Parents are very often faced with the appearance of a cold in children. And if the snot is transparent and not thick, then treatment as such is not required. But if the child has greenish snot, then it is necessary to start treatment as soon as possible in order to prevent complications.
Why does snot change color to green?
Transparent, light and thin discharge from the nasal passages is considered normal. This suggests that the baby's mucous membrane is protected from drying out and is cleared of dust. If the runny nose intensifies, but the snot remains transparent, then this indicates that the child's body is fighting allergies or viruses. Such a runny nose goes away in one week.
But if the color of the child's snot becomes yellow or greenish, then it is necessary to urgently begin treatment. The presence of such a runny nose in a child indicates that the body is fighting a fight between immunity and pathogenic bacteria. The child's body is protected by blood cells called neutrophils. In the process of fighting them, special substances are released, which color the snot green. The more bacteria there are, the higher the color saturation.
Most often, the following types of bacteria can act as pathogenic microflora:
- Staphylococci.
- Pneumococci.
- Streptococci.
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Anaerobic and other types of bacteria are much less common. If the child's immunity cannot normally protect the body, then in addition to a runny nose, other symptoms of intoxication may be added. Unfortunately, staphylococcal and streptococcal bacteria become drug resistant very quickly. As a result, it becomes quite difficult to destroy the bacteria. That is why the treatment of green snot must be started in a timely manner.
Causes of the appearance of green snot in children
Most often on the Internet you can find information that green snot appear as a result of sinusitis, sinusitis and other diseases of the nasopharynx. This definition is not entirely correct. A green runny nose is a sign of a disease and simply accompanies it. It can appear along with acute respiratory infections.
Most often, snot appears in the autumn-winter period. It is less common to pick up bacteria in the summer. This is due to a general lack of vitamins and increased susceptibility of the body.
Bacteria that can provoke the appearance of green snot are transmitted by airborne droplets. As soon as they enter the upper respiratory tract, a runny nose appears. At first, it can be liquid, abundant and transparent. If at this stage you do not start to treat it, then the nature of the snot changes. The snot becomes discolored and thick. The patient may complain of soreness in the nasal passages and a feeling of congestion.
Possible complications
On the forums, you can find a recommendation to observe the nature of the snot. Some even advise to collect used scarves and watch if the snot gets darker. Treatment is advised to start only if their color has already become dark green. If you follow these recommendations, then parents can easily lead their child to complications.
The bacteria, if left untreated, can move further into the body. The child may start complaining of a headache. His sleep will be poor and his temperature may soar.
Breathing problems and the accelerated growth of bacteria in the sinuses can lead to inflammation in the sinuses. As a result, the doctor diagnoses the disease sinusitis.
In addition, as a result of the lack of treatment for the common cold, a child may experience the following complications:
- Sinusitis.
- Otitis.
- Meningitis.
- Bronchitis.
- Pneumonia.
Treatment of green snot in children under 1 year old
Before starting to treat an infant, it is imperative to consult an otolaryngologist or pediatrician. Indeed, for a small organism, drugs should be selected in such a way as not to do more harm than good.
It is imperative to monitor the condition of the room where the baby is. It doesn't matter whether it's summer or winter in the yard, it is necessary to ventilate the room every day. Parents are obliged to maintain the microclimate in the apartment so that the air in the room is not dry. If there is low humidity in the apartment, then it is worth buying a humidifier. As a last resort, you can use the "old-fashioned" method and put wet towels on the batteries. As a result of evaporation of moisture from them, the air in the room will become sufficiently humid.
If the baby is very small, then the snot can cause him severe discomfort. Since the child is in a constant supine position, snot accumulates along the back wall of the nasopharynx. To make breathing easier for the baby, you can remove excess snot with a special device or a medical pear. The doctor may prescribe drugs that can narrow the vessels in the nose. Saline or sea salt solutions are also often prescribed for rinsing. If a doctor diagnosed a serious illness, then antibiotics are prescribed.
In cases where the baby's snot is quite thick, you can not try to suck it out with an aspirator, but remove it with a regular turunda. It is very simple to make it. You just need to take a cotton pad and twist it so that you get a cone-shaped tight turunda. It is inserted into the baby's nasal passage and snot is removed from the baby's nose with twisting movements.
To facilitate the process of removing snot, before the procedure, you can drop 1-2 drops of saline into each nostril of the baby. The doctor may prescribe other softening medications. Most often, they contain oxymetazoline in their composition.
Before removing the snot from a child with an aspirator, it is imperative to remove the nipple from the mouth. Otherwise, the baby can get ear barotrauma.
To alleviate the condition of the child, the following drugs can be prescribed by the ENT:
- Nazivin baby.
- Otrivin baby.
- Xilen.
- Sodium sulfacyl.
- Vibrocil.
The latter drug is able not only to narrow the vessels in the baby's nose, but also to have an anti-allergenic effect.
Medicines that drip into the baby's nose should not be cold.
There is a folk remedy to put a few drops of breast milk into each baby's nasal passage. This method has not been proven. It won't do any good at best. Lactose, which is found in breast milk, is just the perfect substrate for many anaerobic bacteria to thrive. And the mother, by her actions, can significantly worsen the condition of the baby.
In addition to drugs that help reduce a runny nose, a doctor may prescribe general medications to increase the defenses of a young body. Most often, such drugs are interferon or influenza.
It is important to note that spray medications are not used to treat colds in infants.
Treatment for green snot in older children
Older children may be prescribed inhalation by a doctor using a nebulizer or inhaler. Depending on the device, you can breathe with mineral water, saline or herbal decoctions.
If the child is frightened by the operation of the inhaler, then you can breathe in the steam from a plate or a small saucepan. It is important to follow all precautions to prevent your baby from spilling hot liquid on himself.
As with children under one year old, the child's nose must be constantly cleaned. If the baby knows how to blow his nose on his own, then you need to ask him about it as needed. If the runny nose is thick, and the baby cannot get rid of the snot on his own, then an aspirator must be used.
The following drugs may be prescribed for children over one year of age:
- Protorgol.
- Isofra.
- Rinofluimucil.
- Polydexa.
- Rinopront.
Also, doctors advise to rinse the nose. To do this, you can do it yourself, or you can purchase a finished product that contains salt:
- Aquamaris.
- Aqualor.
- Quicks asset.
Antihistamines may be prescribed by your doctor to help reduce swelling in your nasal passages.
Prevention
Prevention of the appearance of green snot in a child is quite simple. The kid needs to be in the fresh air for a certain time every day. While walking, you can leave the windows open at home to ventilate the room. The child's immunity must be at a high level. Therefore, it is useful to talk with a pediatrician about the possibility of taking vitamin complexes for a child in the autumn-winter period.
The child's diet should be balanced and precise. The kid should eat a variety of vegetables and fruits rich in vitamins and minerals.
During epidemics of influenza and other acute respiratory diseases, it is necessary to visit large crowds of people only in extreme cases. You can smear a small amount of oxolinic ointment under the baby's nose.
