My 2 year old son has had a chronic stuffy nose for about a month now. I have had a humidifer in his room for this whole time with vapors in it and sometimes put vicks on his chest. his dr perscribed him a decongestant, but nothing seems to help..he also goes through stages where he won't hardly eat,and i don't know if this is because he can't breath through his nose. i feel so bad, as his mom, i feel like there is something i should be doing to make his breathing easier..but i have no idea what to do..any help would be great...
Have you had him tested for allergies? It's not scary pin pricks like it was when we were little. Just a small blood draw can give you lots of answers! Talk to the pedi about it. If a decongestant isn't working, I wouldn't keep giving him the drugs.
Was he ever prone to ear infections when he was a baby? My son was. and now he has outgrown having ear infections that every time he has a cold he now gets a sinus infection. Signs of a sinus infection in a toddler or preschooler is a stuffy nose that just doesn't seem to go away. Go see the doctor. They'll prescribe some antibiotics for him and he should be better in about a week.
Start with your doctor. Is it allergies? If not is there something structural going on. Is the adenoids too big? Two years is so young and seems too young for nasal sprays. IF the regular doctor can't help he needs to see a ENT specialist and an allergist/immunologist. Good luck to you. I know what it's like. I have that problem and so do my kids. One had his tonsils out the other ones take allergy meds and nasal sprays.
Might be allergies or very well could be a deviated septum, ask your doc to look up his schnoz and make sure the nasal passage is not too small or blocked. My poor son had that... and he didnt have surgery till a couple of years ago at age 27.... that was my bad for not getting it diagnosed while he was little.
have you tried to limit chemicals and fragrances in the house? I have REALLY sensitive sinus's. i have since i was a kid. I cant even walk by the abercrombie store at the mall or through the laundry detergents at the grocery store without my nose turning into a brick wall and my eyes swelling up. You may need to get some more mild cleaners, a scent free laundry detergent, etc. Also have you had your carpets cleaned? you may need to get some of the allergens out. I have our carpets cleaned 1 or 2 times a year and then a use a deodorizing spray that kills dust mites a couple times a week before i vacuum to keep the allergens low. I dont know how comfortable you are shopping online, but thats what i do. It just helps me save money in the long run.
Get a Neti-pot. That will help reduce the congestion. Diane B. has made good points that are keeping your little guy from wanting to eat and feeling good. Neti-pot is not medicine so there are no side effects. Since he is two it will take a little prodding to get him to do it - remind him to breath thru his mouth and let him know it will feel weird. BUT, he will feel better after a few uses. You can do this 3-4 times a day.
I would guess that it is the heat on in the house and allergies. Keep the humidifier going even in the day when you are sitting in a room.
If you would like it I can send you a link to alfalfa root tabs that can be ground up and put in your son's food. This is a natural decongestant. Also get your boy on a good vitamin if he is not already to help build his immunity.
Does he know how to blow his nose? You might get a bulb and help him clear out his little nose.
He may not be eating because he can't breathe, or he may have a lot of postnasal drip which is upsetting his stomach. It could be allergies but that doesn't mean to take him in for ridiculous scratch tests - too much! This problem is worse in the winter because we stay inside with all the dry air plus all the bacteria that flourish in these warm, dry, indoor conditions. Try to get rid of dust collectors in his room (venetian blinds, too many stuffed animals or other things sitting out - I know, haha, how do you keep stuff out of a kid's room!?!?) I assume you've checked to be sure the humidifier isn't putting so much moisture into the air that you have a mold problem. You can put saline drops in his nose - available over the counter. He's too young to blow his nose efficiently, unfortunately. There is something called a Neti pot you can use to flush his sinuses but it's probably hard to do in a 2 year old - he might not sit still, and he needs to blow his nose afterwards. You can try to elevate his mattress - head end up - so he drains better. Check with the pedi and on-line about the Vicks - there is a lot of controversy about it, especially in young kids. Not all old remedies are a good idea.
He's probably dealing with a depressed immune system - most of us are in this country anyway, says the AMA, and we need to supplement our diets. This is particularly true with kids who are picky eaters and especially when one like your son is not feeling well and then eats even less. Doctors, despite the AMA recommendations, still tend to go for the drugs (like yours gave you a decongestant) rather than the nutritional solutions, although many more are coming on board every year to combat the health crisis we have in this country! I had chronic allergies and was always sick (bronchitis especially - maybe 3-4 times a year for 4 weeks at a time - yuck) and now have NOTHING. It's absolutely worth it to take some time to learn about it!
Good luck with your little one. You're not a bad mom just because you can't solve all these problems. Don't be afraid to get him out of the house for an exchange of air.
