Stuffy Nose over Month

If you think they are seasonal allergies (age 3 is about when they start to show up) you could try Claritin or a children's decongestant - I believe Pediacare makes one that is just the decongestant and doesn't have a bunch of other medicines in it. However it could also be an allergy to something in the house too - if it is more common when he is sleeping, does he have a down pillow? Has there been a new pet introduced recently? These are other factors that could be involved. Also, if you keep him inside for a day, does he seem less congested than if you have him outside all day? These are ways you can try to start narrowing down if it is allergies and, if so, which ones they might be.

It could also be food allergies. My 10 month old son (who is still breastfed) is sensitive to dairy...so if I have it, he gets really congested and nothing but avoiding the dairy and all will help him.

I agree with the saline and humidifiers. But, maybe keep a food journal to see if it's something he's eating that's causing him to get congested?

I second the saline nasal spray and room humidifiers. I also add -- try something called mentholatum. Its kind of like vick's vapor rub, but you are supposed to put it right under your nose. Its gooey like vaseline, but with a really strong menthol smell. It opens up noses really fast!

My niece had the same problem. She needed surgery to remove polops (sp), adnoids, open a deviated septic (?)
Voila, almost no ear infections, ability to breath like she never knew, etc. Sadly, she was 18 before they figured it out.

Such a long time for a stuffy nose could be an allergy. Children's Benadryl may work, as may Children's Claritin. Vacuuming on a regular basis and washing any pets regularly (even cats) also can help.

You mentioned that you're babysitting the three-year-old. If it's not your child, check with the parents as to what's OK, in advance, each time before you give such medicines. The most common danger with these meds is when there are two people each giving the child medicine and not checking with each other, and the child gets too much.

For a non-invasive thing to try - You could try saline drops in his nose - as often as you remember (at least a couple times a day). That will loosen and soften any mucus in his nose/throat. and also sooth if he's dry. You don't have to buy expensive "Little Noses" just the store drugstore brand of saline nose drops. I call them "Nose Bubbles" which my son gets a kick out of. Another thing if you think it's at all dry in your house, try a humidifier in your son's room.

Hope the problem is something simple like this-

Buy Vicks Vaporub. You rub a little at the entrance of the nostril and on the chest. It opens the nose passages right away, so you can breathe.

Hi J.-
It sounds like seasonal allergies to me. If you find that it is (to pollen, etc), you can try local, unfiltered, unprocessed honey instead of all those medicines. We buy this at local farmer's markets and my husband takes a spoonful in the morning (and again later in the day if it's a bad day). He is cleared up in a matter of minutes. It is important to buy local because you want the honey to be made from bees that are visiting the same plants/flowers as the allergy and it must be unprocessed or else it will not be effective. My husband used to be stuffed up ALL THE TIME and now honey is all he takes. He had bad problems with claritin and was always drowsy on benedryl. You can research this more on the web... good luck!

Hi-

My son had been this way since age 2...at his four year checkup he officially got diagnosed with seasonal allergies...he was prescribed a nasal decongestant spray and he takes Claritin by mouth to relieve the itching. You may want to speak to your doctor about the possibility of allergies...my son can now breathe thru his nose at night and he is sick alot less than he was last year because we can control the sinus drainage problem with the meds now. Wish he didn't have to take anything, but I'm just happy that he can breathe normally and is happy!

Hope this helps

J.,

It could be alegries , before giving him any over the counter med talk to your ped or the pharmacy . You can try beneryl (sp) . Be careful when giving you child any over the counter meds with the recent recall of meds . Vicks works wonders as well , you could even try vick vapor rub in a humidifer .

K.

It could be allergies, so you can go to the pharmacy and ask what a good over the counter medicine is since you're having the insurance issue.But also if you haven't already, ask him did he put anything up his nose. Because if he's constantly digging then that could be why. Believe me I know, my daughter did something similar when she was younger but luckily we were able to get the foreign body out without having to go to a doctor. Make sure you let him know that mommy won't get mad if he did put something up his nose, but you need to know so you can help fix his stuffy nose. This is just so you cover all basis so you won't give him medicine and he doesn't need it.

My 18 month old daughter snored like an adult man, and was constantly conjected, despite everythinh I tried. She was diagnosed with enlarged adenoids and tonsils which she eventually had to have removed. She had sleep apnea (stopped breathing while asleep), which was determined via a sleep study at the hospital.

Ask the doctor about the tonsils and adenoids, if there is no other obvious diagnosis.