What Are the Symptoms of Nasal Congestion in Babies?

Nasal mucosal edema, hyperemia, swelling, increased secretion of nasal mucosa, nasal cavity, sinuses, and nasopharyngeal mass occupying lesions can all cause infants with nasal congestion. Nasal congestion caused by different causes has different characteristics and accompanying symptoms. Children may have symptoms such as difficulty eating, sleep disturbances, snoring, breathing with open mouth, and even belching. It was found that the infant's nasal congestion should obviously go to the hospital for treatment, and the doctor should treat the cause after diagnosis.

Basic Information

English name

snuffles

Visiting department

Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery

Common causes

Nasal mucosal edema, hyperemia, swelling, increased secretion of nasal mucosa, occupying lesions in the nasal cavity, sinuses, and nasopharynx

Common symptoms

Inability to breathe through the nose, belching, cyanosis on the lips and face, sleep snoring, breathing with open mouth and even belching, etc.

Causes of nasal congestion in infants

Nasal mucosal edema, congestion, swelling, increased secretion of nasal mucosa, nasal cavity, sinuses, and nasopharyngeal mass occupying lesions can cause nasal congestion. Nasal congestion caused by different causes has different characteristics and accompanying symptoms.

Clinical manifestations of nasal congestion in infants

Rhinitis

Rhinitis is the culprit for nasal congestion in most babies. Children will experience repeated nasal congestion, accompanied by clear and pus.

2. Nasal stricture and posterior nostril atresia

It usually exists at birth, and it shows persistent nasal congestion, and it is even impossible to breathe through the nose, belch, and cyanosis on the lips and face.

3. Adenoidal hypertrophy

Adenoidal hypertrophy is a common nasopharyngeal mass occupying lesion in infants, manifested by obvious nasal congestion after falling asleep, snoring during sleep, accompanied by open mouth breathing and even belching.

Infant nasal congestion treatment

Different etiological treatment methods are different, some require nasal spray, and some require surgery. Once the parents find that the child has a nasal congestion, they should go to the hospital as soon as possible to determine the cause and treat them symptomatically under the guidance of a doctor.

1. Congenital nasal stenosis or posterior nostril atresia requires surgical treatment at about 1 year old. Before surgery, you can breathe through a pacifier with an open mouth to establish oral breathing.

2. Children with adenoidal hypertrophy are not treated conservatively. If they seriously affect the quality of sleep or even their physical and mental development, adenoidectomy should be performed as soon as possible.

3. Don't panic if you have rhinitis. Baby rhinitis is not as difficult to treat as rhinitis in adults. Most of them can be cured after systemic treatment. You must follow up regularly with your doctor's order to cure with medication. Often after a week or two of treatment, the symptoms can be significantly improved. Parents are lazy and revisited. It won't be long before the child starts to get stuffy again. In addition, parents are advised not to buy medicines at the pharmacy themselves. Some nasal vasoconstrictors that are not suitable for children may cause refractory drug rhinitis. Because children's nasal cavity and sinuses are still developing, sinus surgery is not considered for simple sinusitis.

Infant nasal congestion prevention

You should strengthen your physique, pay attention to weather changes, add and remove clothes in a timely manner, and avoid colds as much as possible; maintain indoor air circulation and avoid crowded places; older children can wash their faces with cold water, which can increase the defense ability of the nasal cavity and local cold Adaptability; pay attention to protecting the nose, poor air environment or haze weather. Avoid taking children out. You can use clean water or a nasal sprayer (containing saline or physiological seawater) to clean the nasal cavity. Parents should not take the children's nasal cavity deep, hard "Nasal feces", to avoid nasal damage to the nasal mucosa and subsequent infection; pay attention to the collection of small items, to prevent foreign objects from being stuffed into the nasal cavity.