Toddlers can get congested a lot. As a parent, you might feel like you are constantly wiping a runny nose. Stuffy little noses and uncomfortable congestion happen when excess fluids, such as thick or thin mucus, build up in your toddler’s airways.
While there’s no cure for the common cold, flu, and other common causes of a congested nose, there are many ways to treat these symptoms in toddlers. One way is by using an infant nasal aspirator. This tool can effectively suck mucus from your child’s nose and make their breathing easier.
Unfortunately for toddlers, they cannot be given over-the-counter cough and cold medications as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. This is because they’re not effective for small children. They can also pose serious, even life-threatening side effects. So, keep on reading to learn more about how to help toddler with stuffy nose.
Hydration is Key: Thinning Mucus with Plenty of Fluids
Since you can’t give your toddler any cold medicine, a simple home remedy you can do to relieve their stuffy, runny noses is to give them plenty of fluids.
Give your child lots of fluids. Research shows proper hydration, through water replenishment, helps keep mucus thin and clear, allowing it to better protect them from germs.
When the body gets more fluid, mucus becomes thinner and easier to drain. Just offer your child small, frequent sips throughout the day rather than giving them large drinks at once.
You can give your child kid-friendly options like diluted fruit juices, warm broth, or oral rehydration solutions, but you can never go wrong with water. It is always the best option. For toddlers over one year old, warm drinks can be especially soothing because the warmth helps loosen congestion. Don’t give them sugary drinks or anything too cold, as these may irritate the throat.
You can try fun cups or straws if your toddler is reluctant to drink. Your priority is to keep them sipping as hydration makes a big difference in clearing nasal passages and speeding up recovery.
Safe Suction and Saline: Gently Clearing the Nasal Passages
Saline drops and infant nasal aspirators are a gentle and effective way to clear congestion. Here’s how you can safely use them.
- Pump with a saline nasal spray
Most toddlers can have a lot of improvement with spraying saline drops in their noses and letting them sneeze out the boogers. Apply 1-2 drops in each nostril and wait for a minute before you suction it out.
- Suck them out with an infant nasal aspirator
Use an infant nasal aspirator. Make sure it is clean, properly assembled, and sterilized according to the manual’s instructions.
Hold the head of your baby while keeping it steady at the same time, so they don’t make any sudden moves. Insert the aspirator tip in the nostril opening with care, but not too deeply, so that it is snug but soft.
- If you’re using a bulb aspirator: Squeeze the bulb to produce suction and then release it slowly to remove the mucus.
- If you’re using a manual suction aspirator: To use it, insert the nasal tip into a nostril of your baby, then suck using the mouth tube while being careful not to lose the filter at the tip.
- If you’re using an electric nasal aspirator: Begin with minimal setting only and raise it if necessary. Electric aspirators can also come in handy when your baby has chest congestion or thick nasal buildup.
Do the same to the other nostril and wash the tip in between. Include saline drops and a nasal aspirator in your stuffy nose routine to help your toddler breathe comfortably.
Harnessing the Power of Humidifiers and Steamy Air
- Use a cool-mist humidifier in your child’s bedroom, especially during dry seasons or in areas with low humidity. Humidifiers help maintain optimal moisture levels in the air, preventing nasal passages from drying out and becoming irritated.
- Steam can loosen mucus and clear nasal passages. You can create a “steam room” in your bathroom by running a hot shower and sitting with your child in the steamy environment for a few minutes. Having your toddler breathe moist air can help loosen all the mucus, causing their stuffy, runny nose.
Elevating the Head for Nighttime Drainage and Better Sleep
A stuffy nose is uncomfortable, especially at night. Elevate your child’s head while sleeping to reduce nasal congestion and make it easier for them to breathe and rest comfortably.
If you have over one year old toddler, you can safely raise the head of the mattress by placing a small pillow under the mattress, not directly under their head, to create a gentle incline. This way, their airway is aligned and helps mucus flow instead of settling. Do not use loose pillows or soft items inside the crib, these can increase the risk of suffocation.
If your toddler has transitioned to a bed, a thin pillow will do to slightly elevate their head.
Child-Friendly Techniques to Encourage Nose Blowing
Toddlers are not born knowing how to blow their noses, but many are developmentally ready to learn. Here’s how you can encourage nose blowing to your toddler in a fun way:
- Mouth: Teach your toddler first on how to blow air through their mouth by having them blow bubbles, pinwheels and pieces of tissue rather than going directly to nose-blowing. Have tissue-blowing contests so they become familiar with tissues.
- Nose: Make them feel the air that comes from your nose when you close your mouth. Blow with your mouth closed and then slowly show how to use a tissue to block one side of the nostril. It can be very interesting for your toddler because she might not have noticed the sensation of air blowing through her nose before.
- Story-telling demonstration: Demonstrate the art of nose-blowing by explaining the process in a creative way. Make it a story, such as the journey of removing boogers to clear the pathway in order to breathe all counts in the proper nose-blowing technique. With the swipe of a tissue, you can save yourself from a world full of stuffiness.
Warm Compresses and Gentle Massage for Sinus Comfort
Warm compress can be a simple but powerful way to ease sinus pressure in toddlers. A warm compress works effectively especially when your child is uncomfortable or fussy from congestion. It can:
- Helps loosen mucus
- Improves circulation in the sinus area
- Provide instant soothing relief
To prepare a warm compress, begin with soaking a clean washcloth in warm water, wring it out, and gently place it over your toddler’s nose, cheeks, and forehead. Keep it there for a few minutes, reheating as needed. Always test the temperature on your inner wrist to ensure it’s safe your baby’s sensitive skin.
You can follow these gentle facial massage.
- With your fingertips, lightly rub in small circles along the bridge of the nose, across the cheeks, and just above the eyebrows. Soft, downward strokes can help encourage mucus to drain and relieve pressure from swollen sinuses.
Natural Soothing Remedies (Like Broth and Honey for Ages 1+)
Natural remedies like broth and honey can also provide relief for your toddler with a runny nose.
Warm broth is a great option because it gives your child both hydration and gentle steam that warms their throat and nasal passages. Sipping broth can help loosen congestion and provide nourishment when your child’s appetite is low.
Honey is another effective remedy for toddlers over one year old. It has a natural antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and is known to calm coughs and throat irritation. Give your toddler ½ to 1 teaspoon of honey before bedtime or mix it into warm water or lemon water for added comfort. However, for babies under one, honey is not allowed due to the risk of botulism.
When to See the Pediatrician: Recognizing Serious Symptoms
Toddler colds can be difficult, but most symptoms will recover on their own with time, rest, and a few cuddles. If you’re starting to feel worried, contact their pediatrician if the symptoms last longer than 3 weeks, or you notice any of the following symptoms with nasal congestion:
- High fever
- Signs of dehydration
- Severe or persistent cough
- Pulling at ears
- Thick, nasal discharge for several days
- Trouble breathing
- Red eyes or yellow or green discharge from the eyes
