What causes children to have a stuffy nose and sneeze?

Children may often have nasal congestion and sneezing, which will have many adverse effects on their growth and health, so treatment must be carried out in a timely manner. We should also understand the real cause of children's nasal congestion and sneezing so that we can deal with it correctly. At the same time, parents should also pay attention to the correct care methods for newborn nasal congestion.

1. Characteristics of the nasal cavity of newborns

Newborns have small nasal cavities, short nasal passages, and soft nasal mucosa with abundant capillaries, so they are more susceptible to congestion and nasal mucosal edema than adults. Newborns are easily stimulated by changes in temperature in the external environment, and the blood vessels in the nasal mucosa expand and contract, and exudation increases, which is what people often call snot. Newborns cannot clear out their nasal mucus, which will gradually turn into nasal crusts that block the nasal passages and aggravate the degree of nasal congestion. We all know that in order to maintain life, people need to constantly absorb fresh air from the outside, expel carbon dioxide, and conduct gas exchange. When the nose is blocked, it will affect people's normal breathing.

2. The impact of nasal congestion on newborns

Since newborns often keep their mouths closed and cannot breathe through their mouths, nasal congestion will have a greater impact on newborns, usually manifested as irritability and crying. When feeding, both the nose and mouth are blocked, resulting in poor feeding or inability to suck. In severe cases, cyanosis and difficulty breathing may occur. Therefore, nasal congestion in newborns is not a small problem and should attract the attention of parents.

3. Causes of nasal congestion in newborns

Colds can cause nasal congestion in newborns. When you have a cold, the nasal mucosa becomes congested and swollen, and the secretions in the nasal cavity increase, which often leads to nasal obstruction. In addition, if the mother uses the antihypertensive drug reserpine during pregnancy, the newborn may also experience nasal congestion immediately after birth.

Dry air can also cause nasal congestion. The solution is: if it is winter, you can hang a wet towel in front of the heater to reduce the dryness of the air. Your baby may also experience a stuffy nose if the room temperature is too high. Therefore, when the weather is good, you should take your baby for walks outdoors often. After being exposed to outdoor air, your baby's nasal cavity will be unobstructed. It is worth noting that you should never use adult nasal decongestants on your baby.

4. Key points for nursing care of neonatal nasal congestion

The nasal mucosa of the newborn is edematous, and no secretions can be seen blocking the nasal passages. You can use a wet towel to apply hot compress to the base of your baby's nose to temporarily relieve nasal congestion. If there is snot, you can use a soft towel or gauze, wet it, twist it into a cloth twist, and gently put it into the baby's nasal passage. Then slowly rotate the cloth twist in the opposite direction, pulling it out while rotating, and the snot can be brought out of the nasal passage. This will not hurt the baby's nasal cavity and is much safer than using a cotton swab.