3 Moms share: What do I do when my child has a blocked nose?

Change of weather, pollen, issues with immunity, and of course, playing with other children… There’s always a way for a nasty cold to make its presence known. Here, 3 mothers Neha Mittal, Ridhi Doomra and Brinda Rao share their go-to tips on how to handle that pesky, stuffy blocked nose. 

Neha Mittal, mother to Jia (6) and Yuvaan (2)

My son and daughter both face blocked noses mostly when the season changes because they’re unable to handle the sudden rise and drop in temperatures. While I give them allopathic medicines for their blocked noses, I also give them eucalyptus oil steam inhalations right before they sleep. It works wonders for them. I also give them as much warm water as possible, which lets them swallow food more easily.

Lastly, I ensure they sleep in an elevated position, so that the cold and cough does not reverse flow in their throat (commonly called reflux).

Ridhi Doomra, mother to Aryaveer (4)

One of the most effective ways to help clear my son’s blocked nose is with saline (salt water) spray or drops. Plain saline drops or even a nasal spray works just fine. Other effective methods that have always worked well with Aryaveer are steaming, or using a vapouriser (it releases a cool mist into the room, and is usually safe, as long as you keep it out of your baby’s reach). A home remedy that has worked wonders in clearing a blocked nose is ajwain! Heat it a bit, then wrap it in a cotton cloth and make your child smell it as long as possible and as many times as possible.

Brinda Rao, mother to Naina (2 and a half)

I’ve learnt (always the hard way) that less is more where Naina is concerned. I give her saline drops before she sleeps, and prop her up (mostly on my lap with pillows) to ease her breathing. She refuses any form of steam therapy so that's one good remedy out of the window, unfortunately! Of late I’ve started using a nasal spray to clear the blockage immediately.

Did you find the tips given by our mom bloggers useful? Do try and let us know. Does your child also suffer from a frequent blocked nose situation? What treatments do you find the most effective – let us know in the comments below!