With the birth of their first child, parents have incomparable feelings and emotions. Mutual love and intimacy is getting stronger every day. But the joy of the first days can be overshadowed by the strange behavior of the baby, for example, frequent sneezing, grunting or coughing. Not knowing the true reason, adults begin to sound the alarm and contact a pediatrician. So let's consider why a newborn sneezes, is it normal, and how to help him?
What to do if the baby sneezes?
If infant just born and already sneezing, don't let that scare you. After all, the nasal sinuses are still very narrow, and by sneezing, the baby independently clears his nose from accumulated dust, mucus and dry crusts.
Pediatricians consider it normal when a two to three month old newborn sneezes up to 5-6 times a day.
Causes
There are several main reasons why a newborn baby often sneezes, let's try to figure it out:
- The most common reason is dry air in the room. The optimum humidity for the baby should be within the normal range: 50-70%. To control it, you must have a device that will show the temperature and humidity in the room. The problem of insufficient moisture is easily solved with the help of a humidifier, if this is not possible, you can hang damp laundry in the room, put several vessels with water and spray the room with a spray bottle.
- Pollen can cause frequent sneezing and grunting in a newborn. It is recommended to do wet cleaning of the room every day to prevent dust accumulation. Ventilate the baby's room more often. In cold weather, the newborn baby should be moved to another room for a few minutes.
- A sneeze can result from allergies to pets. In order to determine the cause of sneezing, you need to part with your beloved pet for several days. But do not rush to conclusions, experts have proven that communication with animals has a beneficial effect on the upbringing of a child and his thinking.
- It happens that the baby sneezes after breastfeeding, monitor the correct position of the baby during feeding, this will prevent the frequency of regurgitation.
- Houseplants can also cause allergies in babies. Some flowers contain an essential oil that can cause severe allergic reactions.
- For children's washing, select washing powders that are approved by dermatologists.
- Try not to use strong fragrances such as perfumes, creams, shower gels. The listed funds can irritate the mucous membrane and become the main reason that the baby sneezes. The baby's favorite scent for many months is the mother's natural scent, which makes the environment more trusting and soothes the baby.
- Contact with a smoker is a very unfavorable moment for a baby.
Why does a newborn have a runny nose and he starts sneezing?
Sometimes doctors talk about such a phenomenon as physiological rhinitis, which often manifests itself at the age of one. It is accompanied by a light, translucent liquid discharge that irritates the nasal passages, which is why newborn babies sneeze frequently. He is not treated, since closer to the 3rd month he passes on his own.
The respiratory system of the baby develops, improves and over time the mucus becomes less. A physiological runny nose does not interfere with the child's life and does not cause much discomfort. If the runny nose and sneezing do not stop by 3 months, you should see a doctor.
Watch a video on the topic of publication:
How to help a baby to breathe easier if he sneezes? How to clean the spout correctly and safely?
To rinse the spout, you will need saline or salt water for newborns, these products can be purchased at any pharmacy. First, we bury one nostril, 2-3 drops, wait a minute, and with a cotton flag dipped in warm, boiled water and clean the baby's nose.
In case of a profuse rhinitis, it will be convenient to use a nasal aspirator. Thus, all germs are washed out and children stop sneezing.
If, with colds, the baby began to sneeze and cough, he had a runny nose and got up heat... In this case, you should consult your pediatrician for advice.
Doctor Komarovsky claims that apart from natural causes a child may sneeze violently from a cold.
do not bury your child's nose with drops from a runny nose, drugs based on xylometazoline - before the age of two, are rarely prescribed.
Small children need not only the boundless love of their mother, but also daily care for them.
It is known that sneezing is an unconditioned reflex of the human body, which occurs as a reaction to certain stimuli. However, when a child sneezes frequently, parents have serious concerns about their baby's health. In the absence of a runny nose and temperature, such a process should not disturb the parents, but in the case when these symptoms accompany sneezing, most likely it has entered the body viral infection or a cold begins to develop.
Why do children sneeze?
A child sneezes mainly for the same reasons as adults, the only exception applies to newborns and infants, in whom this process can be caused by completely different factors. First of all, young mothers should understand why the child often sneezes, because in this case they will know how to behave with the baby. Pediatricians claim that sneezing in newborns is caused by the fact that after childbirth their nasopharynx is cleared of mucus that accumulated during the intrauterine development of the baby. Also, babies mostly begin to sneeze during or after feeding, which is explained by the still unformed Eustachian tube, which connects the nasopharynx and the ear. When sucking at the breast, tickling may occur in the nasopharynx, which causes the child to constantly sneeze.
In addition, a runny nose and sneezing in a child can occur for the following reasons:
If a baby's sneeze is not associated with these factors, such a natural process in the body, on the contrary, benefits him, because the nose of the crumbs is thoroughly cleansed of various microparticles. In addition, this method can eliminate the accumulated mucus, since children do not know how to blow their nose on their own. For this reason, in order for them to start sneezing, aloe or Kalanchoe juice is dripped into their nose.
Sneezing as a sign of a cold
In the case when such phenomena indicate the course of a cold in the child's body, parents should know what to do when the child starts sneezing. Such a sign usually indicates the initial stage of development of a cold, so parents should try to stop its development. During this period, funds can help traditional medicine, after which, if necessary, they already resort to medications. If the child has snot and sneezes, you can carry out the following therapeutic actions:
With a runny nose, it is very important to prevent the mucus from drying out, for this it is recommended to increase the humidity of the air when it is dry in the room - above 22 degrees, where the baby is. You can also moisturize the nasopharyngeal mucosa using special products in the form of sprays and drops. Do not forget that during this period the child should drink a lot of liquid in the form of water, juices, tea, compote.
All parents should know how to treat snot and sneezing in a child, because, in this way, you can improve the health of the baby, speed up the healing process, and also eliminate the development of possible complications that are dangerous to his health. According to pediatricians, in children after the age of 2 years, a mild runny nose may not be treated, because the body's immune system itself will be able to resist the disease.
- ventilate the room;
- regularly carry out wet cleaning;
- walking with your baby in the fresh air;
- give him warm tea to drink;
- increase the amount of vitamins consumed;
- soar legs before bedtime.
When filling the nose with thick mucus, of course, you need to take all measures aimed at eliminating the problem that has arisen. For these purposes, it is necessary to rinse the nose immediately upon detection of mucus in the nasopharynx. It is important to remember that children under the age of 2 years should not rinse their nose, you can only drip into the nasal passages saline followed by elimination of mucus with a rubber bulb. Also not worth abuse vasoconstrictor drugs, they can be used only as directed by a doctor, without exceeding the indicated dosage and the recommended course of treatment.
Any mother of the first child will always be on the alert for the frequent sneezing of a newborn, because in adults this symptom is usually the main harbinger of an incipient cold. But the physiology of a newly born baby is fundamentally different from the physiology of an adult, so the reasons for a banal “apchha” may be very simple.
Causes of sneezing in a newborn
If a child under 2 months sneezes quite often, then the simplest reasons can start this:
| Causes of sneezing | |
|---|---|
| Allergy | This is a consequence of the irritating effect of microparticles, to which the baby's mucous membrane reacts especially sharply. It can be: Household dust; |
| Polluted street air emissions | If you walk with a child close to highways, factories or busy streets, particles of dust, exhaust and emissions will injure his mucous membrane |
| Improper organization of life in the children's room | Fluffy rugs in the bedroom, a lot of soft toys, overdried non-circulating air, room temperatures above 24 degrees will dry out the baby's mucous membrane, which will cause a similar reflex |
| Crusts in the nose | Immediately after birth, the baby continues to produce increased physiological mucus, which dries out and forms crusts when it gets into the nose. When breathing, they "tickle" the mucous membrane, causing a completely physiological process - strong and frequent sneezing. |
| After feeding | If older children have a nasopharynx and upper airways are already fully formed, then in newborns, when sucking a bottle or mother's milk, food can drop into the mucous membrane of the nose. Therefore, after eating, the child must rest in order to free the passages for normal breathing. |
And if the baby is sick?
Of course, frequent sneezing can be a prerequisite for a cold for a baby. A day after the start of active sneezing, an increased release of snot may appear and, as a result, the baby's nose will begin to lay. In such cases, drying of this mucus is unacceptable, since then the child will not be able to fully breathe. After all, babies have not yet learned to breathe with their mouths, so mothers of newborns who have colds need to be always on the alert and immediately call a specialist at home. 
How to prevent frequent sneezes?
Every mother of a baby from his very birth should follow the following instructions of pediatricians:
- Constantly humidify the air by purchasing an electric humidifier or hanging wet towels in the nursery. A great option is to install a large aquarium indoors.
- Conduct regular airing of the nursery, even on frosty days.
- The room should have a minimum of soft toys and carpets.
- Remove all possible allergenic irritants: cats, dogs, room fragrances. Replace laundry detergents with baby soap. Review your diet or choose a different food for your child.
- Clean the newborn's nostrils several times a day. For this, dense sterile cotton filaments soaked in one-component baby oil (without additives) are suitable. If this is not the case, ordinary boiled water will do.
- If the child is sick, then an urgent need to start treatment, which will be prescribed by the pediatrician. It is important to rinse the spout to prevent the mucus crusts from drying out. To do this, you can use the drug Aquamarine or water infused with pharmacy chamomile.
Despite the fact that sneezes in newborns are a physiological condition, their frequent manifestation cannot be ignored. In such cases, it is strongly recommended to revise your life and eliminate possible irritants so that the baby can breathe fully.
The birth of a baby is considered the most joyful moment in the life of every parent. But besides joy, a number of difficulties appear in their life, with which they will have to get acquainted. One of them will be the constant sneezing of the crumbs.
In newborn babies, this phenomenon is frequent and this should not be surprising, since when sneezing, the natural cleansing of its nasal passages occurs. But there are situations when the symptom in question may indicate the presence of some kind of disease. In this case, it is necessary to understand and distinguish all the symptoms that the unformed organism produces.
The most important reason for the development of sneezing in a newborn child is a protective reaction to incoming stimuli. This is not a disease, but if nothing is done, the situation can worsen. So before treatment, it is important to understand what can lead to the development of the symptom in question.
Dry air
If the air in the room in which the crumbs are located has a low level of humidity, then a number of problems with nasal breathing arise. This situation is especially aggravated when heating is switched on in houses.
What to do in this situation? Always maintain a humidity level of at least 50% in the room. For these purposes, it is best to purchase special air humidifiers.... If you can't buy them, you can wet the towels and hang them on the batteries. You can also get fish and keep them in the aquarium.
Allergy
Allergic runny nose is one of the most common problems today. A tiny toddler can sneeze from inhaled dust, pet hair, and pollen. And when the allergy is seasonal, then parents cannot do anything special. But they are quite capable of eliminating other irritants.
To do this, actively remove dust in the room by wet cleaning and airing. If you do this constantly, then the dust will not accumulate in carpets, soft toys and other favorite places. If sneezing is noticeably exacerbated by contact with a pet, then it will have to be sent to relatives or find other owners for it.
Physiological rhinitis
Often, the baby sneezes due to the active production of mucus in his nasal cavity. All this is explained very simply. When the baby was in the mother's womb, it was in the liquid. His lungs were glued together and did not absorb air. The baby's nose sucked in the amniotic fluid and released it back. At the same time, the mucous membranes were always moist.
When a child is born, he begins to take his first breath. The lungs expand, and the work of the respiratory system is improved.
The mucous membranes begin to dry out, and slight crusts form inside the nasal cavity. They can irritate the respiratory tract. As a result, the newborn baby constantly sneezes.
The eustachian tube and its immaturity
Newborn crumbs can sneeze due to poor development of the Eustachian passage. This tube acts as a connecting element between the ears and the nasopharynx. Immediately after the baby was born, this element is short and too wide. With age, the tube becomes longer and thinner.
When sneezing occurs immediately after feeding, then the reason for such symptoms lies precisely in the immaturity of the Eustachian tube. You should not worry about this, since all the symptoms will disappear on their own in a couple of weeks.
Other irritants
Tobacco smoke can irritate the nasal mucosa. This is especially popular for those who have a smoker in their apartment. Any perfume can also lead to the development of sneezing in a baby.
Disease symptom
Very often, sneezing can indicate the presence of a cold. The following symptoms will help parents in this:
- sneezing and coughing;
- restless behavior;
- rise in temperature.
It will also be interesting to know why there is ringing in the ears with a cold:
But how the flu and colds are treated at home, and by what means, is described in great detail
It will also be interesting to know which one is the best.
And how effective this tool is.
Komarovsky's opinion
The well-known children's doctor Komarovsky offers parents a number of simple recommendations that will help protect a newborn child from constant sneezing. The first step is to create full-fledged conditions in the children's room. The air should be moist and fresh. To do this, you will have to regularly ventilate the room. The air temperature should not be higher than 18-20 degrees, and the humidity level should not be lower than 60%.
Regular cleaning of the room will get rid of the accumulation of dust, which has a detrimental effect on the nasal mucosa. Also, parents should make sure that the mucus in the nasal cavity does not dry out and form a crust. The fact is that they create excellent conditions for the development of viruses and bacteria, so they must be cleaned regularly.
On video, the newborn often sneezes:
According to Komarovsky, all these measures will allow the newborn to not so painfully survive the time when a physiological runny nose is observed, and it will also be an excellent prevention of ARVI.
Sneezing in a child may not always indicate the presence of a dangerous ailment. Sometimes this occurs as a response of the body to an incoming stimulus. The main task of parents in this case is to neutralize the effect of this irritant and create comfortable conditions for the normal development of a small organism.
When a baby sneezes, by this he shows an unconditioned reflex that is characteristic of absolutely any person. This reaction occurs to certain irritants that enter the nose. Did the baby sneeze once? It doesn't matter, this is not a reason to worry.
Repeated sneezing can be a symptom of an illness. With timely treatment, you can help the baby as soon as possible, but first, it is important to observe the baby, check if other signs of the disease have appeared. If any, action should be taken as soon as possible.
Persistent sneezing can be a symptom of an illness if other signs are present.
Age features
Newborn
A sneeze may depend on the age of the body. Thanks to theoretical knowledge, it will be realistic to find out the root cause and take measures to prevent it.
Sometimes inexperienced parents start to panic if their newborn sneezes frequently. You should know that the presence of a physiological rhinitis is an absolutely natural phenomenon. After birth, the child begins to adapt to the environment, including the respiratory organs. While staying in the mother's tummy, the baby was in a liquid environment, and therefore its mucous membranes did not form. After birth, the mucous surfaces begin to develop, which will last about 10 weeks. Parents need to take into account the imperfection of the mucous membrane and the possibility of a physiological rhinitis.
In the first weeks after birth, the child's body begins to test its abilities, in particular the mucous membrane. It, at first completely dry, becomes moisturized, sometimes even unnecessarily - the appearance of transparent mucus is possible. Such a phenomenon is not a reason to start treatment for a physiological rhinitis.
The mucous membrane needs the opportunity to engage in self-regulation. The process is natural and normal, because during this period the baby adapts to the environmental conditions and adjusts its humidity level. The body is working, and the mother is already beginning to heal the baby, dripping the nose. Such interference creates difficulties in the adaptation process. As a result, the parent will have the opposite effect: attempts to dry the mucus will only increase its amount.
The main task of parents of a newborn during the first 12 weeks is observation. It is important to be able to distinguish a physiological rhinitis from a viral type of disease. Additional symptoms that indicate the presence of the disease will include: sneezing, fever, moodiness and anxiety, lack of appetite.
Physiological runny nose suggests that respiratory system the child is developing completely normally Newborn crumbs can sneeze during feeding, which is associated with an incompletely formed Eustachian tube, as well as with the accumulation of postpartum mucus in the nasopharynx.
Sometimes pediatricians receive questions from parents like this: why does a newborn sneeze, is the phenomenon associated with teething? This is possible, but only indirectly. Teething greatly undermines children's immunity, so the baby begins to hurt a lot - therefore, he may already have snot, and coughing, and sneezing.
Preschoolers
Children prone to allergic reactions will react to stimuli more frequently. A typical symptom accompanying allergies is repeated sneezing. It stops, it is only necessary to remove the object of allergy (dust, citrus fruits, wool, pollen, fragrances) from the area of \u200b\u200baction. Most clearly manifested this symptom in the preschool period. To identify the cause of the allergy, you should consult an allergist, who, after receiving the test results, will prescribe an antihistamine drug.
Pupils
A child attending school most often "catches" various viruses and infections that accompany sneezing. You can catch such diseases both in the school itself and in public transport. A large number of children in particular and people in general are a favorite habitat for various infections. Noticing other signs in addition to sneezing in a child (the baby is snotty and coughing), you should leave him at home for several days so that he does not infect others, take up his treatment.
If a schoolchild has caught a "cold" or a virus, it is better to leave the child at home for a few days and heal Symptoms
If a month old baby sneezes a lot and often, you should watch him more closely. The presence of additional signs of the disease will help to find out the nature of the reaction:
- Runny nose. Sneezing accompanied by a discharge of clear mucus from the nose is a manifestation colds... In this case, it is important to start treatment immediately. The speed of reaction will contribute to more easy flow illness and speedy recovery. When the crumbs have a stuffy nose, but nothing flows from it, this indicates the allergic nature of sneezing.
- Itching. Sneezing accompanied by itching of the eyes is a sign of allergies. The irritant gets not only on the nasal mucosa, but also in the eyes. The kid scratches his eyes, they begin to water and blush. If you suspect conjunctivitis, check for sneezing. When sneezing is accompanied by scratching of the nose, there is no reason to worry. Most likely, this is due to a speck or speck of dust trapped in the nasal passage. They caused a characteristic tickling in the nose and sneezing. In less than an hour, everything will be gone. The only precaution is to ensure that small objects do not enter the respiratory tract.
- Cough. Sneezing accompanied by a cough? This means that the cold is already in full swing in the body. The disease has passed from the incubation period to the onset, now you should consult with your doctor for a comprehensive treatment.
There are times when a child coughs, and at the end he gives out "apchi". Such a phenomenon is a reaction to the presence of pathogenic microflora or to drugs already used.
Parents just need to be observant to recognize the cause of sneezing. Such a simple strategy will allow you to start treatment as quickly as possible and prevent possible complications. It is important not to forget about the age-related characteristics of the development of the body: sneezing in children in different ages can occur for their own individual reasons.
If, in addition to sneezing, the child has tearing and redness of the eyes, an allergy can be assumed Diagnostics
Non-stop sneezing in the absence of other symptoms requires, first of all, a visit to the pediatrician. The doctor will carry out an initial examination, and then refer you to the appropriate specialist for this case, this can be an ENT or an allergist. The diagnosis of the disease will be as follows:
- examination of the nasal passages and pharynx;
- tests of urine and blood for the presence of viruses and infections;
- delivery of bacterial sowing from mucous membranes;
- taking tests to determine the allergen.
As you can see, nothing terrible awaits your baby. All diagnostics are quite simple and safe, which means you can safely take your child to the doctor if you are worried about his frequent sneezing. If the nature of the disease is obvious, you can resort to treating the crumbs at home.
How to help?
Newborns
What if the baby sneezes often? How to stop a series of "sneezes" and help a baby? The most important thing is to determine the cause of this phenomenon.
When a baby sneezes, this is not a cause for concern. The absence of additional signs of the disease (conjunctivitis, runny nose, cough) indicates that the baby is in good health.
If the cause of the problem is identified and nothing threatens the health of the baby, you can not worry A physiological runny nose in a newborn can go away very quickly, especially if the following conditions are met:
- the room is cool and humid (temperature up to 22˚С, and humidity - about 60%);
- regular wet cleaning and airing;
- the child eats mother's milk, which means that he constantly trains his nasopharynx thanks to the sucking movements laid down by nature itself.
In the absence of these conditions, the body can adapt to external conditions longer and, as a result, parents will notice a pronounced physiological runny nose in babies. If the generally accepted sanitary standards are violated, the crumbs may even have complications. Sneezing will come to naught closer to 4-6 months, when the eustachian tube finishes its formation, and postpartum mucus will finally leave the body.
With a cold
Steam baths
Frequent sneezing with snot is a sign of a developing cold. In 75% of cases, this is true. The task of the parents is to stop the spread of the virus or infection in the bud.
For the procedure, take oak bark, raspberry leaves, eucalyptus or mint, coltsfoot, chamomile and black currant. You can use them individually or brew them as mixtures. The herbs should be crushed and covered with boiling water. Cover the child with a towel so that he can breathe in healthy fumes. Such procedures can be done after 3 years of age. Younger children will be helped by inhalers, thanks to which the baby can breathe decoctions of herbs or essential oils. Breathing will also be beneficial in pairs of potatoes, onions, or garlic. After the procedure, you should put the baby to bed, wrapping him well.
Using an inhaler will allow you to quickly get rid of an unpleasant symptom. Vitamin teas and warm baths
- Folk recipes. Don't forget about the benefits of vitamin teas with linden, raspberry, honey, ginger and lemon. It is good to give the crumbs pure onions and garlic. The virus and infection will quickly end before they can take full effect.
- Herbal warming baths. For baths, take the following herbs: fir, sage, calendula, birch leaves, yarrow. For brewing, you need 50 g of herbs, which should be poured with 1 liter of boiling water. Insist the broth in a thermos for about 2 hours. The water in the bathroom should be about 37 ° C, pour the contents of the thermos there, having previously filtered it. You can take medicinal baths for more than 15 minutes. It is possible to use herbal infusions for foot baths. After the procedure, dress the baby warmly (pajamas and woolen socks), give him vitamin tea to drink and put him to bed. After such manipulations, the baby will wake up in the morning vigorous and without sneezing, and the snot will pass in a day.
Rubbing and wrapping
- Rubbing. A newborn baby often sneezes and is accompanied by snot and cough? A medicated rubbing ointment will help. To prepare it, you should take ½ cup of sunflower oil, adding 4-5 drops of cypress, lavender or mint essential oil there. Rubbing should be done along certain lines. Thanks to the actions of an adult, a bactericidal barrier is created for the body, and essential oils perfectly fight the common cold.
- Wraps. When sneezing in a baby, we advise you to smear the chest, legs and back with Doctor Mom ointment. After applying the ointment, the child should be wrapped in warmth (pajamas, warm socks) and put to bed. In the morning, the baby will wake up vigorous and healthy.
Rubbing helps to quickly improve the condition of the baby and make it easier for him to breathe. - maintain a high level of humidity in the room;
- drink plenty of fluids other than soda
- the presence of a severe rhinitis involves rinsing the nose;
- regular airing of the room;
- daily walks;
- taking multivitamins;
- supplement the diet with fruits and vegetables.
The initial stage of a cold does not require medication. Try to cope with traditional medicine. The ineffectiveness of action and the aggravation of the disease involves a visit to the doctor for a consultation.
For allergies
Knowing that a baby is sneezing due to an aggravated allergy, parents should use first aid rules. This will help avoid problems in the future, because allergies tend to become chronic:
- rid the child of the source of allergies;
- give an antihistamine to take: Suprastin, Diazolin, Claritin;
- rinse the spout;
- ventilate the room;
- ideally, take it outside for some fresh air.
The above tips will help parents relieve painful symptoms and stop sneezing. These measures solve not only a one-time task, but also help prevent complications in the future, as well as the development of serious diseases. It is important not to miss the danger and notice the alarming "sneeze" in time.
Prevention
Dr. Komarovsky advises to prevent sneezing in children by simple means:
- strengthen immunity;
- temper the baby;
- heal diseases to the end;
- avoid contact with potential allergens;
- ventilate the room;
- periodically turn off heating devices;
- walk more often in the fresh air.
When a child sneezes a lot and often, you should not let it go by itself. It is likely that this is how the body reacts to a disease developing inside. Try to establish the cause and identify the irritant. The correct diagnosis and timely treatment started are a guarantee of a quick recovery. Don't let the infection spread to loved ones.