Baby Congestion

It is common for an infant to sound congested without there being any other sign of sickness. An infant’s nasal passages are still small which causes congestion to be common. Nasal congestion is when your baby has a stuffed up nose. If your child is still eating, their demeanor is still pleasant, they have no fever, and are sleeping fine then your child is most likely fine. Chest congestion which is when there is actual fluid in their lungs can be a little more serious.

Nasal congestion can happen for a number of reasons. Breathing in dry air can be a cause, this can happen during the winter months if you live somewhere that is colder, and run a heater a lot of the time. Changes in the weather can cause nasal congestion. A viral infection. Breathing in air pollutants such as pet dander, dust, smoke, or strong odors. A deviated septum can cause nasal congestion in a baby. Allergies can also cause nasal congestion.

Symptoms

Signs of nasal congestion can be thick nasal mucus. Mucus can sometimes be discolored, yellow or green, sometimes it will be clear. Snoring or noisy breathing. Sniffing and coughing. Since babies normally nose breathe and don’t instinctively mouth breathe nasal congestions can cause them trouble. Nasal congestion can make it hard for them to breathe if they can’t breathe normally through their nose. Nasal congestion can also cause your baby to have trouble sleeping.

Chest congestion is sometimes more serious than nasal congestion. Chest congestion is when fluid is in your baby’s lungs. Symptoms of chest congestion are coughing, wheezing, grunting, and rapid breathing. Rapid breathing is your baby breathing faster than normal. Baby’s already breathe faster than an adult so knowing what your baby’s normal breathing is can help you determine if their breathing is faster or not. Chest congestion can be caused by asthma, the flu, pneumonia, cystic fibrosis, RSV, and transient tachypnea. If your baby develops any symptoms of chest congestion you will want to reach out to their pediatrician. Some of these causes will need medical intervention to help cure.

Treatment

Infants and babies under the age of two should not take over the counter medication. This is because over the counter medication can cause serious life threatening side effects. Most medications are based on age and weight. It has also been shown that vapor rubs should not be used on infants under the age of two either. This means that most of the things you can do for your child if they are suffering from nasal congestion are to try some home remedies to ease their symptoms.

Using a few drops of saline in your baby’s nose can help loosen up mucus that is stuck. One to two drops per nostril should be enough. Some people believe that a few drops of breast milk in your baby’s nose can work just as well as saline. Same process: one to two drops of breast milk in each nostril, then hold your baby upright and mucus should flow out easily. Wipe away with a soft cloth. You can also use a bulb syringe to gently suck your baby’s nose as well. Using a few drops of saline first can help loosen up the congestion for you to then gently suck it out.

Using a cold mist humidifier can also be beneficial. A warm mist humidifier may not be safe because parts of it can become hot and can cause burns to young children. If you need the help of steam to alleviate your child’s congestion, run a warm shower and have your baby sit in the bathroom with the steam. A warm bath can also help your child’s congestion. The playtime in the bath can help them be distracted if they are feeling poorly, and the warm bath can help open up their sinuses alleviating congestion.

Remove potential allergens from the home. Only use unscented candles, don’t overdo the perfumes, and don’t smoke around your baby. If you have pets make sure you are vacuuming surfaces daily to get all pet hair and dander off the ground.

Facial and sinus massage can also be a lovely treat for your baby. It can also be hugely beneficial in helping work out mucus that is stuck in their tiny nasal passages.

When To Seek Medical Help

It is important when your baby is congested to make sure they are still feeding well. You may need to feed your baby smaller portions more often while they are congested. Count your baby’s wet diapers to make sure they are not becoming dehydrated. A baby can become dehydrated extremely fast, so it is important to make sure they are getting enough to drink while being congested.

Conditions that need medical intervention, whether it is extra oxygen, antibiotics, or other medical treatments that congestion can be a sign of are RSV, flu, COVID-19, asthma, pneumonia, and cystic fibrosis. If you suspect your little one is suffering from one of these conditions make sure you get them seen by a doctor as soon as possible. Other indicators that your baby needs to be seen by a doctor are extreme congestion, flaring of nostrils, a breathing rate higher than 60 breaths per minute, breathing that interferes with feeding, moaning or grunting after each breath, your baby’s sides suck in with each breath, blue tint to skin especially around the nose and mouth, no wet diapers, vomiting, or a fever.

Takeaway

Mild congestion in a baby is fairly common. Your baby’s nasal passages are small so it is normal for them to sound congested with no other symptoms. If your baby is eating, sleeping, and behaving normally there usually is no need to see a doctor. If your child’s congestion is interfering with their eating and sleeping you may want them to see a doctor to make sure there isn’t something more serious affecting them. Nasal congestion on its own is not cause for concern. Nasal congestion with other symptoms can be a sign of a more severe sickness.