Colds in newborns: try pumps and aerosols

Just a bad cold. The nose is all reddened. The newborn almost does not breathe. And, small as it is, it can’t even blow with the energy needed to eliminate mucus effectively.

He cries desperately, making the situation even worse. Because tears increase the volume of secretions, and inflammation of the mucous membranes and crying make breathing even more disorganized and inefficient.

There are no suitable medications to relieve discomfort in such young children. Nasal decongestants, whether in tablets or sprays, in pediatric age are contraindicated because there is no evidence of their effectiveness in counteracting nasal obstruction, in the face of certain and potentially serious side effects.

Sea water to free the nose

To offer relief to the little cooled, nature comes to the rescue: not in the form of phytotherapeutic extracts, but of isotonic saline solutions to sea water to be used for nasal washes or to be administered through steam inhalations, after adding them to the aerosol water.

In both cases, these are very simple procedures to perform, suitable for all children from the first months of life; In addition, they can also be repeated several times a day, if the intensity of the cold requires it, and are generally well tolerated, if proposed in the right way.

To prepare for nasal washes, in addition to the vial or the single dose of seawater saline, you need to get a small soft rubber aspirator (available in pharmacies) and some paper towels or a small towel.

Then, with the baby in your arms or lying on the changing table in a comfortable position and the head reclined to one side, you should instill 2-3 drops of isotonic solution in the nostril facing upwards and immediately after gently aspirate them together with the excess nasal mucus, then repeating the operation in the other nostril. The tip of the aspirator should be inserted into the nostril for no more than 2-3 millimeters (but it also depends on the age of the child and the size of the nose).

If the secretions are very abundant, before carrying out these operations it is advisable to gently clean the outside of the nose with a soft tissue, perhaps slightly moistened.

The same trick must be repeated at the end, to remove any remaining residue. Once the washing is finished, if the edges of the nostrils are very reddened and irritated by colds, it may be useful to apply a very small amount of emollient cream for babies.

Another essential operation is to remember to pamper the baby: first to calm him down and make washing operations easier and better accepted; then to reassure him and reward him for having “endured” everything.

Hot vapors to breathe better

If you opt for aerosol inhalations, however, you must first arm yourself with a little patience, because sometimes younger children are frightened by the noise emitted by the instrument during the production of steam or do not want to wear a mask and it takes a certain commitment to make them accept the procedure.

To overcome the first problem, just buy the newest and quietest aerosol dispensers. To solve the second, however, just give free rein to the imagination and propose the moment of inhalations not as a medical cure, but as a fun game.

If the child is very small and not yet able to be involved, for example, in a small space or underwater adventure, an abundant dose of pampering and relaxing caresses, before after and during the aerosol, will be an excellent palliative.

A further help can come from music, especially classical music, with a remarkable relaxing power on children (some studies say that the ideal is the sweet and playful one of Mozart).

Another useful trick is to carry out both nasal washes and aerosol always at the same time every day. For example, in the morning and in the evening before sleeping, in a comfortable and unhurried environment, to make them become a good daily habit to which the child adapts more easily.