my 19 month old has a terrible runny nose

Bec - posted on 04/01/2011

I suggest getting one of those things that sucks the sno out of their noses!! Works great with my 2 kids. Otrivin make a great one. They should come with a saline solution to squirt in their noses before you suck the snot out, if not, buy some separately or make up a weak salt and water solution and use an eyedropper to put a few drops up their nose. It just loosens everything up before you try to suck it out. Also, a vapouriser or humidifier with some of the eucalyptus liquid in it helps a lot too and then you don't have to get them to try and smell a tissue! Also helps them not to get a sore throat while they're breathing through their mouth before their nose clears. Good luck! :-)

Mary - posted on 04/01/2011

My daughter has been sick on and off all winter. Here's what works for us. Little Noses saline spray in the nose 2x/day (we do before her nap and bedtime) then suctioned out with a nose sucker thingie. Baby Vicks on her chest at bedtime and a cool mist humidifier in her room for nap and bedtime. If she's coughing really bad, the pedi said it was ok to give her 1 tsp of the PediaCare Long Lasting Cough (he said to be sure to avoid combination medications because of the risk of overdose with other meds like Tylenol or Advil). That combo seems to have her cleared up within a couple of days. HTH! :)

Kisha - posted on 04/01/2011

My son has been sick on the regular since he's been in daycare and I'm running out of options.. But what does work really well for us @ night is the BABY VICKS PLUG IN.. It is AWESOME!

Nicole - posted on 03/30/2011

Same thing here- with me AND my 19 month old son. We live in upstate NY and are experiencing the spring thaw. I had allergies when I was pregnant for him and that was the only other time. Pregnant again and guess what- allergies again. I don't like to give meds unless I have to either.

Here's what we do-
-cool mist humidifier on during naps and nighttime
-benedryll (1 tsp as per our pediatrician) only before bed to help rid him of symptoms long enough to get a good night's sleep and only when I think he needs it that night
-baby vicks on the chest of his pajamas but not directly on his skin (it's strong stuff and as long as he can breathe it in, I'm okay with not putting it directly on his skin)

Here's what our pediatrician also recommended: Filling a syringe or nasal aspirator with saline solution or warm water and forcefully squirting it into one nostril and letting it come back out the other nostril. Repeating in the other nostril. He said it would help clear out his nose but is not pleasant to do. He said his wife could never do it and not many parents choose that option. Needless to say, I haven't been courageous enough to try it yet. I chose benedryll.

Good luck and hopefully it will clear up soon. Also- one thing to keep in mind that happened to us. A symptoms of a sinus infection include loss of appetite. Our son was barely eating anything at all but he also wasn't playing and acting like himself either. I could definitely tell that something was wrong and he DID have a sinus infection a few months ago.

Emma - posted on 03/27/2011

My little girl is the same and suffers at night because being unable to breathe causes her to cough uncontrollably. Saline nose spray is a godsend. It will take a little while for your little one to get used to you putting the applicator up their nose but two sprays in each nostril (as regularly as you need but I usually do it once in the morning and then just before bedtime) should do the trick. Best of luck.It's awful not being able to help them.

Jocelyn - posted on 03/21/2011

My daughter is also having a really runny nose. Her doctor told me to give her 1/2 tsp of Benadryl every 6 hours and to use saline drops in her nose every hour or two. He also said to suck her nose no more than twice a day. I asked about Dimatap and he said not to give that to her because it will just make her nose run more. My daughter also has a bad cough and that is why they don't want her to use the dimatap. I also run a cool mist humidifier and I raised one side of her crib mattress to help with the drainage.

Amanda - posted on 03/19/2011

sounds like allergies. try using a humidifier there is also a thing called little noses you can get at walmart or somewhere like that its just an allergy thing you rub under their nose like vicks it works even if it isnt allergies