• How can I relieve a toddler' stuffy nose?

    Alexis wanted to know, "What is the safest way to treat congestion in a toddler?" 

    Little Remedies writes:

    Well the safest way to treat it is to use a nasal saline spray or saline mist. It helps to break up the mucus and loosen it, making it easier to suck it out with an aspirator or maybe teach your child how to blow their nose.

  • Why is my baby's nose so runny?

    Sharon P. - Why does my son have a lot of nasal drainage? I do not know what to do to help him.
    Little Remedies writes:
    "Sharon wants to know, why does my son have a lot of nasal drainage, and I don't know what to do to help him. Sharon, it depends on the age of your child, because newborns have newborn nasal congestion. They sound stuffy all the time, because they have mucus in their nasal passages, and milk in their posterior pharynx.
    The best thing to do for that is one of the over the counter Little Remedy products, which is a nasal saline, which is great because you can buy the mist or the drops, whichever one you prefer. And then we like to put it in there and then suck it back out and get that mucus out, which is the best way to open your baby's airways when they seem stuffy.
    If your child is older and they have a cold, they're gonna be really stuffy. And the best thing for that is to teach them how to blow out the saline drops, which you have to have an IQ to blow your nose over 150. So your child may be able to spell and use an iPad, which we'll talk about later, but they can't blow. Put the nasal saline in, occlude one nostril, and then help them learn how to blow out, and that will really help relieve the congestion.
    Again, lots of humidity in the house when the heat is on, so you want a cool mist humidifier. Never hot, because your child could get burned from that. And we're big fans of steamy showers, and put eucalyptus in there to make you feel better when you have a cold."
  • How can I teach a toddler to blow his nose?

    Little Remedies writes:

    This is a really great question. What's the best way to teach a toddler, like a three year old, to blow his or her nose? It's almost like riding a bicycle, you just have to practice and practice. Make sure you show them how to close one nostril. Have them try to blow the tissue and make it move. Using a saline spray or mist will also help the mucus come out easier, so they'll feel more successful. But there's no big magic to this and it really is practice, practice, practice which as a parent you'll realize is a key to many skills.

  • What's best for helping congestion?

    Amanda F. - I'm not a fan of using a lot of traditional medicine, I prefer natural remedies when possible. Aside from the nasal spray, what's best for congestion that that cold and flu season is now upon us?
    Little Remedies writes:
    "The best thing really, you're right, Amanda, is using a nasal spray for a stuffy now. You want to use a saline drop to help clear that baby's airway.
    Other things you can do is put a cool mist humidifier in your baby's room. As the weather gets colder and the heat's on, the air is drying. That helps dry the mucus membranes, and then, before bedtime, give them a little warm bath or put them in the bathroom with the shower running to let the bath get steamy, but no products for children should be used with any honey under the age of one year, so make sure that you're reading labels."
  • How many times a day I can use saline nasal spray?

    Sam wanted to know, "How many times a day should you be using saline nasal spray?"

    Little Remedies writes:

    Little Remedies has several products that you can use. They have a saline spray + drop and they also have a mist, which ever your child prefers. You can use it as many times a day as necessary. You will also want to use an appropriate nasal aspirator. Newborns often have nasal congestion. Many young parents will say to me, "I think my baby already has a cold,” but what they actually have is mucus in the posterior pharynx of their nose, where some milk can build up. You can use saline to help wash this down. The nice thing about Little Remedies products, you can use it either with a baby upright or you can lay them down, it works both ways.

  • Can I use saline on a newborn?

    Erica B. - Can I use the saline spray on an 8 week old?
    Little Remedies writes:
    You can use saline spray from the day you get home from the hospital. It's easiest to do if you put a few drops in the baby's nostril, occlude one nostril, put the drops in, take the bulb suction, and then do the other side. The most important thing when you hear that a baby has a stuffy nose is that you're watching how they breathe. You need to look at your baby's chest and make sure that they're not having any respiratory distress. Often, when you clear the nose, you realize that the noises that you are hearing are really from the upper airway, and not that the baby is having any breathing problems. If your baby has any problems breathing, you need to call your pediatrician.
  • How do I relieve my baby's stuffy nose?

    Tabetha K. - My 7 week old son has our family cold...congested but will sneeze out green snot, little cough, but no fever. He's eating, and going potty well. Just wondering what I can do to help his congestion. We've tried baby vicks and snot sucker and both only work so well.
    Little Remedies writes:
    "You know, if you're not the first child to run the fall already, you're probably going to have a baby with a stuffy nose.
    One of the best things to use for that is Little Remedies saline drops, and it also comes as a mist. Because babies can't rub their nose or even pick their nose, and all's they can do is have you help remove the mucus from their nose. So I'd put a little saline into their nose, one into each nostril. And then I use a bulb suction and suck out the mucus to help clear the airway.
    In a seven week old especially, you're always wanting to make sure that baby does not have a fever. So if your baby is fussy under the age of eight weeks and has a fever over 100.4, that is an immediate phone call to your pediatrician.
    But this is just the first of many stuffy noses as we get into fall and winter upper respiratory season."
  • How do I relieve a baby’s congestion?

    Tabetha K. - My 7 week old son has our family cold...congested but will sneeze out green snot, little cough, but no fever. He's eating, and going potty well. Just wondering what I can do to help his congestion. We've tried baby Vicks and snot sucker and both only work so well.
    Little Remedies writes:
    Babies with colds get runny noses and congestion just like adults, but they may demonstrate more discomfort. I use nasal saline spray in each nostril to loosen and thin the mucous and then use a bulb syringe to help clear their airway. I am also a fan of taking the baby into the bathroom while running a steamy shower or using a cool mist humidifier in their room to help with the congestion.  Most importantly, it’s imperative to ensure that the baby is eating and staying hydrated, while not demonstrating any respiratory distress. Once the baby reaches 7 weeks of age, make sure they do not have a temperature above 100.4 degrees and be sure to reach out to your pediatrician if you are concerned.
  • How do I soothe a chapped baby nose?

    Poet D - Other than baby wipes and wet baby wash cloths is there a way to keep my toddlers nose from being dry and crusty? Her poor nose is getting chapped!
    Little Remedies writes:
    It is unusual for children to develop allergies until they are over the age of two, but they can certainly have a constant runny nose as they catch one cold after another. I like to use saline nasal spray to help lubricate the nasal passages and this may also help to prevent a chapped nose. A bit of petroleum jelly on their nostrils will also help, but just be sure to not block off the nasal passages. I typically try to put some on their nose when they are sleeping and less likely to try and “rub it off”!