For most children, an occasional stuffy nose is annoying and uncomfortable. Nasal congestion may interfere with eating and sleeping if it is severe or occurs in young babies. You can usually treat a stuffy nose safely at home. However, if your child's congestion is severe, persistent or accompanied by symptoms such as a fever, severe sore throat or bloody or foul-smelling discharge, consult his pediatrician.
Moisture
Inhaling humid air can help relieve nasal congestion. Run a hot shower, and bring your child into the bathroom to breathe in the steam. Use a cool-mist humidifier in her bedroom to keep the air moist. Offer her liquids; drinking more can help thin nasal secretions. Saline nose drops, available over-the-counter, can moisten nasal passages and help relieve stuffiness. Place two or three drops in each nostril and encourage your child to blow her nose to expel excess mucus. If she is too young to blow her nose, use a rubber bulb syringe to remove the saline.
Allergy Relief
In many cases, seasonal or environmental allergies can cause a stuffy nose. Limit your child's exposure to pollen, pet dander or other allergens. If he is allergic to pollen, keep the windows to the house closed. Bathe him and wash his hair before he goes to bed at night to prevent pollen from getting on his pillow. Ask your pediatrician whether allergy shots are an option for your child. These can desensitize your child to allergens and may, over time, reduce nasal congestion.
More Home Remedies
Your grandmother may have given you chicken soup when you were sick, and according to the Mayo Clinic website, this may be an effective home remedy for the symptoms of the common cold, including nasal stuffiness. The broth may thin mucus and reduce inflammation. Another home remedy is to raise the head of your child's bed or mattress to allow secretions to drain more effectively while she sleeps. Vitamin C supplements and echinacea may help relieve a stuffy nose, but the research is mixed. Do not give your child any vitamins or herbs without discussing it with her pediatrician first, as they may have side effects or contraindications.
Medications
Doctors do not recommend cold medications for children under the age of 2, and the medications may not be safe or effective even in older children. If your child has allergies, antihistamines and decongestants may help, but because they can also cause potentially serious side effects, it is important to speak to your child's pediatrician first. Antibiotics do not relieve a stuffy nose unless it is caused by a bacterial infection, such as a sinus infection. Talk to your doctor before giving your child any medication for a stuffy nose.
