Suggest Treatment For Nasal Congestion In A Child

Posted on Sat, 18 Feb 2017

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sat, 18 Feb 2017 Answered on

Fri, 10 Mar 2017 Last reviewed on

Question : I had very bad allergies as a child. I have been in the Landscaping business for 8 years now and ever since then they have gotten quite a bit better because I am outside almost every day. I still get occasional allergies in the spring/fall and right now they have been bugging me a little also. My wife and I have a 6 and a half month old baby boy. His nose has been stuffy the past few days and he has been a little fussy, but his temperature and energy levels have been very normal and consistent. My wife's mother sometimes over reacts and thinks everything is extreme so we have trouble communicating sometimes. She keeps telling me that a baby cannot have allergies before one year of age and I am not sure who told her this? Is this true?

Answered by Dr. Diptanshu Das (52 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
No, its not true

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.

It is a wrong information that babies cannot have allergies before one year. In fact, the stuffiness of nose does have an allergic component although the primary cause is viral.

You need to give steam inhalation to your child. It helps in reducing the congestion. Just sit with your child on your lap and place the source of steam before you. The water vapor will be in the air and automatically the child will breathe it in. Water vapor will reach deep inside and would help in diluting the cough and thus would provide relief. Use Nasoclear Saline Nasal Drops in case of nose block.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar