How and what to treat green snot in a child

Almost every child faces snot, especially if he goes to kindergarten or visits other crowded places. In fact, there is nothing terrible in snot - this is how the body resists external pathogens and viruses. Nasal secretions are designed to flush microorganisms from the mucous membrane. But not always snot can be harmless. If they change their color, become yellow, green and thick, then most likely a bacterial infection has joined, which needs to be treated more carefully. Unlike a viral pathogen, the bacterial rhinitis needs an antibiotic treatment. Today we will talk about the nature of green snot - how and why they appear, let's get acquainted with the main medical methods of their treatment,consider the methods of home and professional nasal washing, as well as learn about the popular methods of treating green snot.

Why do green snot appear

The color and consistency of nasal discharge changes only in two cases - if the bacteria multiply very quickly or if the mucus stagnates in the sinuses. Consider what may be the cause of the development of green snot in a child.

1. Bacteria. The most common cause of green snot in bacteria that has entered the body. The disease can be caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus sinehoid, pneumococcus, anaerobes, etc.
2. Sinusitis. Green snot talk about inflammation of the sinuses. Depending on exactly which sinuses were affected, they distinguish between sinusitis, frontal sinusitis, ethmoiditis, sphenoiditis.
3. Consequences of ARVI. Green snot is not always caused by bacteria. They can be the result of improper or insufficient treatment of the common cold with ARVI. If you do not clear the sinuses in time, do not blow your nose out, the mucus stagnates, the microbes in it multiply and the snot becomes thick and green.
4. Otitis. Very often a source of green snot can be otitis.The fact is that the message between the nose and ear in children is very short and wide enough. This means that the disease of one organ leads to inflammation of the nearby. In children, otitis media is usually a complication of sinusitis, rhinopharyngitis, and sinusitis. However, it may be the opposite - otitis can trigger the appearance of green snot.
5. Allergy. Until now, there is no consensus among doctors about the possibility of the appearance of green snot with allergies. As you know, most often an allergic reaction is manifested by the flow of mucus from the nose. And the mucus is usually clear and liquid. However, experienced allergists claim that this is not always the case. With a strong allergy, when too much mucus is produced, the body does not have time to remove it, it stagnates and becomes green in color and thick texture. Therefore, when allergies green snot also have a place to be.
6. Immunity. If a child often and even constantly walks with green snot, most likely, his body simply cannot constantly resist external infections, especially if he encounters them every day in kindergarten. The reason for this - the weak immunity of the child.

It is very important to know the cause of the green snot. To do this, you need to analyze additional symptoms, but it is better to consult a doctor. If the child is lethargic, he has intoxication, the temperature is high - most likely the baby was infected with a bacterial infection. If the child’s condition is good and doesn’t bother him with anything other than green snot, then this is probably not an after-treatment result of ARVI. In this case, you need frequent washing, you can do without antibiotics. When a baby has no additional symptoms of a cold - the throat is not red, there is no cough and temperature, perhaps it is an allergic reaction. But you should not guess yourself, it is better to turn to a children's otolaryngologist so that he gives you the correct diagnosis.

Drug treatment of green snot

It is very important not to self-medicate, but to go to the doctor, because it is he who can assess the real need for taking antibiotics - it’s impossible to use them just for safety, in no case.

1. Antibiotics. If you have a bacterial infection, antibiotics are required. Remember, they are necessary only if the child has a fever, he is sluggish and his condition worsens.If the baby looks healthy, actively runs and has no temperature, you can do with quality washes. Antibiotics such as Augmentin, Ceftriaxone, Sumamed, Amoxiclav, etc., are used in the fight against bacterial contamination. To choose the dosage and the specific drug should be a doctor depending on the age and individual characteristics of the child. Antibiotics are taken at regular intervals - this is very important.
2. Antihistamines. Some mothers are surprised when they are prescribed anti-allergy drugs, when the baby does not have it. First, the mother can not always recognize allergies, she can be masked by other symptoms. In this case, the antihistamine will be the main treatment. Secondly, even if the child does not have allergies, antihistamines can help relieve swelling of the mucous membranes, open nasal breathing. You can give the drug that is at home in the first-aid kit - Lordes, Zyrtec, Zodak, Diazolin, etc.
3. Beneficial bacteria. If you are taking antibiotics, be sure to take care of the health of the intestinal microflora. Take beneficial bacteria to avoid dysbiosis.This may be Narine, Lactobacterium and Bifidobacterium, Hilak Forte, Linex, etc.
4. Additional drugs. Be sure to use symptomatic treatment. If your child has a fever - use antipyretic, if you have a sore throat - antiseptic sprays and lozenges, if the inflammation has passed to the lungs - take a cough remedy. However, it is very important to recognize whether the lungs and the trachea are inflamed or the child coughs only because of the flowing mucus along the back of the throat. In the latter case, it is not necessary to treat the cough, it will go along with a cold.

When green snot necessarily need local treatment. To make it effective, you need to know which drops and sprays to use.

What and how to handle the nose of a child with green snot

Many parents, trying to defeat a runny nose, drip and splash the child all that is for the nose at hand. This is fundamentally wrong. Treatment of rhinitis should be systemic. Here are a few groups of nasal drops to help you get rid of green snot. Processing and instillation of drugs must be done strictly in a certain order.

1. Cleansing First of all, the child's nose should be cleaned of accumulated mucus. If this is not done, the medicine will simply be lost in a large amount of discharge and will not reach the sinuses. If the child can already blow her nose, ask him to blow her nose thoroughly, first one and then the second nostril. Children over the age of two years can drip diluted Kalanchoe juice into their nose. After it, the baby will begin to actively sneeze, all the mucus will come out, this will achieve a high-quality cleansing of the nose and sinuses. If the baby is less than two years old, you should not use Kalanchoe, it is better to clean the nose with an aspirator. First, you need to drop a drop of saline into each nostril, and when the snot is softened, it will be easy to remove them with a special children's device. It is possible to dilute the snot to older children with the help of the drug Rinofluimucil, after which the mucus is more effective.
2. Vasoconstrictor. This is not a drug, but a very necessary drug in the treatment. First, such sprays and drops will open the nasal breathing and the baby can finally breathe through the nose. Secondly, the vasoconstrictor opens the nasal passage so that medicines can penetrate unhindered to the inflamed sinuses - the healing effect will be achieved much faster.Among the children's vasoconstrictor drops and sprays can be noted Naphthyzinum, Nazol, Rinostop, Siolor, etc.
3. Antibacterial. And only after the nose has cleared, and the aisles have opened for drugs, can antibacterial agents be used. It is a pure antibiotic used for topical treatment. Among the effective drugs can be noted Isofra, Polydex, Bioparox, Sofradex. The last drug is drops for the ears, but many doctors recommend it in the fight against purulent and green snot.
4. Hormonal. In some cases, children are prescribed hormone drops. This is justified if the breath does not open after vasoconstrictor agents, and the runny nose lasts a very long time. Such a cocktail is very effective - you need to mix a vial of saline, a vial of the hormonal drug Hydrocarthysone and a bottle of antimicrobial eye drops Tsiprolet. Mix everything and drip into the baby’s nose twice a day, one drop in each nostril. Other effective hormonal drugs for local treatment are Fliksonaze, Avamys, Budoster, Desrinit, etc.
5. Antimicrobial. Antiseptic drugs affect not only bacteria, but also a viral and fungal pathogen. Among the most popular are Protorgol, Miramistin, Furatsilin, etc.
6. Oily. In most cases, after a large amount of medicinal drops, the nasal mucosa dries out and the child feels serious discomfort. To avoid this, you can treat your baby's nose with oil drops - for example, Sinupret or Pinosol. These are herbal preparations that are very effective in dealing with the common cold. By the way, Sinupred is very useful against various sinusitis, it can also be given to the child inside. If the nose is very dry, you can pipette a drop of sea buckthorn or almond oil into each nostril.

When choosing any drug, pay attention to the age from which the admission of one or another drug. Together with drops and sprays, external treatment of the nose can be carried out in the physiotherapist’s office. Tubus-quartz, Laser therapy, UHF heating, etc. are very effective.

Rinsing the nose in the office at the ENT and at home

One of the most powerful and effective remedies against green snot is flushing. And it is much better to do them in the doctor’s office.Washing with Proetz is the use of a vacuum aggregate that pulls out all unnecessary and accumulated mucus from the sinuses. Washing is safe even for babies. In essence, this is a high-quality and deep bleeding. After pulling the green mucus into the sinuses through the nostrils, antibacterial compositions are poured in, which the apparatus pulls out of the other nostrils. Thus, we get high-quality sanitation of the inflamed areas of the sinuses. Already after the first washing the patient becomes much better. 3-5 procedures are enough for complete recovery.

If you can not go to the doctor, washing can be done at home. For infants, rinsing involves frequent instillation of the saline solution into the nostrils with a pipette. Older children can be taught to rinse the spout with a kettle. Salted water, antiseptic solution or decoction of medicinal herbs is poured into it. The spout of the kettle is brought to one nostril, the baby tilts his head to the side so that the water begins to pour out of the other nostrils. Washing should be done until such time as instead of purulent snot begins to stand out clear mucus.Doing washing should be as often as possible in order to disinfect the inflamed sinuses in time. Saline solution is prepared in proportion - a teaspoon of salt per liter of water. It is rather difficult to get rid of green snot without washing the nose, but washing can completely suppress the disease even without other medicines.

Homemade Green Snot Treatments

Green snot is a sign of infection in the body and self-healing is very dangerous. The focus should be on drug therapy and nasal washing. It is very important to maintain sufficient humidity in the room so that the mucous does not dry out. Be sure to maintain and strengthen the child's immunity with proper nutrition, physical education, hardening, vitamins.

If the child has no temperature, it is possible and even necessary to walk in the fresh air - this helps to remove excess mucus, hardens the nasal passages and raises local immunity. During the walk, the flow from the nose increases, many mothers are afraid of this and stop walking with the baby until he is fully cured. However, this is wrong.Just in the open air all the mucus is brought out, the mucous begins to work more actively to wash off the pathogenic flora.

You can make a child older than three years of inhalation - so that the child breathes through the nose, and medical couples treated the mucosa from the inside. Inhalations can be carried out in the old manner - with a basin, but it is much more efficient to use a nebulizer. In no case do not use breast milk for treating babies - this is an excellent food for bacteria, and this will only increase the cold. Also, do not drip the juice of beets, carrots, onions, etc. into your nose. It is ineffective, and in relation to the child and unsafe - because the baby's mucous membrane is very delicate and sensitive, a burn can occur.

Older children (after 3-4 years) can be steamed feet. Warm the feet with the baby together so that the baby is not afraid of hot water. Add mustard powder to the basin, and immediately after the procedure, put on warm socks. A rush of blood to the legs ensures its outflow from the adenoids, which will give the child the opportunity to breathe through his nose. Remember, hot foot baths can not be done at a temperature or intoxication of the patient, wait for the improvement of his health.

Snot is not always safe and harmless, as it seems at first glance. The trouble is that any course of the disease in children is accelerated several times. The inflammatory process develops rapidly, it can lead to sinusitis and even meningitis. Moreover, infected mucus flows down the throat, spreading bacteria throughout the body. One of the frequent complications with green snot is otitis. Therefore, to treat green and thick snot dismissively not worth it, especially if the child is small. Be sure to show the kid to the doctor to be calm for his health!

Video: how to clean your nose from snot