Your child's nasal congestion occurs when his nasal passages become swollen with fluid. Irritants that cause the congestion include colds, the flu, environmental and allergenic irritants, and various bacterial and viral conditions. Congestion is mainly just an annoyance for children and clears up once the illness runs its course. In the meantime, offering your child some relief from the symptoms can make it more bearable and may even help the congestion to go away sooner.
Step 1
Encourage your child to blow his nose often to loosen and remove any mucus.
Step 2
Spray a saline nose spray into her nostrils to loosen the mucus, especially if nothing comes out when she blows her nose. Some children can become adept at using a neti pot, which may offer more effectiveness in flushing out your child's nasal passages. For the best results, use either saline irrigation product daily.
Step 3
Encourage your child to increase his fluid intake. Water, broth, tea and juices all prevent dehydration while helping to thin and clear mucus secretions.
Step 4
Turn on a warm-mist humidifier in your child's room while she sleeps. The moist air keeps her nasal passages hydrated while she sleeps to keep the mucus thin. Some humidifiers have a compartment to place a vapor rub in so your child gets the benefit of the moist air combined with the relief that a vapor rub can provide.
Step 5
Rub a vapor rub on your child's chest. While these products are not recommended for children under the age of 2 and should not be applied underneath the nose, rubbing it on your child's chest can provide some relief.
Things You'll Need
- Saline nose spray or neti pot
- Warm-mist humidifier
- Vapor rub
