5 Runny Nose (Rhinorrhea) Home Remedies, Symptoms, Tips to Stop Sneezing

Change in season brings lots of problems for both children and their parents. Parents tend to get worried when their children start having cough, cold and runny noses (Rhinorrhea). Unlike us adults who can reach out for medicine for a cough or a cold, you cannot do the same for babies and toddlers. Medicines that are good for adults can have serious side-effects on children, especially under the age of 2 years. Moreover, administering too many medicines to a small child does not seem feasible for most mothers.

Hence they look for home remedies that are effective in treating the cold and making their child feel better. But first, let us understand the probable causes and symptoms that indicate cold in your child.

Why Does My Toddler Get Cold Often?

If you have been wondering what makes your bub catch colds so often, the simple answer is their immature immune systems. Add to that the fact that toddlers are most curious of all beings, and they keep on touching and exploring everything she comes across. This also means that she is susceptible to get cold viruses from many things, and when she rubs her nose or puts her fingers in a mouth, the virus's half job is done. Did you know that there are 200 different viruses of the cold? And most of them are more active during the winters.

What Are The Symptoms of Runny Nose in Children?

Though tricky to tell at first, a child with a runny nose will have clear mucus that turns to gray and yellow or green in a few days. A cough or chest infection may accompany your child's cold, and sometimes a low fever may also develop. He should be eating and playing almost normally, and if he still acts ill after the fever has come down, it might be something like an allergy or the flu. Look for signs of itchy eyes and nose for allergy and if he skips his meals and is very lethargic, he may have the flu. That warrants a visit to the hospital. So how can you cure a runny nose?

Home Remedies For Running Nose & Sneezing

Simple, effective home remedies to treat your toddler's runny nose are much safer and an inexpensive way to treat your child's cold. Here are some that I have personally tried and recommend:

• Camphor and Coconut Oil Massage: Mix camphor oil and coconut oil and warm them. You may apply this all over your child's body during the night. It will not only help him sleep peacefully but will also help clear the chest congestion thus relieving him or her of a cough, cold and running nose
• Jaifal & Milk: Take a pinch of jaifal and boil it in a spoonful of milk. Let it come to room temperature. Give this to your child. It will give him immediate relief
• Steam: Nothing works best on cough, cold, and running nose than steam. Make your bathroom a steam room by closing the door and turning on the tap on full hot. The steam generated will help your child in congestion thus relieving him of running nose as well
• Mustard Oil Massage: Heat some mustard oil with ajwain, garlic, and heeng. Let it come to a lukewarm temperature, then massage your child's back and chest with this oil twice a day. You will see the difference
• Ginger and Honey: Ginger and honey mix are what our grandmoms used to give us when we had a cold and cough. So this is another effective remedy that works wonders. Grate some ginger and squeeze its juice. Mix it with honey. Give this to your child thrice a day and you will see the difference. 

Watch this video get to know runny nose remedies.

Home Remedies For Cold In 0-6 Months Babies

Your baby may have her first brush with cold while she is younger than 6 months of age. It can be a difficult phase for both the parents and the baby, being so fragile and delicate. Babies can become cranky and irritable during cold and cough and they may not be able to sleep and rest too. That makes matters even worse. However, given below are some simple remedies to treat young babies' cold without using medicines. They can help the baby ease her discomfort and provide quick relief from cold. Here are five home remedies for children that will help your child in this changing weather.

1. Breast-milk for Cold: Breast-milk contains all the necessary antibodies to help your baby fight off bacteria and viruses. Breastfed babies also develop stronger immunity. It also keeps your baby hydrated
2. Garlic and Carom Seeds Pouch: In a clean muslin cloth, place about 2 cloves of garlic and some ajwain seeds that have been dry-roasted and cooled. Place this potli or pouch in the baby cot or crib. Because of the anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties of both these ingredients, the fragrance of garlic-infused-ajwain clears nasal congestion and gets rid of cold
3. Mustard Oil Massage with Carom Seeds & Garlic: Most of us mothers massage our babies. During the time when your baby is running cold, infuse the mustard oil used for massaging the baby with garlic cloves and ajwain seeds. Simply heat about 1/4 cup of mustard oil and add chopped up cloves of garlic. Let them turn brown in the oil, and then add the carom seeds for a few seconds. Remove from heat and once cooled, use this for massaging the baby
4. Kesar Tilak: Saffron or Kesar is believed to have many medicinal benefits for young and old alike. Considered pious, simply put a kesar tilak on your baby's forehead and soles when she sleeps in the night. To make Kesar tilak, you can rub a few strands of Kesar on a stone pad and prepare some paste. Kesar Tilak is believed to absorb water that may have accumulated in the baby's head
5. Dress your baby in warm clothes: When it is cold, make sure the baby has dressed appropriately. Exposure to cold, even for a few seconds can make her catch a cold. Dress the baby appropriately so that her chest remains warm. And avoid using blankets or quilts, as they may pose the risk of suffocation

How to Stop Running Nose Immediately?

A runny nose can be a real deal-breaker if the child wants to rest and sleep. Because of breathing difficulties, he can feel annoyed and irritable and even be sleep deprived. However, it is believed that massaging certain points on the nose, corner of the eyes and behind the earlobe can provide immediate relief from running nose. Using your fingertips, gently massage in round movements. Start from the cavity of the corner of the nostrils by pushing them together gently. A gentle massage on the just below the corner of the eyes should be followed. After that massage the earlobe, both from the front and the back. Make sure you are not exerting too much pressure and make the child uncomfortable. Always look for cues in your child.

Runny Nose Treatment For Children

If your child's nose is blocked, runny and stuffy use nasal washes to clear the airways. A blocked nose can cause your child trouble breathing and sleeping. She may also not eat well. For clearing a blocked nose in a toddler:

• Try Saline Drops: Saline drops may help loosen the mucus from the child's nose and help clear it. You should be able to remove mucus from your child's nose once it is slightly loose
• Increase Intake of Fluids: Warm liquids can help thin out the mucus and get rid of the stuffy nose in your child. Water, juice, and milk are all great drinks, and so are soups and hot chocolates
• Honey: Honey is often given to children before bedtime to help soothe a sore throat and a cold. Half a teaspoon of honey should do the trick. Always remember that honey can be given to children over the age of 1
• Elevate: When you put your baby down to sleep, make sure you raise her head by placing it on a pillow. An elevated head may make it easier for her to breathe and she will sleep better
• Use a Nebulizer: Nebulisers might be effective by helping your baby get rid of cold and clear her nose. Find out if nebulizers are safe for your baby

I hope these remedies help you and your child battle the seasonal changes effectively. Let us know if you know of any other remedy that I might have missed.