Help with a Stuffy Nose

Hi A.,
Whenever my daughter or I get a stuffy nose or any sign of a cold, I put a "pearl" (an Optiflora pearl is a Shaklee supplement that contains the friendly bacteria such as Acidophilus and Bifidus that is normally through out our intestinal tract from mouth to lower intestines) in our mouths as we are falling asleep. I slip it into Anya's cheek when she is already asleep and it dissolves there and the friendly bacteria travel into the throat and sinuses and gobble up the bad bacteria. Strange but true, completely safe and very effective. You can order them at www.shaklee.net/integralhealing or you can call me at ###-###-#### if you are curious to know more.
Good luck.
Warmly,
F.

Unfortunately there are no medications that doctors will give small babies for cold symptoms. I have three children and two of them had many problems with this as small babies. We usually put some sort of wedge under the mattress of the bassinet or crib so that their head can be elevated - make sure it's under the mattress! We also use a cool mist humidifier at night. I recently found a chest rub for babies (kind of like Vicks). It is not medicated and very mild. I got it at Toys R Us and I'm sure they have it at Babies R Us as well. It's made from the "Little" noses, colds, etc. company. You probably already do this but if you put some saline drops in his nose before you suction it you may have more luck with it. On really bad nights there have been times when my husband and I have just had to take turns sitting up holding the baby when he's congested. None of these things will work miracles for you, but hopefully they will help a little! Good luck!

Check with his doc for any kind of allergies. Sometimes too, if you have him on formula the dairy might trigger a response. I would run a humidifier on high wherever he is and put in some saline with the water. That sometimes helps break up stuff in his head and the moisture is good as well. My daughter had a lot of issues like that. It could be a simple as a matter of under-developed eustacian tubes and the poor little guy can drain out properly. Check with your doc. Hope it helps.

I have found a miracle remedy.
For ear nose and throatissues, including coughs, sore throats, stuffy noses, we put 3 drops of peroxide in each ear and it oxgenates the area and cleans up whatever is going on in there.
I learned this from Dr Mercola at mercola.com.

a cool mist humidifier might help......not only does it add moisture to the air, but the white noise it makes can also help your little one to sleep......worked for both my babies!

I understand how frustrating that is we have had the same problem with our son he is 10 months old. Sorry I don't have the cure all but here are a few things that have helped. We keep one side of his crib elevated and use a cool mist humidifier. Sometimes I use babyvicks and alot of saline and suction. He will be seeing an ENT in a few weeks and I'm hoping he will have some information that will help.

if you have a humidifier, add some drops of essential oils of something like eucalyptus or peppermint. those aromas open up sinuses. its worth a shot!

With babies that young usually the sucking it out doesn't help much (unfortunately) try putting a cool mist humidifier on him.

A.,
I use a homeopathic remody called Mucolytic Drainage Formula - it is a natural form of mucus relief.
I buy it from our chiropractor - Dr. Pam Traum - ###-###-####. I also take both my kids for chriopractic adjustments and treatments on a regular basis. This helps with drainage and keeps them from developing ear infections. I started this a year ago and absolutely no ear infections since that time. Prior to that, my older son had chronic ear infections. I also started this treatment on my younger son when he was the age of your baby.

J.

My daughter had the same problem for several months and finally I asked her doctor for suggestions at one of her regular appointments. He suggested putting her to sleep on an incline (they make foam ones or you can improvise with blankets) and using a humidifier.

You may ask your pediatrician if you can give him a little Benedryl. It really dries them up and helps them sleep. I can't remember if 3 1/2 is too young to give him any.

Humidifier and Baby Vicks on the chest. The vicks helps open up his nose and sinuses to help breathing. We use it ALL the time.

Your son is having an allergic reaction to something in his environment. It could be bedding mites, dust, new carpet or paint off gassing, etc. or it could be your diet. Do a careful walk through of your home and look for culprits. wash your bedding and get the pillow covers for people with allergies. (you can get mattress covers too) Keep his stuffed animals and bedding clean and washed regularly. Avoid wheat, dairy, eggs and any alcohol for a couple of weeks and see if that helps. Keep a food diary of what you are eating and when and how his symtoms are presenting in a column running the same timeline as your food dairy. This will eventually allow you to tract any triggers if it's diet. Do some light pressure massage on his face under his eyes at his cheekbones and nose. This will help open his nasal passages and will relieve pressure. You are going to have to be extra aware and viligent. It sounds like your son has a reactive immune system which is a good sign that he has the energy to react but can be challenging for the parents. The more closely you can tune into what is triggering him the better off the both of you will be down the line. The food journal, while it sounds cumbersome, is an immensely valuable tool. I can't stress it's value in this situation enough.

Hi A.,

My son had the same problem...I even had him seen by an ear nose & throat specialist at 2 months old! We tried the saline and it never really worked, so the poor little guy had to sleep elevated for the first nine months of his life. Great news though...he out gew the problem! Good luck.

L. R

A., first and foremost, stuffy noses in infants is normal. Our daughter had one (and still does from time to time) from the time she was born. Our pediatrician said that it's normal and for the most part nothing to worry about. Infants are constantly getting use to their new environment and they are breathing in new smells etc. all time so it is natural for them to be stuffy. I wouldn't automatically assume that your son is allergic to something or that it is an environmental problem. It is highly unlikely for infants to have a lot of allergies at that age. The older he gets the better it will get. I think most of the moms covered the things that worked for us. Elevating the crib at one end with a pool noodle cut in half works great. We always have a cool "mist" humidifier running in her room (there's no actual visible mist). AZ is just too dry not to. The breast milk in the nose also worked great and Vick's baby rub on the chest and feet. (Yes the feet with socks really does work. When our daugher was sick and my husband forgot to do it before bed we had a horrible night with her.) Just a reminder, always consult your pediatrician before giving him anything (especially things like Benadryl as I saw one person suggest). Good luck!

I'm not sure what Camele's qualifications are, but don't assume it's allergies (or anything else for that matter) without talking to your pediatrician & making a plan together. It is virtually impossible to diagnosis a child without doing a physical exam & gathering additional information from the parents. I am a pediatric nurse & it is very rare for children less than 1 year to have allergies, but not unheard of. Elevating the head of the bed a little is a good option, there are also warm mist/steam humidifiers that are nice in the winter months. You could also try letting him sleep in his car seat for a nap & see if that makes a difference. It is only a short term solution, but it might work for a few nights to get him over the hump. Your pediatrician will have several options for you as well. Good Luck!

At bed time, rub some Vick's Vapor rub on his feet and then put on some socks. This will keep the vapor near him, but not end up in his mouth. I also have a stuffy baby boy. I have a humidifier in his room that we use regularly to help keep things moist and moving. You might also want to try steaming up your bathroom and sitting in there with him for about 20 minutes to help losen things before sucking out his nose. I puy my son in his bouncy seat while I take a shower (while keeping an eye on him still) and multitask that one!

I just got my 2 boys over a bout of stuffy noses too. Running the heater for the winter months dehumidifies the air which causes sinuses to dry out. I used a vaporizer in their room for nap and bedtime. I know that most people suggest the cool mist humidifiers but it's still chilly at night and the cool mist made their room even colder. Once it warms up, you might try a cool mist humidifier. Baby Vicks on my 8 month old's chest also helped him.

I also had my son with a runny/stuffy nose. The pediatrician gave me a saline rinse that flushes the stuff out of their nose. The company is Neilmed. You could call around to Walgreens and see if anyone has the pediatric kit. The bottle is a small, squeezie bottle that not delivers the saline in a low pressure and it drains out the other nostril. I had to fight him the first time, but now he does it willingly. It's amazing the stuff that comes out. I have not found the pediatric kit in stores, but you can order it online at www.neilmed.com.
On another note, I also used to suction my son's nose. I found it actually made it worse. The suction was too strong and it caused his sinuses to swell. Until you get the neilmed sinus rinse kit, you can put saline in their nose and let it drain backward down his throat. Good Luck,
C.

My 5 month old daughter had the same problems. I then started using a warm mist humidifier. It helped along with using the saline by little noses. Good luck!!

My pediatrician had me get special drops, X-clear they are called. You have to get them at sprouts, wild oats or ikes. they are expensive, around 15$ but worth it as we find them more effective than saline and they can be used as often as needed without a habit forming issue. also a humidifier might help. does he have a stuffy nose all day or just at night? one of my sons has issues with this a night and has seasonal allergies during day (sneezing etc. claritan or alavert controls this but he was stuffy at night until we added x-clear. A.

If you are breastfeeding your milk is really full of great things. This probably sounds really weird, but put some of your breastmilk up his nose. This works for colds in the eye, too, if you drip some breastmilk in the eye.

Poor little guy. :(

My daughter just went through this too. What worked for us is after using the saline/bulb combo I would put her on her tummy for a while. Instead of it draining down her throat, it would loosen up and drain out of her nose. She would drain for up to an hour, but then she would be fine for the rest of the day. Good luck!

Are you sure it's a stuffy nose? One of my boys had similar symptoms and it turned out to be his tonsils/ adenoids. Once out, he was a new kid.

Check to see if there is anything in his bed he could be allergic to. Are you using a pillow? Is it feather? That could be one. Be sure his mattress is covered with a clean, waterproof cover. Dust mites can be a problem, so be sure to wash the bed sheets frequently, in the hottest water, and dry them in a hot drier. (pillowcases, too) Try not using fabric softener, and/or changing detergents, to see if that makes a difference. Be sure they are thoroughly rinsed. Also, reflect on any new, recent foods in case there could be a food allergy. Is there something you've introduced that you could eliminate for a while? A humidifier in the room might help, if the air is exceptionally dry. Be sure and contact your doctor if he gets worse.

rub vicks vapor rub on his feet at night and put socks on, he will not be stuffy and it also helps with coughing!:-)

He probably has seasonal allergies. I know everyone in my house suffers until it gets to be about 100degrees. Talk to your doctor and see if he is too young for Claritan. It seems to help my kids but they are also a lot older. Good luck! Oh, the humidifier is good too at night.

how about a cool air humidifier in his room? and anti allergy bed linens. constant mucous is a sign of allergy. Is he on formula? he most likely has an allergy to the formula it is usually a dairy allergy. if you are breast feeding - are you eating dairy? if so take it out of your diet and see if it clears up.

A lot of good advice...hopefully not too much ;)
I would say it would not hurt to treat as allergy, and whenever someone says something is rare..it means it could happen. I had a son that was very sick as an infant, and the food dairy was the best way to go. Took my kids to an allergist, and all it did was give them a false sense of self-confidence that proved harmful. I also used homeopathy on my son as well as conventional western medicine. When I used a sulphur compound... he greatly improved, and his urticaria was vastly reduced. He now uses the sinus rinse, and really enjoys it. In some places it is a standard hygiene practice. I have been able to slowly add new foods and rotate in diet. I think it is actually good in that it makes us more conscious about what we put in our bodies.

Are you using a bulb syringe? I ended up buying a Bebesounds NasalClear battery operated aspirator with my daughter's second cold and it works so well. She doesn't hate it as much as the bulb syringe either. One thing though... it doesn't look like it's doing anything. You don't see the stuff it sucked out half the time until you take it apart to clean it. That really helped us.

Also, sleeping with a humidifier seems to make things a little less tough, and elevating her head slightly helps too.

Do you have a humidifier in your baby's room? That might help. Also raising the head of the crib by an inch or two can work wonders. I took the wheels off of the foot end of my sons crib and it raised the head just enough to keep my sons sinuses draining down, instead of pooling. You can always put a pillow under the mattress or raise the head side with pieces of wood. Talk to your pediatrician about allergies also. Good luck!!

My little girl is almost a year and she got a bad cold back when she was 4 months old- like everyone has been saying the Vicks rub and humidifier- but the biggest thing that helped her was to prop her head up either in a carseat or in a boppy while she sleeps- it allowed her to breath a lot better.

You could try putting a cool mist humidifier in his room. That seemed to help my son.

Are you using a cool mist humidifier especialy at night? I know it sounds trivial but it really does work over time to loosen up the congestion. I hope this helps.

A.-
If you have any animals he could be having an allergic reaction. But if not you can use children's sudafed and also get a cool mist humidifier in his room. It will help with putting moisture into the room. My youngest has the same problems with allergys and it took a long time to get things straightened out. I hope that this might help you.
S. C

Try AYR, it works for me and my family. It is perfectly safe. Don't use anything for a long time. See your doctor.

Vicks Vapo Rub on his chest and a humidifier.

Hi A.~ My 2 1/2 month old little boy is also getting over a stuffy nose. We used the saline and sucking his nose and also used a cold mist vaporizer in his room which helped but our doctor said it can take 2-3 weeks for it to start getting better. She said there isn't much else you can do (just make sure he doesnt have a high temp.) other than let it run its course. Good luck :)

My good friend recently had the same problem and it helped her daughter to give her a bath right before bedtime. She said the warm water loosend her congestion and made it easier to suction out. Good luck! It is so hard to not be sleeping at night!

Hey A.,

Don't worry to much about the stuffy nose its cold season and every kid has one. If you elevate his crib or whatever he sleeps in with a blanket or something that will help witht he sleeping. Good luck. Spring is almost here thank god. If your local to Los Alamos theres some great activites for stay at home moms. Please let me know if your interested in some of the activties in town.

M.

Hi,

Are you breastfeeding? If so, it could be something in your diet that is giving him a mild allergic reaction. The most commom allergens in this situation are wheat, dairy, soy, corn. Try cutting these out of your diet one at a time and see if they make a difference. It can take up to two weeks to see a change so be persistient. Hope this helps!

B.

We use a cool mist humidifier in my sons room it does make a difference, and some vicks baby vapor rub on his chest.

I also am having the same problem. My son is 2 months and has had a stuffy nose since he was born. Nothing seems to be working for us either. The doc said to just wait it out and he would hopefully grow out of it. Let me know if you find any answers. Thanks, A. De La Cuesta ____@____.com

My 2mth old (now 3 mths) had the same problem. A cool mist humidifier works wonders. You can also use the baby rub by Vicks on a 3mth old. I beleive Johnson & Johnson has a vapor bath but I am not sure if it is ok to use on a 3 mth old-you'll need to check the label. Good luck!

I'm sorry for the late response but I'm D. mother of 2 and my son (I swear) was sick more that better the first year of his life! I used those Vicks plug in vapor things they plug right into the wall and then you don't have to worry about your baby getting Vicks in their eyes but they get the same effect. Good luck!

A.,

We have had similiar issues with our 4 month old. We were using the bulb syringe on his nose four or five times a day (poor baby)! He's been on medication for upper respiratory infection and sinus infection. He does great while on the medication but two weeks after he is stuffed up again!! However, since the weather has been nice he is doing much better. We are starting to think that maybe it was allergies.....
Do you think allergies could be the culprit?? Other things that we tried, that you are more than welcome to try is a steam shower, run a humidifier, elevate the crib mattress on one side, vicks baby rub on the chest and back and we were also told to put it on his feet and put socks on him. I hope for your sake that one of these works!! Good luck

L.

A.,

A couple of things I remember trying with our 3 month old were: using a humidifier at night and a few drops of breastmilk into each nostril. Sounds strange, right? But the antibodies in breastmilk can help break up mucus.

Hope that helps.

Good luck,
J.

the best thing you can do for a 3 1/2 month old is, 1. keep the humidifire on, and that will help the nose to drain.2. don't lay him flaton his back, prop him up a little, i always use a pillow, a small thisn one, i put it under the sheet very snug, you don't won't him to sufficait, they also make a sleeping wedg you can buy now to, onestepahead.com has them.when there proped up like that it really helps them breath allot better., becarful with the nose sucker, some times it can make it alot worse, and can do some damage to the sinus, also there are those menthal plugins, they put minthol in the air it does help, my docter said its ok for 3months and up, BUT always check with your own docter first. other then that there's not much you can do for little ones, you really don't won't give them meds, unless the doc tell you to, watch out for RSV, crop, here is a helpful site for a first time mom, webmd.com , there is a syptem finder, tells you all the info you could ever want to read. well i now how colds are with little ones i have two kids, andyou won't them to get better so bad, hope he gets better.