My son, a preemie, used to easily falling prey to respiratory infections despite taking good care of hygiene and takes longer to recover from severe nasal congestion. Though my mom would always console me that certain childhood illnesses like cold has predictable life span and his nose mucus build-up would clear up by itself within a week or so, but seeing the baby so uncomfortable with laboured breathing has been very distressing for me as a first time mom. I would always be discussing and consulting with experienced moms around of the probable remedies that may outgrow this phase.
There were barely any intervals between his illness and wellness. During climatic changes like at the arrival of wet months in monsoon, when the air has elevated humidity and rains entitle respiratory viruses and pollutants to circulate in the air; his respiratory problems would complicate to a higher degree and his nose would block triggering some sort of allergic reaction. He would struggle breathing and nursing at the same time and would have only shorter feeds. Even while sleeping, he would breathe noisily, often keeping his mouth opened. I had read in some parenting literature that the babies up to one year of age are 'obligatory nose breathers' and they breathe exclusively through their nose. The frequent issue of a stuffy little nose had become one of the toughest challenge for me as a mom with noticeable effects on my child's health, energy level, ability to function and quality of life in general. It was heart breaking to hear him cry with a distinct sound of discomfort and behave cranky all the time. I was worried that if left untreated, this long-term nasal congestion can interfere with his ability to hear and talk as he grows up and may even adversely affect his mental health.
Like every other young mom, initially I relied only upon practical advice of elders in the family as I was deeply committed to raise my child on the principles of attachment parenting. After trying number of home remedies including saline drops, vapour bath and trying baby wearing frequently that comforted him occasionally; I finally decided to consult the paediatrician for my child's physical ENT examination to alleviate his stuffy nose and to put an end to this not-so-normal congestion nuisance.
The doctor directed me to use Nasivion Mini 0.01, a nasal decongestant specially formulated for our little ones of upto one year and instructed me regarding it's safe usage. For my child who was a few months old, I was advised to gently pour in 1-2 drops into each nostril in lying down posture 2-3 times a day. But for a baby up to the age of one month, the parent should instill only one drop of the solution into each nostril 2-3 times per day. With high hopes in my heart for the efficacy of the medication, I followed doctor's instructions and gradually noticed some relief after a day or two. The Oxymetazoline infused solution had been well-tolerated by his little nose and cleared his nasal passage within five days of continuous usage. Encouraged naps, sufficient food intake and normal lung function helped him soothe and heal in coming days. It seemed that life has taken a hopeful turn for all good.
