, because he does not know how;
- the selected drops are instilled into the nose (or irrigated with the selected spray);
- wait about a minute for the drops to be absorbed, and release the child.
At this age, it is better to use a nozzle with a special limiter that will not allow it to be inserted too deeply into the child's nose. It’s good if it is equipped with a “soft spray” system - a directed jet, characteristic of “adult” sprays, can damage the delicate mucous membrane.
Flushing in preschoolers
A kid at this age is not yet able to even blow his nose with a runny nose - let alone carry out a washing procedure. Therefore, an adult must act:
- the child is put on his knees and asked to tilt his head to one side;
- with a special aspirator, excess mucus is sucked out of his nose, if any;
- introduce a nozzle of a spray or drops into the nose and press the piston - lightly;
- after waiting a minute, they ask the child to blow his nose - exhale through one nostril, opening his mouth.
Blowing your nose correctly is very important, because a strong directed exhalation with both nostrils can damage the ear.
Before embarking on the procedure, it is worth telling the baby what its meaning is and explaining what will happen now. If he is unhappy, turn everything into a fun game of exterminating microbes or gaining superpowers.
Lavage in younger students
In junior school age the child can already cope with the washings on his own, but first the adult will have to explain to him what to do and observe how he copes with the instructions.
The first version of the procedure is the simplest:
- the child blows his nose in a handkerchief;
- tilts his head, injects drops or spray into one nostril, then into the other.
This, in fact, is not exactly washing, but a procedure related to them and, undoubtedly, useful.
The second option is a little more difficult:
- a special small rubber pear is bought at the pharmacy - or there is a small teapot in the sideboard;
- a pear or teapot is filled with a solution;
- the child blows his nose, kneels in front of the bath and bows his head;
- inserts the spout of a teapot or pear into the upper nostril;
- slightly opens his mouth and waits for the solution to pour from the second nostril;
- when the kettle or pear is empty, the child needs to turn his head to the other side and repeat.
The procedure is painless, the main thing is not to make the solution too strong and not to take too large a vessel.
The third option is even more difficult, not all adults master it:
- the child kneels over the bathtub, tilts his head;
- picks up the solution in the palm and inhales it with one nostril;
- waits until the solution comes out of the second nostril;
- continues until the vessel with the solution is empty.
The main thing is to act carefully, smoothly and not scold the child if he does not succeed right away.
Precautions
For washing to be beneficial, you need to take care of minimal precautions:
- if washings are carried out for babies, you need to lubricate the tip with sunflower oil or a small amount of baby cream so that it does not damage the mucous membrane;
- it is not necessary to press too hard during washings - the pressure negatively affects the mucous membrane and can lead to the medicine getting into the middle ear;
- the procedure should not be carried out too often - once a day for prevention, up to three times a day for illness, otherwise you can damage the mucous membrane and wash out not only pathogenic microorganisms, but also useful symbiotic ones;
- the temperature of the solution should be approximately equal to the temperature of the child's body - a colder one reduces local immunity, a hotter one can burn;
- the baby during the procedure should be calm, not break out, not cry - for this you need to either explain the meaning to him, or lightly lull him if he still does not understand the words;
- it is not necessary to carry out the procedure immediately before going to bed - the remnants of the medicine will drain down the back wall of the larynx, which can provoke a cough;
- immediately after the procedure, it is worth refraining from active games, as well as from going out into the fresh air - the moistened mucosa, cleared of mucus, is not ready to withstand its pathogenic microorganisms and temperature;
- do not insert the tip too deeply - this can injure the mucous membrane.
Caution, lightness of hand and readiness to listen to the needs of the child are the main qualities that are needed to carry out washings for the benefit of all.
And before you start washing your child's nose, you should consult a pediatrician and make sure that it will not hurt the baby.
