Saline Nose Drops: The Perfect Solution for Your Child's Stuffy Nose

Your child has a cold with such a stuffed-up nose that he's still awake hours after his usual bedtime. You know you're not supposed to give him cold medicine. The Federal Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and American Academy of Pediatrics all strongly advise against it in children under age 6. But he's uncomfortable, and you're tired. What's a parent to do?

There's a solution, though. Literally, it's a saline (salt-water) solution. This tried-and-true remedy for nasal congestion is a safe and effective option. It thins and loosens the mucus inside your child's nose so it can come out more easily.

Where can I get saline nose drops?
Saline solution is a salt water solution that is sold in the form of saline nose drops. You can buy it over-the-counter (without a prescription) in drugstores. Ask your pediatrician which one to buy or how to make your own.

You can also buy a nose dropper in the drugstore. Don't buy one made of glass.

How do you do it?
Giving the nose drops:

You can give your child saline nose drops as often as he or she needs them. It's especially helpful before eating and going to bed.

• Have your child lie down with her head tilted back. If she is a baby, check with your doctor first to be sure this position is okay.
• Using a clean nose dropper, place one to two drops (just one drop for babies) of the saline wash in one nostril only.

Older children can then blow their noses into tissues. To clear an infant's nasal passages, you can suction out the mucus with a soft rubber bulb syringe. If needed, you can repeat this procedure with the other nostril. Using a bulb syringe can irritate a baby's nose, so only use it when you have to.

Suctioning out mucus:

• Squeeze the air out of the bulb syringe. Once it is deflated, keep the bulb squeezed as you insert the tip into the child's nostril.
• Gently place the tip of the syringe into a nostril. Point it toward the back of the nose.
• Slowly release the bulb and let the air come back into the bulb. This will pull mucus out of the nose and into the bulb syringe.
• Take the bulb out and squeeze it several times to empty out the mucus onto a tissue.
• Repeat with the other nostril.

To avoid vomiting, suction your baby's nose before feedings.

Be sure to clean the saline nose dropper and the bulb syringe with soap and water after each use.

The only cure for the common cold is time. But using saline nose drops is a safe way to help make your child more comfortable in the meantime.

Related Articles Colds and Flu Parents: Avoid Cough and Cold Medicines for Toddlers

External Sources American Academy of Pediatrics. Parenting Corner Q&A: Childhood infections. Accessed October 31, 2007. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC Get Smart: Know when antibiotics work: Frequently asked questions: Cough and cold medicines for children. Accessed October 31, 2007. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Nonprescription cough and cold medicine use in children. Accessed November 1, 2007. University of North Carolina School of Public Health. Nose drops. Accessed October 31, 2007. American Academy of Pediatrics. Parenting Corner Q&A: OTC medicines. Accessed November 7, 2007.

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