The Most Booger-Filled Time of the Year

There have been lots of boogers at my house this week!! Today, I have some good tips for you on surviving winter with the surge of respiratory viruses hitting so many areas around the country.

Yesterday, I got to have a day with all of my kids, but unfortunately, they are all at various stages of illness and all wanted to be sitting in my lap at the same time. My arms were literally overflowing with blessings.

If you find yourself in the same position as me, with one or more sick kiddos in your arms, there are a few things that you can do to help them feel better quicker and, more importantly, keep them out of the hospital.

1. Keep Them Hydrated

This is the most important tip I share with any family dealing with an illness, whether it’s a cold or a stomach bug. Every situation is made worse if kids get dehydrated. Sometimes it takes consistent active encouragement to get kids to drink anything when they don’t feel well, but it is worth the effort.

Infants should preferably drink either mom’s milk or formula, but electrolyte solutions like Pedialyte can work well, too. If infants are not taking their milk after 24-48 hours, I encourage you to seek a formal opinion from your pediatrician. With older kids, what they drink is less important – milk, water, chicken broth, Pedialyte, diluted juice, or sports drink – any of these will work. It can even be given with a spoon or through a syringe (like the ones that come with the fever medicines) if that’s all you can get them to take.

Staying hydrated will help kids feel better and will help keep the boogers from getting too thick and causing difficulty with their breathing.

2. Suction is your Friend (mostly)!!

You can use either the classic blue bulb syringe that you got from the newborn nursery or another suction device to get those boogers out which will help them with their breathing, especially for babies trying to take a bottle. If the boogers seem particularly dry or difficult to get out, sometimes using some saline spray can help soften them and make them easier to remove.

However, you can use the suction too much!! I usually encourage parents to prioritize using the suction before meals and sleep to help those things go well. If your child is breathing comfortably (even if there are boogers there) you don’t have to suction them out constantly. This can cause swelling to the nose if done too frequently, so while it is a very useful tool. Use it wisely!!

3. Steam is in the Air!!

Many kids will feel better if you find a way to put them in some steam. This can be done by putting them in a bathroom while the shower runs or by using a humidifier. This is another way to loosen up all of the boogers and congestion that can happen with these types of infections. Older kids can go into the shower and having the water run on their face can rinse out the nasal passages to help them breathe easier.

Dry air, which is an even bigger issue in the winter when we are running our heaters, can dry out the mucous as well as the airway itself which can exacerbate any cough that is present and make breathing difficulties worse. Regular use of steam showers or humidifiers can help with all of these things at home.

Be careful with humidifiers. These are the perfect environment for the growth of mold, so you want to make sure that they are cleaned out regularly to ensure that you will not put mold spores into the air where your child is sleeping or playing.

THE BAD NEWS!!

Unfortunately, there are no medications, like antibiotics, cough syrups, or inhaled medications, that make these infections go away any faster or manage the symptoms more effectively than what I have shared with you here. This is among the most common questions I get in the clinic, and we all wish there was more to do, but unfortunately, these do not exist.

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