A runny nose can occur for a variety of reasons. It can occur due to the action of bacterial microorganisms, viral infections, and allergenic pathogens. The color of the discharge can be very different (yellow, white, green-transparent or dark shades). Let's try to answer the question why a child has green snot.
It is worth noting that green discharge in children indicates a runny nose, which is caused by the action of pathogenic bacteria. Often the symptom is accompanied by a cough, and sometimes the eyes fester. The unusual coloring is explained by dead bacteria (everyone knows that a runny nose is a protective reaction of the body). It is noteworthy that the color can vary from yellow or light green to dark green. The richer the shade, the more bacteria there are in the nasal cavity.
Of course, unusual green snot in a child causes concern for parents. It is especially alarming when the disease manifests itself in a newborn. You always want to cure a disease quickly. Before discussing specific treatment, it is worth understanding the factors influencing the development of the symptom. This information is key, because the degree of manifestation of the disease will determine the time of recovery.
Description
Green snot in a child occurs to a greater extent during the widespread spread of infectious diseases of a cold nature (autumn, winter, spring). The fact is that at this time children have very weak immunity. Green snot in a baby is explained by the body’s defense system that has not yet formed. When the slightest cold snap occurs, the newborn’s body instantly seizes some kind of infection.
It is not possible to completely avoid a runny nose in a child. The point is to adapt the body and develop the immune system, so you need to be prepared for this!
It is worth noting that green snot in a child leads to discomfort, and for a newborn it carries a huge risk. The fact is that if the nose is stuffy, the baby cannot blow his nose on his own. Because of this, respiratory function is impaired. In addition, increased pressure forms in the head, and because of this, the eyes fester. Cough and fever are often observed.
It is noteworthy that green discharge does not appear immediately. Thus, if such a situation has arisen, then this speaks primarily of the inattention of the parents. That is, either illiterate treatment was carried out, or the initial form of the disease was missed. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the condition of children very carefully.
Green snot is, in fact, an indicator. To understand the seriousness of the situation, it is necessary to talk about possible complications. Often, a common cold can lead to much more serious illnesses. Among them are:
- otitis;
- brain inflammation;
- sinusitis;
- sinusitis.
Probably any adult understands how dangerous the diseases listed above are for children. Treatment should be carried out quickly and in a timely manner. The infection must not be allowed to spread. Well, now let’s talk about how to treat green snot in a child.
Additional diagnostics
Additional methods help to understand why a child’s eyes may fester against the background of green nasal discharge. Therefore, the doctor will refer the small patient to laboratory and instrumental procedures:
- General blood and urine analysis.
- Analysis of secretions (cytology, culture, PCR).
- Rhinoscopy.
- Biomicroscopy of the eye.
- Probing of the nasolacrimal duct.
- Dacryocystography.
A consultation is required not only with an ENT doctor, but also with an ophthalmologist. And sometimes it is necessary to involve even a maxillofacial surgeon in the examination. Everything suggests that the situation with purulent discharge from the eyes and nose in a child is quite serious and requires increased attention from parents. At the first symptoms, it is better to consult a doctor to find out the exact cause of the disorders and start treatment on time, thereby getting rid of thoughts about possible complications.
The appearance of discharge from the eyes and nose of a baby always frightens parents. Especially if this discharge is of a dense consistency and has a green or yellow color, which indicates the addition and progression of a bacterial infection.
Treatment method
Treatment should be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. This is especially important when it comes to a newborn baby. For young children, medications should be the safest. The fact is that many modern drugs can be addictive, and this is undesirable, since the disease in such a situation easily becomes chronic. You definitely need to remember this!
To quickly cure green discharge, it is best to use vasoconstrictor drops. You can find a lot of similar drugs at any pharmacy. However, not all drops may be suitable. The doctor must prescribe a specific remedy, taking into account the individual characteristics of the child.
If the medicine is chosen incorrectly, the illness will not subside, and the condition may worsen. In particular, third-party symptoms may begin to develop, such as cough and fever. Often the eyes begin to water, and sometimes they even fester.
Here you should immediately contact a specialist. He will adjust the treatment. The doctor will also prescribe additional medications, with the use of which the temperature will subside, the cough will stop, and the eyes will stop watering. If a newborn child is being treated, drops will still be the priority form of medication, but it is undesirable to use sprays at this age.
Drops should be used only after preliminary cleansing of the nasal cavity. Salt-based solutions are good for this. Sometimes you have to resort to using antibiotics. Such medications will help cure the disease quickly enough, but they are prescribed extremely rarely, as they can negatively affect the child’s body.
What to do if a child’s eyes are purulent
So, if a child’s eyes are festering, then the doctor decides how to treat this condition after collecting an anamnesis and making a diagnosis. The most common diagnoses for which the eyes fester, and sets of treatment measures.
Dacryocystitis in newborns
Dacryocystitis is the most common reason why the eyes of a newborn baby fester. What is the cause of suppuration and how to treat it:
- associated with obstruction of the lacrimal sac, in which infection develops;
- can be successfully treated with a massage, which will be shown to you by an ophthalmologist, and local anti-inflammatory drugs.
If the eyes of an infant are festering, contact an ophthalmologist, he will help establish the correct diagnosis.
Conjunctivitis
It can be accompanied by viral or infectious diseases, and can also be a consequence of untreated sore throat, sinusitis, or adenoiditis. Most often, with viral or infectious conjunctivitis, the child’s eyes are red and purulent. When treating conjunctivitis, it is necessary to treat the underlying disease, as well as:
- remove pus or purulent crusts from the eyes using a solution of furatsilin or chamomile decoction;
- use antimicrobial drops or ointments prescribed by your doctor.
If a child’s eyes fester, there are rashes around the eyes and there is also a runny nose, then this is allergic conjunctivitis. Active flowering of various plants in the spring may support this diagnosis.
Treatment will consist of:
- identifying and eliminating the source of allergies;
- prescribing antihistamines;
- the use of anti-inflammatory drops;
- strengthening the immune system to resist allergens.
Barley
This eye disease cannot be confused with anything. It is characterized by a dense formation with inflammation of the skin of the eyelid. On the 2-3rd day of the disease, the child’s eye swells and begins to fester. Recommended:
- washing the eyes;
- compresses made from strong tea or chamomile decoction (strictly maintain sterility);
- use of antibacterial drops and ointments.
Foreign body
Try to remove anything that gets into your eye. Use tea, chamomile or calendula decoction for this purpose. If you have lens solution or saline solution on hand, use it to rinse them. If you are not sure that you have removed everything that got into the eye, take your child to the hospital. What is important to observe when sanitizing the eyes:
- if a child’s one eye is purulent and watery, both still need to be washed;
- even if the condition of the eye has improved, and the treatment period has not yet ended, it must be completed;
- do not self-medicate, you can trigger the disease, which can lead to loss of vision.
Traditional medicine methods
Traditional treatment can be enhanced with the help of folk recipes. It is worth mentioning right away that traditional methods cannot affect the inflammatory process, but only facilitate the course of the disease. This is why you shouldn’t give up standard medications. However, a competent combination of folk and traditional medicine will quickly cure the disease.
Natural ingredients are safe for a newborn baby (of course, if there is no individual intolerance). They are not addictive, and their effect is mild. In addition, natural recipes are good to use when you need to get rid of third-party symptoms, when green snot accompanies a fever or festering eyes. There are a lot of recipes for treating the disease. Let's look at the main ones.
- Drops made from baking soda and water. The solution is prepared instantly. Mainly used for rinsing the nasal cavity. Thick discharge becomes more liquid. The child’s breathing improves, headaches disappear, and the eyes stop watering.
- Drops based on herbal mixture (calendula and yarrow). A spoonful of the mixture is added to hot water. The solution is infused, after which it is used for instillation.
- A good remedy that helps cure green discharge is a squeeze of parsley roots. The product perfectly cleanses the nasal passages and makes your breath fresh.
- It is impossible not to mention such a natural product as honey. With its help, you can fight a runny nose (mixing with saline), and also effectively lowers the temperature when taken orally.
- A good treatment is provided by a vegetable mix made from the juice of carrots, potatoes, beets and water. Used in drop form.
- Boiled potatoes in their jackets can be used for inhalation. This treatment is usually suitable for older children. During the procedure, you must protect your eyes from hot steam.
- The simplest method that allows you to quickly cure the initial cold symptoms is the usual steaming of your feet in hot water.
I would also like to note that when medicine is instilled into a newborn’s nose, safety rules must be followed. It is not advisable to use large doses. You also need to protect your eyes!
What are the reasons for a child’s eyes to fester?
There are many reasons for pus in the eyes. They depend on the child’s age, previous infectious and/or viral diseases, congenital pathologies, and a tendency to allergic reactions.
In order to properly develop a set of measures to combat festering eyes, it is necessary to determine the cause of this phenomenon. Among the reasons:
- dacryocystitis
is a disease that affects newborn babies and is associated with obstruction of the lacrimal canal; - infections during childbirth
transmitted through the birth canal or unsterile medical instruments; - bacterial infection caused by strains of various “cocci”: pneumococcus, streptococcus, meningococcus;
- viruses that mainly affect the upper respiratory tract: adenovirus;
- foreign body in the eye
, most often an eyelash; - inflammation in the deep membranes of the eye mucosa;
- weak immunity;
- violation of hygiene rules
: rare hand washing; - complications after colds, adenovirus, ;
- microtrauma of the eye;
- barley;
- Conjunctivitis is the most common cause of pus in the eyes of babies.
Doctors: pediatrician, ophthalmologist can determine the cause of pus in a child’s eyes. The final diagnosis is made by an ophthalmologist.
Preventive measures
To reduce the appearance of greenish discharge in your baby, you should follow some preventive measures. All of them are aimed at developing and strengthening the body’s immune function. It is necessary to go for walks more often, eat right, take vitamins and minerals, and exercise.
If you follow these simple recommendations, your child will get sick much less. If this material caught your eye and you familiarized yourself with it, then it becomes clear that treating green snot is not such a difficult matter. The main thing is to follow the specialist’s recommendations and do everything on time. Remember, the health of children is in the hands of parents!
Why is it possible to discharge pus from the eyes when there is a runny nose?
First of all, it is worth noting that this is not pus in the usual sense of the word. The mechanism of occurrence of this condition is completely different. The nasolacrimal duct, which runs through the bone and opens at the inferior turbinate, connects the eye and the nasal cavity. In children, due to their anatomy, it is shorter and somewhat thicker than in adults. This structure greatly facilitates the penetration of infection and mucus from the nasal passages into the eyes.
Pus in the eyes occurs when bacterial agents spread upward from the source of infection. There are also a number of pathogenic microorganisms that can simultaneously infect both the nasal mucosa and eye tissue. Moreover, each disease has manifestations characteristic only of it, which greatly facilitates diagnosis. For example, green snot is a clear sign of a bacterial infection.
