Rhinitis is one of the most common childhood diseases. It consists in inflammation of the nasal mucosa, resulting in the following symptoms of rhinitis in children:
- shortness of nasal breathing;
- abundant mucous discharge from the nasal cavity;
- sneezing and lacrimation;
- swelling of the mucous membrane;
- partial loss of smell;
- a state of general weakness;
- deterioration of appetite;
- a slight increase in body temperature (up to 37-37.2 ° C).
Rhinitis in children and adults usually occurs in three stages.
- The child feels that he is "sick": difficulty breathing through the nose, there is a sensation of tingling and irritation of the mucous membrane, worse overall health.
- Begin abundant discharge from the nose, which lasts an average of 2-3 days.
- Then the discharge becomes denser, acquires a yellowish or greenish hue, the child's well-being improves, and the symptoms gradually disappear. This happens 7-10 days after the onset of the disease.
Forms of rhinitis in children
Rhinitis can be infectious or allergic.
In the first case infection occurs, and initially it can be caused by hypothermia, and the infection joins later. Also, rhinitis can be one of the manifestations of such serious diseases as measles, scarlet fever, diphtheria or tuberculosis.
Chronic rhinitis in children is easy to distinguish from its acute form: the rhinitis torments the child literally every month, and lasts much longer than usual. Chronic rhinitis is dangerous for possible complications, such as purulent rhinitis, sinusitis or sinusitis. Allergic rhinitis in children can be seasonal (it manifests at the same time of the year and is associated with the flowering of certain plants) or year-round. The latter is most often caused by house dust, animal hair and other allergens.
Also, doctors distinguish such a disease as vasomotor rhinitis. It has nothing to do with getting into the body of an infection, but rather is close to an allergic form. Vasomotor rhinitis in children is a peculiar disorder of the nervous system, which leads to the reaction of the nasal mucosa to specific stimuli. So, for example, when a child enters a stuffy, dusty or smoky room, he suddenly has a clear discharge from the nose, and a sneeze can also begin. This type of disease occurs as a result of frequent stress, the constant presence of irritating factors or due to defects in the structure of the nasal septum. Treatment of vasomotor rhinitis consists in the elimination of these factors.
Treatment of rhinitis in children
The very first thing parents should do when they suspect a rhinitis from their baby is to see a doctor. The widespread notion that "the common cold is not a disease, a week will pass itself" is not just false, but also dangerous for the child's body. Only a doctor will be able to diagnose correctly and, most importantly, determine the cause of the disease. Runny nose is a common cold, and this convincingly proves the abovementioned varieties of the disease.
The doctor will prescribe the child medical treatment. The most common form of treatment for rhinitis in the usual course is nasal drops and sprays, as well as ointments. For treatment of purulent rhinitis, children may also need physiotherapeutic procedures: inhalation, warming, electrophoresis, etc.
In addition, to facilitate the state of the child, it is important to observe the following measures:
- Do not allow mucus to dry out in the nose (regularly clean and moisturize the mucous membrane);
- for the normalization of nasal breathing before going to bed, it is possible to drip vasoconstrictive drops (but do not abuse them to avoid the opposite effect);
- if the child is very small and still does not know how to clean the nose yourself, use a special aspirator - a small rubber pear.
Prevention of colds and infectious diseases should be carried out in every family, since it is always easier to prevent a disease than to treat it. For the prevention of rhinitis in children, apply hardening procedures throughout the year, strengthen the immunity of the child, try to avoid hypothermia. In addition, the air in your apartment should always be cool and damp.