Stuffy or runny nose - children
Nose - congested; Congested nose; Runny nose; Postnasal drip; RhinorrheaA stuffy or congested nose occurs when the tissues lining the nose become swollen. The swelling is due to inflamed blood vessels.
The problem may also include nasal discharge or "runny nose." If excess mucus runs down the back of the throat (postnasal drip), it may cause a cough or sore throat.
Considerations
Most of the time, nasal congestion in older children and adolescents is not serious by itself, but can cause other problems.
When nasal stuffiness is just on one side, the child may have inserted something into the nose.
Nasal congestion can interfere with the ears, hearing, and speech development. Congestion that is very bad may interfere with sleep.
The mucous drainage may plug up the eustachian tube between the nose and the ear, causing an ear infection and pain. The mucous drip may also plug the sinus passages, causing sinus infection and pain.
Ear infection
Otitis is a term for infection or inflammation of the ear.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleSinus infection
Sinusitis is present when the tissue lining the sinuses become swollen or inflamed. It occurs as the result of an inflammatory reaction or an infect...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleCauses
A stuffy or runny nose may be caused by:
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Common cold
Common cold
The common cold most often causes a runny nose, nasal congestion, and sneezing. You may also have a sore throat, cough, headache, or other symptoms....
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Flu
Flu
The flu (influenza) is a viral respiratory illness that causes fever, chills, runny nose, body aches, and cough. It spreads easily from person to pe...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Sinus infection
The congestion typically goes away by itself within a week.
Congestion also can be caused by:
- Hay fever or other allergies
Allergies
An allergy is an immune response or reaction to substances that are usually not harmful.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Use of some nasal sprays or drops bought without a prescription for more than 3 days (may make nasal stuffiness worse)
- Nasal polyps, sac-like growths of inflamed tissue lining the nose or sinuses
- Pregnancy
- Vasomotor rhinitis
- Small objects in the nostril
Home Care
Tips to help infants and younger children include:
- Raise the head of your child's bed. Put a pillow underneath the head of the mattress. Or, place books or boards under the legs at the head of the bed.
- Older children may drink extra fluids, but those fluids should be sugar-free.
- You can try a cool-mist vaporizer, but avoid putting too much moisture in the room. Clean the vaporizer every day with bleach or a disinfectant cleaning product.
- You can also steam up the bathroom shower and bring your child in there before bed.
A nasal wash can help remove mucus from your child's nose.
- You can buy a saline spray at a drugstore or make one at home. To make one, use 1 cup (240 milliliters) of warm water, 1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) of salt, and a pinch of baking soda.
- Use gentle saline nasal sprays 3 to 4 times per day.
If your child has allergies:
- Your health care provider may also prescribe nasal sprays that treat allergy symptoms.
- Learn how to avoid triggers that make allergies worse.
Allergies worse
Allergic rhinitis is a group of symptoms that affect your nose. They occur when you breathe in something you are allergic to, such as dust mites, an...
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Nasal sprays are not recommended for children under age 2. Don't use over-the-counter nasal sprays more often than 3 days on and 3 days off, unless told to by your provider.
You can buy cough and cold medicines without a prescription. They do not seem to be effective in children.
When to Contact a Medical Professional
Contact the provider if your child has any of the following:
- A stuffy nose with swelling of the forehead, eyes, side of the nose, or cheek, or that occurs with blurred vision
- More throat pain, or white or yellow spots on the tonsils or other parts of the throat
- Discharge from the nose that has a bad smell, comes from only one side, or is a color other than white or yellow
- Cough that lasts longer than 10 days, or produces yellow-green or gray mucus
- Symptoms that last more than 3 weeks
- Nasal discharge with fever
What to Expect at Your Office Visit
Your child's provider may perform a physical exam that focuses on the ears, nose, throat, and airways.
Tests that may be done include:
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Allergy tests on skin and blood tests
Allergy tests
Allergy skin tests are used to find out which substances cause a person to have an allergic reaction. These substances are called allergens....
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Blood tests (such as CBC or blood differential)
CBC
A complete blood count (CBC) test measures the following:The number of white blood cells (WBC count)The number of red blood cells (RBC count)The numb...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Sputum culture and throat culture
Throat culture
A throat swab culture is a laboratory test that is done to identify germs that may cause infection in the throat. It is most often used to diagnose ...
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X-rays of the sinuses and chest x-ray
X-rays of the sinuses
A sinus x-ray is an imaging test to look at the sinuses. These are the air-filled spaces in the front of the skull.
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CT scan of the head
CT
A head computed tomography (CT) scan uses many x-rays to create pictures of the head, including the skull, brain, eye sockets, and sinuses.
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References
Lopez SMC, Williams JV. Rhinoviruses. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 290.
McGann KA, Long SS. Respiratory tract symptom complexes. In: Long SS, ed. Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 21.
Milgrom H, Sicherer SH. Allergic rhinitis. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 168.
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What to do when kids put things in their nose
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Treating congestion in babies
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Nasal congestion
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Throat anatomy - illustration
Structures of the throat include the esophagus, trachea, epiglottis and tonsils.
Throat anatomy
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What to do when kids put things in their nose
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Treating congestion in babies
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Nasal congestion
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Ear infections - InDepth
(In-Depth)
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Immunizations - InDepth
(In-Depth)
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Common cold
(Alt. Medicine)
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Allergic rhinitis
(Alt. Medicine)
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Influenza
(Alt. Medicine)
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Colds and the flu - InDepth
(In-Depth)
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Asthma
(Alt. Medicine)
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Headaches - cluster - InDepth
(In-Depth)
Review Date: 7/8/2023
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.