A runny nose in children is a common reason for parents to take them to visit the pediatrician. This common symptom can be a sign of many different things in childhood. But when should you seek medical care for your child? How do you know what is causing their runny nose?
Allergic Rhinitis
Both indoor and outdoor allergies can cause a runny nose in children. When an allergen comes in contact with your child’s nose, their immune system responds by sending immune system cells to their nasal passages. This can result in either a stuffy nose or a runny nose. In addition to nasal symptoms, kids with allergic rhinitis can have itchy or watery eyes, cough due to postnasal drip, and an itchy throat or nose.
Common indoor allergens include pet dander, cigarette smoke, dust, and mold. Outdoor allergens can be more difficult to identify. Pollen from trees and plants is a common cause of allergy symptoms in both children and adults. Pollution, smoke, and smog can also cause children to sniffle and sneeze. Avoiding allergy triggers as well as taking a non-sedating antihistamine can ease the symptoms of runny nose due to allergies in children.
Adenoid Hypertrophy
The adenoids are tissues that live in the back of the throat near the nasal passages. When they function normally, they help fight off bacteria and viruses as they are entering the respiratory tract. In some kids, they can get so enlarged that they block off the back of the nose and cause symptoms of runny nose, mouth breathing, and snoring.
Enlarged adenoids can also contribute to chronic ear infections as they block off the passages in the nose that help to drain the middle ear. Chronic nasal congestion can be a result of these tissues. Sometimes antibiotic treatment will help, but often kids see greater improvement with an adenoidectomy (surgical removal of the adenoids).
Common Cold as a cause for runny nose in children
A runny nose in children can occur as one of their many cold symptoms. Sore throat, cough, and congestion can also be signs of the common cold in children. Often during the phase of acute infection, a child can also have a fever. Colds are easily passed from child to child and are the number one reason for runny noses in children. While not all childcare providers will have sick children in their childcare programs, most will note that the common cold is passed back and forth between children during the cold winter months.
Other Respiratory Tract Infections
Other viral respiratory tract infections can result in a sinus infection or an ear infection. While not every infected person experiences these complications, respiratory infections are the most common cause of runny nose in children. Young kids experience about seven to eight viral infections per year. Most commonly, these infections involve the respiratory tract.
Nonallergic Rhinitis
Not all runny noses are caused by illnesses or allergies.
If your child has one-sided nasal drainage or is experiencing pus draining from one nostril, a foreign body could be the cause. Children love to stick things in their noses and mouth. When something is in your child’s nose that should not be there, their body responds by increasing secretions and sending immune cells to try and get rid of it. While this is a valiant effort on the part of your child’s body, a foreign body always needs to be manually extracted by your child’s pediatrician or an ear, nose, and throat doctor.
Additionally, vasomotor rhinitis can cause your child’s nose to drip. This is a fancy word for a runny nose that is caused by exposure to cold weather, strong odors, or spicy foods. It is common for both adults and children to experience this phenomenon. When the offending agent is removed, most often the symptoms go away.
Make it stop!
There are many things that can be done to stop a running nose. Treatment depends on the cause. If you don’t have a clear cause, it is best to consult your child’s healthcare provider.
Antihistamines
Antihistamines are medications that block the release of histamine from the immune cells in our body. Histamine is what causes us to experience allergy symptoms. These medications come in both sedating and non-sedating forms. Diphenhydramine and hydroxyzine are the two common antihistamines that cause sleepiness as a side effect. The non-sedating antihistamines include loratadine and cetirizine. These medications come in both pill and liquid forms. Often, as pediatricians recommend using a non-sedating antihistamine daily during allergy season in order to relieve your child’s symptoms.
Nasal Irrigation
Irrigating your child’s nose with normal saline nasal sprays or washes can go a long way to decreasing the amount of allergen in your child’s nose. Nasal irrigation can also be helpful if your child has a stuffy or runny nose due to respiratory infection as well.
Decongestants
While cough and cold medications are not recommended for young children, school-aged children may safely take a single-ingredient decongestant medication to relieve their symptoms. In addition, nasal decongestant nose sprays may be used on a short-term basis in order to relieve nasal symptoms. Be sure to only use these for a day or two as it is easy to become dependent on their nasal decongestant effects.
Corticosteroids
Nasal steroid sprays are a great way to treat chronic rhinorrhea due to seasonal allergies. Spraying the steroid in your child’s nose daily during allergy season will alleviate their nasal symptoms and help them to breathe easier. Additionally, if your child’s symptoms are accompanied by asthma symptoms, systemic or oral steroids may help to decrease their symptoms.
How can 127 Pediatrics help?
If you would like personalized pediatric care and help in figuring out the cause of your child’s runny nose, then give us a call. At 127 Pediatrics, we offer convenient and evidence-based pediatric medical care to kids in the comfort of their own homes. Send us a message today and find out how an at-home pediatrician can make your life better.
© 127 Pediatrics; November 2022
Dr. Andrea Wadley is the owner, pediatrician, and breastfeeding medicine specialist for 127 Pediatrics. She has an established house calls-only pediatric practice in Colleyville, TX. We also have an at-home pediatrician serving the Aledo area. Dr. Wadley sees patients all over Tarrant county for concierge breastfeeding medicine consults, lactation consults, fourth-trimester care, tongue tie clipping, and medical ear piercing.
