Rhinitis is one of the most unpleasant symptoms of various diseases. As a rule, these are either colds or viral diseases. It is especially unpleasant when it appears in children.
There are several ways to get rid of a runny nose. However, inhalation is the safest. This procedure is the inhalation of steam mixed with various medicinal herbs or special medicinal substances, and in some cases it is simply necessary and expedient. It is not worth refusing to inhale for a runny nose for children, as this will stop the inflammatory process that occurs in the nasal cavity, as well as speed up the healing process.
Can I take inhalations with a runny nose?
A person during illnesssimply instills drops in the nose, which solves the problem almost instantly. But for the treatment of children with a cold, these remedies are not recommended for use, since they bring relative he alth benefits. Before you start treatment with inhalation, you need to realize that one procedure will not be enough. It will not work to remove discharge from the child's nose at a time, unlike other means. Inhalations for a runny nose for children are a more gentle way with which you can help the nasal mucosa recover faster after an illness, as well as neutralize all the microbes that are there.
The result of inhalation is that the discharge from the nose becomes more liquid, which means that it is easier to remove from the cavity. That is why, when children are ill, inhalation with a cold is simply necessary. They can be carried out using special medicines, essential oils, a nebulizer or a Mahold inhaler.
General rules for inhalation
In order for the procedure to bring the desired effect and not harm the child, it must be carried out correctly, while the type of inhaler and the composition of the solution do not matter. The general rules for the procedure are:
- inhalations for a runny nose for children should be done one hour before meals or one hour after it;
- it is impossible to carry out the procedure if the child has a fever, in particular, it is higher than 37.5 degrees;
- after inhalation, it is not recommended to go outside for about three hours, especially if the child is sick in winterperiod of the year;
- you can not let the child breathe hot steam, there will be no positive effect from this, and the risk of respiratory tract burns increases many times over, the ideal temperature for inhalation from a cold is about 40 degrees;
- during the procedure, you need to breathe only through your nose, which should be carefully explained to your baby.
When should I inhale?
Influence with any device for inhalation is possible only on the upper respiratory tract. Therefore, it can only be used if the disease is short-term and uncomplicated, for example, with rhinitis or pharyngitis. In the event that a severe diagnosis is made, for example, asthma or bronchitis, inhalation can only be carried out as prescribed by a doctor and under his supervision, since it is necessary to carefully select the type of inhaler, the medicine that will be added to the aerosol, you also need to monitor the time of the procedure, mode and temperature of the solution. What kind of inhalation to do with a cold to a child, the doctor should choose. In case of lower respiratory tract disease, self-treatment is unacceptable.
Features of inhalation from the common cold for young children
Steam inhalation should never be used to treat newborns, infants and children under one year old. Only on the prescription of a doctor can children under 6 years of age be treated in this way, if there are no contraindications. This is due to the fact that a steam inhaler works in much the same way asas an expectorant. If a child older than 6 years old can expectorate, cough and blow his nose on his own, as a result of which it becomes easier to breathe, then the child becomes more difficult to breathe due to the underdevelopment of the respiratory muscles.
Features of inhalation with essential oils
Many people ask themselves: what should I do with inhalations for a child with a cold? The safest is the use of essential oils. Despite their relative safety, such a procedure can be carried out by children over 3 years old. However, this procedure is prohibited if the child suffers from allergies or asthma. The most commonly used to eliminate the common cold are fir, pine and eucalyptus oils, lavender and other similar oils. It is enough to pour a few drops of oil into a pot of water, cover yourself with a towel with your child and breathe in a he althy healing steam. It will have a beneficial effect on the upper respiratory tract, which will lead to recovery. Such inhalation for children will save from cough and runny nose.
Performance Conditions
The positive effect of steam inhalation is possible only if:
- the procedure is performed at an early stage of an acute respiratory disease, that is, the amount of mucus in the upper respiratory tract is negligible;
- in addition to inhalation, an optimal climate for the child is organized, in particular, it should be sufficiently humid and cool;
- child drinking heavily.
In winter, when central heating is turned on in the apartment and at the same time the roompractically not ventilated and not moistened, regardless of the number of procedures, steam inhalation will not give any result.
Nebulizer
This is the most modern way of carrying out inhalation during a cold in a child. This device is an ultrasonic, in some cases, a compressor inhaler, which forms particles of a therapeutic solution. These drops penetrate as deeply as possible into the bronchi, as a result of which the effectiveness of the procedure increases many times over. The advantage of using this type of inhaler is that you can independently set up the nebulizer to spray medicines in large drops. In this case, they will settle in the nasal passages of the child, therefore, with a runny nose, they will help to remove sputum.
For very young patients, there are special inhalers, the design of which includes masks. Their advantage is that the procedure can be carried out in any position, lying and sitting. The duration of the procedure is reduced to 10 minutes.
Inhalations for a runny nose with a nebulizer: recipes for children
The following compositions can serve as a solution for a nebulizer:
- 100 grams of pine buds, 2 tbsp. l. eucalyptus leaves, 4 tbsp. l. mixtures of flowers of calendula and St. John's wort. Pour the mixture with two liters of boiling water, keep on low heat for about 10 minutes and let it brew for half an hour. Before carrying out the procedure, warm up the product and pour it into the nebulizer. Duration of storage - no more than two days.
- Inhalation with juicekalanchoe. The healing properties of this plant have been known for a long time. Almost everyone has used it at least once in their lives to fight viruses. It is with the help of Kalanchoe that the condition of the child can be normalized. For inhalation, you need to dilute two tablespoons with water and pour into the tank.
- The drug "Rotokan" has proven itself well. It can be freely bought at the pharmacy. It is made on the basis of natural ingredients, in particular, it contains extracts of calendula, chamomile and yarrow. To prepare a solution for inhalation, dilute two tablespoons of Rotokan in half a liter of water and pour into a nebulizer.
- For children, you can use the alkaline solution "Borjomi". This liquid is able to thin the mucus in the nose, as a result of which it is removed much faster. Inhalations with saline for a runny nose for children have the same effect.
The effectiveness of this procedure has been proven by many doctors. Inhalations with a runny nose with a nebulizer for children have a positive effect on the general condition of the child, relieve a runny nose in the shortest possible time. The only drawback that may be is that the child may be afraid to use this device. But there is always a way out. There are special inhalers that visually attract children. If there is no such opportunity to buy, then you can use the usual one. You need to show the child on yourself how the procedure will go, and then his fear will disappear.
Types of inhalers
The most effective andeffective inhalation is carried out with the help of special devices and devices. There is an explanation for this: the device allows steam to penetrate deep into the bronchi.
All inhalation therapy devices share:
- For aerosol medicines, which is a can filled with a special agent. To carry out the procedure, it is enough to spray the contents of the can into the nasal cavity.
- Pocket inhalers can be powder or liquid. The first of these is a small spray can, which is sold in combination with containers. It contains capsules of medicinal powder. This allows fine particles of powder to seem to shoot up the nose. Pocket liquid inhalers have a similar effect.
- Steam inhalers are a device that has a reservoir. Medicinal liquid is poured into it, which, in turn, turns into steam with the help of a heater. It is this steam that you need to breathe through your nose.
- Compression inhaler is an aerosol that is created using a jet of air.
- Ultrasonic inhaler allows the formation of volatile particles under the influence of ultrasound.
- Mesh nebulizer is a modern inhaler that helps to create the smallest particles in size. This allows you to deliver drugs to the most remote corners of the respiratory tract.
The most commonly used steam inhalers for a cold, because they createcoarse particles that settle in the sinuses.
Contraindications
In some diseases, inhalation is strictly prohibited, as it can be dangerous to the he alth of the child. These pathologies are:
- Angina. This is a bacterial disease, which means that a humid, warm environment will cause microbes to multiply rapidly.
- Otitis. This disease is associated with the accumulation of mucus in the narrow space of the Eustachian tube. As a result, the person begins to feel severe pain. Inhalation will cause the mucus to swell and increase in size, resulting in increased pressure and more pain.
There are other contraindications to inhalation:
- age of a child under 1 year old, for children from one to 6 years old, inhalations are carried out strictly according to the doctor's prescription;
- high body temperature;
- presence of bacterial infections;
- ear pain;
- presence of blood in sputum.
Treating a runny nose with inhalation, in particular when using a nebulizer, is quite easy, convenient, fast and safe. But before you decide to perform this procedure at home, you need to be examined by a doctor. Only a specialist should choose how to do inhalation with a nebulizer for a child with a runny nose. This also applies to other treatments.
