Childhood illnesses are always exciting for parents of a child. However, this does not mean that you need to beware of any whiff and keep the child at home until complete recovery. Many parents are interested in the question of whether it is possible to walk with a child with a runny nose or not? – Answer: it is possible, but not in all cases. Be vigilant, but use moderation: with a slight runny nose and the absence of other symptoms of illness, a walk can be very beneficial for the baby.
So, a child has a runny nose: “You can’t go for a walk at home.” Let's figure out in what case a comma should be “putted” after the word “walk”, and when it is absolutely necessary to put it after “not allowed”.
Causes of a runny nose
The nose can be called a human protective barrier that prevents the penetration of a large number of viral and bacterial infections. Our nose is “equipped” with special villi; they trap dust and microorganisms that enter the body through the air. And if immunity is lowered, and the community of microbes and viruses in the nose is large enough, then the body turns on its defense mechanism. This is how rhinitis appears (in simple terms, “snot”) - inflammation of the nasal mucosa. A runny nose can appear either on its own or as one of the symptoms of ARVI.
A runny nose is a disease that can go away in just a few days if the child’s parents fight the disease correctly. “How to fight correctly?” - you ask. It's simple: you need to follow all the advice that your doctor gave you, frequently ventilate your apartment or house (but avoid drafts), and regularly wet clean the room.
Also, snot may not be associated with viruses or microbes at all; it may be a manifestation of a simple physiological process. Due to stale, stale and dry air, infants often develop a runny nose, so snot is not always an indicator of illness.
Another possible cause of a runny nose is an allergic reaction to something. Allergies may be accompanied by frequent sneezing in the baby. In this case, you need to find out what exactly caused the allergy: some product, flowering plants on the street or other reasons, and only then decide whether to go for a walk outside. If the allergen is located outside your home, then the child needs to wear a cotton-gauze bandage when walking.
To accurately determine the cause of a runny nose in a child, you need to consult a doctor. By the way, it is best to call a doctor at home, because in a clinic a child can catch some kind of infection from sick people.
How can you tell if your child has a cold in the summer?
The symptoms of a summer cold are the same as in other seasons: sore throat, cough, runny nose, and sometimes fever. However, an inexperienced parent with any of these symptoms should consult a doctor, because they can easily confuse a cold with overheating or infection.
In addition, you should not “treat” any of these manifestations by dipping a sick baby in salty sea water or leaving him in the open sun for a long time. After all, if a child “caught” the virus, then he does not need a beach holiday, but at least a couple of days of restorative home treatment. If the virus is accompanied by a bacterial infection, then being on the beach is a real risk for the child’s body. Therefore, it is better not to let a cold take its course, so that instead of three days it does not drag on for a month.
Better to stay home
Snot can be a signal that the baby is sick with some disease. A runny nose can be caused by the flu, measles and other diseases. If the baby has some symptoms, then it is better to postpone walking with the baby. These are manifestations of the disease such as:
- Fever (37 degrees and above).
- Copious snot.
- Frequent cough.
- Severe malaise.
- Lack of appetite.
- Chills.
With older children (from two years old), it is recommended to go for a walk even with a slight cough and a bad runny nose, but not for long and only if there are no other factors listed above.
In a few days, when ARVI begins to recede, the child will have an appetite, he will become happier and his health will improve, so it is not only possible, but also necessary to continue walking with him. Of course, in this case, you should allocate less time for a walk than usual, dress your baby according to the weather, and also make sure that he avoids contact with other children. As you recover, the duration of the walk can be gradually increased.
Optimal weather conditions are also very important:
- acceptable temperature (if your baby is a little sick or recovering, then take him for a walk only when the temperature outside is the temperature to which the baby is already accustomed),
- if it is raining and windy outside, it is better to refrain from walking,
- Even if your child is healthy, you should not go for a walk in severe frosts.
Features of walking with a newborn
To be precise, infancy lasts exactly 28 days for a baby, after which it is automatically considered not a newborn. At this time, the mother’s immune defense is still present in the child’s body and therefore the child will not be able to get sick. But this, as they say, is ideal, but in fact, colds in newborns are not so uncommon. In this case, there is no need to panic; a timely visit to a doctor will help to correctly diagnose the cause of a runny nose and a treatment plan.
After all possible measures have been taken and the baby’s temperature (with possible increases) has returned to normal, the child is quite ready for walks. Previously, pediatricians advised starting to get acquainted with the street after about a week for a few minutes a day, gradually increasing the time to the standard two hours. Now the approach is more loyal; long walks with the baby right from birth are not prohibited, provided the weather conditions are quite comfortable.
Read how to treat allergic cough in adults.
Reviews and price for Linkas cough syrup: https://lechim-gorlo.ru/g/lechenie/sirop-ot-kashlya-linkas.html.
The treatment of wet cough in infants is described here.
If a newborn has a runny nose, walks are even recommended, since it is in outdoor conditions that it is easier to preserve the natural background of the nasal sinuses. In a dry or dusty room, a runny nose will last longer, so regular ventilation and moisturizing will be useful. To do this, you can buy a special device that controls the level of comfortable air humidity, or you can use “grandmother’s” means by hanging wet towels on radiators or installing containers with water. Follow the link to read how to treat a runny nose in a newborn baby. You may also be wondering whether you can bathe your newborn with a runny nose.
Need fresh air
A walk in the fresh air strengthens the baby's immunity, moisturizes the respiratory tract, making it easier for the child to breathe. Also, the baby’s body learns to adapt to the cold season and temperature changes.
In addition, it is winter and frosty air that is very useful for the nose, since it has two important qualities - humidity and coldness. But dry and hot air, on the contrary, is even harmful to the mucous membrane. Much depends on the individual adaptability of the organism. For some, a small minus is that the temperature is already very low, while others feel great in severe frosts. For one, humidity is the main criterion for comfort, while for another, dryness is best.
Walking is very important for children because their airways are narrower than those of an adult. This means that when snot appears, even a slight disruption of the mucous membrane in a child will cause more discomfort than in an adult. That’s why it’s so important to walk more often: outdoors is a more favorable atmosphere for mucous membranes than indoors.
In the warm season, you can spend a longer time walking. The fact is that at this age the baby has high skin permeability. This means that oxygen will enter the body through the skin. Therefore, air baths must be carried out when the weather and situation allow it.
Recommendations for walking outdoors
If you decide to take a walk with your newborn, it is important to follow a number of rules that will help avoid unwanted consequences:
- Before going out into the fresh air, clear your nose of mucus using a bulb or aspirator and moisten it. This will help the baby breathe easier;
- Dress your baby correctly to avoid either overheating or hypothermia;
- Limit your child's movements as much as possible to avoid unwanted changes in body temperature;
- Choose quieter places for a walk, where there is no traffic;
- While walking, continue to monitor the child’s condition, for a runny nose, periodically clearing the sinuses.
- It is better to go out into the fresh air twice a day for 30-60 minutes than once, but for 2-3 hours.
If you follow these simple tips, then walks can speed up your baby’s recovery.
Rules for a healthy walk
In order for the walk to have only one benefit (without worsening the condition), there are some recommendations. Follow these tips:
- Avoid overheating your baby, dress him according to the weather. You can’t wrap him up too much and, on the contrary, dress him up in clothes that are too light. If you notice that after a walk the back of your baby’s head is wet, then next time dress him lighter. If your child already walks, plays and runs on his own, he will definitely feel warmer outside from movement. This also needs to be taken into account when you gather your child for a walk.
- Before going outside, clean your child's nose well so that he can breathe fresh air freely. This is especially important in winter: it is better for the baby to refrain from breathing through his mouth.
- If your baby is sick, it is better to avoid playgrounds where he can infect other children.
- Refrain from walking near highways or industrial enterprises. A park, a small forest, and playgrounds (if the child is healthy) are the best options.
- The best duration of a walk in the warm season is 40 minutes, and in the cold season – 20 minutes.
- Monitor your baby's condition and avoid overtiring him.
Snot is not a reason to postpone a planned walk, but if it is accompanied by fever, loss of energy, cough and other symptoms of ARVI, then in this case you really need to stay home. Other factors, such as weather conditions, also influence the decision. Fresh air is very beneficial for both infants and older children and adults, so walk with your baby as often as possible. The main thing is to follow simple safety rules, and then the walk will bring you pleasure and benefit.
Fresh air is necessary for a small family member from the first days of life - pediatricians recommend daily walks immediately after discharge from the hospital. However, the newborn’s immunity is still weakened, and the susceptibility to respiratory viral diseases is high.
Often, new parents refuse to go outside for walks when they notice their baby’s stuffy nose. Are they doing the right thing? Is it possible to walk with a child with a runny nose? Experts do not have a clear opinion on this matter - the answer depends on many factors.
How to treat a summer cold
In winter, everything is simple and clear: we rub the baby with warming ointments, prepare warm milk with honey or herbal tea. But how to treat summer colds in children if the air is already heated to the limit? Of course, warming procedures during the heat must be excluded, because they can provoke not only a sharp increase in body temperature, but also heat stroke.
How to quickly cure a cold in summer:
- Offer your child plenty of (not hot!) drinks: cooled herbal tea with St. John's wort or chamomile, fresh milk (you can add a teaspoon of honey to it).
- Parents often ask: is it possible to walk with their child in the summer if they have a cold? If a summer cold occurs without fever, then it is advisable to spend as much time as possible outside with the child, but limiting it from other children, open sun and places where there are drafts; A great option would be a walk or a picnic in the forest, in a shady clearing. If the cold is accompanied by a high temperature, you need to wait until it subsides and postpone walking for now.
- If the doctor determines that the baby’s cold is caused by a virus or an associated bacterial infection, he will prescribe the necessary medications.
- A simple and effective method to improve local blood circulation in the throat (for pain or cough) is to open your mouth wide and reach your chin with your tongue. Tension of the neck muscles will ensure a rush of blood to the tonsil area and improve protective functions.
- One of the most effective methods for sore throat is gargling with a solution of sea salt (a teaspoon per glass of water).
- As a preventive measure, teach your child to consume certain foods daily that increase the body's resistance: honey (containing antibacterial components), citrus fruits (rich in vitamin C), garlic (against viruses), fermented milk products (improving intestinal function and supporting immunity), carrots (contains beta carotenes and antioxidants), herbal tea with chamomile instead of regular tea or soda.
When can you go for a walk?
First you need to understand the nature of the origin of the disease. There is such a thing as a physiological runny nose - a protective reaction of a fragile organism to the environment. This condition is not a disease, although it is expressed in the active secretion of mucus from the nasal passages.
You can understand that the discharge from a child’s nose is natural in nature by the following distinctive features:
- Color and consistency of mucus. Normally it is transparent and uniform. The baby should not have noticeable breathing problems.
- No signs of infectious diseases such as coughing, sneezing, watery eyes, fever.
- Duration. Normally, discomfort goes away within 10-15 days after birth.
With physiological rhinitis, doctors do not prohibit taking street walks; on the contrary, clean air will be useful for the baby and the young mother.
If you have a runny nose caused by a viral infection, you can walk with your baby in the following cases:
- normal temperature;
- good health of the baby;
- a small amount of mucus discharged from the nose;
- favorable weather conditions.
If these rules are followed, the walk will be exclusively for the benefit of the baby. Cool, fresh air will serve as an excellent assistant in the treatment of the disease, strengthening the immune system and increasing the defenses of the unformed body.
In this case , it will be useful to ventilate the apartment during absence - to get rid of pathogens. Often, the cause of discharge from the nasal passages is a violation of the microclimate in the apartment - dry, stale air negatively affects the condition of the mucous membrane.
However, there are situations in which walking if the baby has snot is absolutely contraindicated - you should pay special attention to them.
Elimination of defects
Dentists draw the attention of parents to the fact that crooked teeth are not just an aesthetic defect that can cause complexes. This is also a problem that can affect overall health in the future. Therefore, elimination of defects should be carried out as early as possible and be thorough and systematic.
Dental correction is especially important if:
- children show signs of pronounced asymmetry of facial features;
- uneven teeth lead to the child chewing food only on one side of the mouth, left or right;
- improper growth of baby teeth leads to pronounced disturbances in diction (for example, a baby cannot pronounce the letter “r”, has problems pronouncing the hard sound “l”, etc.);
- signs of nasal breathing disturbance appear, which, in turn, only aggravate the growth curve of the tooth.
In addition to the structures already listed, myotherapy can be used to correct defects. The technique is aimed at performing a number of exercises that train the facial muscles. Thanks to such training, the face is kept in good shape, the maxillofacial system, including the oral cavity, develops correctly. However, myotherapy requires parents to have a lot of free time.
When is it better to stay home?
You should avoid walking in the fresh air when the harm from them clearly outweighs the benefits. For example, the presence of a serious illness that negatively affects the general well-being of the child will be a good reason to stay at home. Walking during the acute phase of the disease will bring neither benefit nor pleasure, so it is better to stay in bed and focus all your energy on fighting the cold.
Pediatricians advise refraining from walking if your child has the following symptoms:
- feverish condition;
- lack of appetite;
- chills;
- heat;
- allergic origin of the disease;
- coughing;
- copious discharge from the nose.
You should not go outside with your child if weather conditions do not allow this - heavy rain, wind or snow can aggravate the manifestations of the disease. As an alternative, you can put the baby to sleep on the balcony (closed type), for no more than a couple of hours. Thus, the baby will receive a portion of much-needed fresh air without having time to freeze.
Important! If parents have doubts about the advisability of street walks while their baby is ill, they should consult with their doctor.
In the heat you can not only overheat
... but also catch a cold much faster than in winter. And the reason for colds is usually a temperature difference, which is still unusual for a child’s body.
How does a summer cold occur? With the arrival of warmer weather and the holiday period, most parents want to relax - get some sleep, go on an excursion or to the beach. Of course, such moments of relaxation are useful for an adult body. But for children - not always. And if you decide to take your baby on the road with you, you need to think in advance about where and how you will feed him, put him to bed and walk him. Moreover, all this must be done at the same time as at home. After all, even if you allow the regime to go beyond the limits for one or two days, the child’s immune system will definitely respond to the changes and direct all its forces to supporting the usual state. This means that the child will always demand food, sleep and a walk at the right time. But, if you find yourself in an unfavorable situation (for example, during an excursion you were unable to put your child to bed on time and at the same time there was a coughing traveler next to you), the child’s body can quickly “catch” a cold, since its immune system no longer has the strength to fight it. fight against virus or bacteria.
What other “unfavorable situation” could there be in summer? As a rule, this is an opportunity to cool down when it is hot outside. For example, while you are leisurely choosing your favorite cheese, standing at the open refrigerator counter in the supermarket, your child is also cooling under the air conditioner, feeling pleasantly cool. However, if for an adult organism such a temperature difference is a common thing, then for a child’s body a “pleasant breeze” is a stressful situation. The air conditioner can wait for your baby not only in the store, but also in the subway, taxi, in a cozy cafe and other places where they create comfortable conditions for customers. Of course, you can use “coolers” (including home ones), but not in the presence of a child. For example, you can turn on the air conditioner at home while you are walking with your baby or are in another room with him.
Another “unfavorable situation” could be popular soft drinks offered to a child in the heat. It is generally better not to introduce a small child to his “favorite soda.” There are at least three reasons for this: firstly, soda usually contains citric acid, which is harmful to the teeth and stomach; secondly, the throat will immediately react to a chilled drink in the heat; thirdly, it is impossible to quench your thirst with sweet soda. Therefore, when walking, try to always have a bottle of water with you at natural (not chilled) temperature and constantly offer your child something to drink. And, of course, the best alternative to carbonated drinks are vegetables, fruits and berries: in the heat, they will perfectly help support natural immunity, saturate the body with moisture and vitamins.
Rules for walking when a baby has a runny nose
It should be remembered that being in the fresh air has a healing effect on the body, helping it more effectively fight ARVI. An additional advantage is improved blood circulation and oxygen saturation of tissues - necessary factors for the full and timely development of the baby.
Following a number of simple recommendations will help turn an ordinary walk into a healing procedure:
- Cleaning the nose. Before leaving, it is necessary to thoroughly clear the nasal passages of accumulated secretions so as not to interfere with the child’s natural breathing. It is important to avoid inhaling air through your mouth - this can cause a sore throat.
- Duration of the walk. The maximum time a baby with rhinitis can spend outside is no more than an hour. In the future, if you feel better, the duration of the walk should be increased.
- Dressing for the weather. The newborn should not be too hot or cold. An excessively thick layer of clothing on the body will lead to active sweating, which can aggravate the symptoms of a cold. Pediatricians recommend not wrapping the baby up, but dressing him in the same amount of clothing as an adult.
- Planning your daily routine. It is better to go outside for an hour, but in the morning and evening, than for a couple of hours, but once a day.
- Ventilation of the apartment. Maintaining the recommended humidity in the room is a necessary condition for a speedy recovery, so you should arrange a draft while your household is away from home.
- Suitable weather conditions. It is optimal to go out in calm weather, at temperatures from 0 to +25 degrees. With further recovery, you can safely increase the temperature range.
- Avoiding crowded places. The best option for taking a walk is a sparsely populated park or square. It is worth temporarily avoiding contact with other people, reducing the likelihood of spreading the infection. You should not combine a walk with a visit to the supermarket or a walk through the shopping center. It is better to set aside separate time for shopping.
The benefits of walking
As Dr. Komarovsky says in his videos, walking with a child when they have a cough or runny nose is not only possible, but also necessary, both in the warm season and in winter. He explains this by the fact that in modern apartments there is very rarely a climate that is comfortable for the mucous membranes. But on the street it usually combines ideal conditions of air temperature and humidity. But, of course, this statement does not apply to the 40-degree summer heat.
In addition, the benefits of walking with a newborn and older children can be explained by the physiological characteristics of their body. The fact is that a child’s airways are narrower compared to adults. Therefore, if he has even the slightest congestion or swelling, nasal breathing becomes noticeably more difficult. And in conditions of dry and warm air in the apartment, the problem only gets worse due to the swelling of the snot. On the contrary, on the street, nasal discharge cools, decreases and is easier to blow out.
What kind of cough can you take for a walk?
Walking when coughing is necessary if the child is on the mend, the mucus is actively separated and expectorated, and the baby himself does not show signs of intoxication (fever, weakness, body aches).
A hysterical paroxysmal cough, especially without sputum production, is considered a contraindication for winter walks.
You can take a child with a runny nose out for a walk if the following important conditions are met:
- preliminary cleansing of mucus from the nose;
- absence of purulent discharge indicating sinusitis.
When breathing through the nose, cool air has time to warm up and does not cause harm to the respiratory organs, unlike breathing through the mouth. With proper nasal breathing, a walk will only benefit the baby, saturate all organs with oxygen and get rid of harmful microbes.
If a child has a cough and sniffles without fever, and the symptom worsens when going outside, the baby may be suffering from an allergy to cold. Mom needs to take a closer look to see if there are accompanying symptoms of the pathology - redness of the cheeks, watery eyes, itchy skin, sneezing. If you have a dry cough caused by an allergic reaction, prolonged exposure to the cold is prohibited. The baby should be shown to an allergist to select therapy and receive recommendations on the rules of walking in the winter.
You can go outside with a child with a cough or runny nose if he feels well, the illness has moved from the acute stage to the recovery phase, and there is no excessive flow of mucus from the nose.
We take into account the period of illness
If a child has a severe runny nose, cough, high temperature and a complete lack of appetite, then it is logical that any walks are out of the question. Now his body needs to focus all its strength on getting rid of the virus. Therefore, the best option at this stage of the disease would be bed rest or at least the absence of too active games.
In addition, at the moment, the body with a cold is greatly weakened and another one may join the already existing viral infection. As a result, the healing process will take much longer.
But if the baby does not have a fever, eats well and is active, there is no reason to refuse a walk. In such a situation, it will only be beneficial.
Is it possible to walk with a baby if you have a bad runny nose? The answer will be positive only if the baby does not have a fever or cough. Their presence in the first months of a baby’s life is a serious reason to consult a doctor.
When can a child with a runny nose go for a walk in winter, and when is it better to postpone the walk?
If a baby’s runny nose and nasal congestion are accompanied by symptoms of the acute phase of ARVI, then the walk should be cancelled. These symptoms include:
- Lethargy.
- High fever, chills.
- Decreased appetite.
- Headache.
In this situation, bed rest is recommended for the child, since the body needs strength to cope with the disease.
After the acute period has passed (it lasts 3–5 days) and the temperature returns to normal, you can go out for a walk again. Before going for a walk, do not forget to use means to make breathing easier for children. Bring handkerchiefs with you and make sure your child does not breathe through his mouth.
Weather
When looking for an answer to the question “Is it possible to walk with snot in bad weather?” It is important for parents to remember that for the mucous membranes of the nose there is no such thing as “bad weather”. High humidity, fog and snow will only benefit them. The only exceptions can be situations when there is a strong piercing wind or rain outside. In this case, it’s better to stay at home so that the baby doesn’t get too cold and doesn’t get wet.
Over many millennia of evolution, the human mucous membrane has adapted to breathing fresh air. In a modern apartment, the nose experiences a feeling of discomfort due to insufficient humidity and high temperature. As a result, a person’s snot thickens, the nasal mucosa dries out and crusts form on it. On the street, everything rests and begins to function fully.
Although everything also depends on the organism’s adaptability to environmental conditions. For example, children from Siberia are accustomed to walking outside even in 20-degree frost, while mothers from more southern regions prefer to stay at home even at minus five.
It is also important to take into account the age of the baby. An infant who is less than 6 months old can walk in the cold for no more than 30 minutes and when the thermometer is not lower than -10 degrees. But older children are allowed to spend time outside at any temperature.
Features of walking during a cold
Walking with your child if you have a cold is not prohibited. But you need to remember some simple rules:
- Clean the spout. During the period when the child has snot, you need to get rid of it before going for a walk. If this is not done, the baby will begin to breathe through his mouth. As a result, complications may arise in the form of a sore throat.
- Choose the right clothes. Even if a child has a runny nose, under no circumstances should you wrap him up or put on extra blouses or pants. There will be no benefit from such actions, quite the contrary. During active games, the child will become hot, he will sweat, and the slightest breath of wind can cause a re-exacerbation of ARVI.
- Contact with others. Is it possible to walk with a child with a cough and runny nose on the playground? If there are other kids there at that moment, then the answer is negative. The child is now contagious, so it is worth limiting his communication with others. In addition, his body is very weak at the moment and can easily contract a new disease.
Allergic rhinitis
We found out whether it is possible to go for a walk if you have a cold. But what to do in cases where the cause of a runny nose is not an acute respiratory viral infection, but an allergy? First of all, it is important to identify why such a problem occurs. If allergic rhinitis develops as a result of interaction with indoor dust, six animals, chemicals, and so on, then the idea of taking a walk outside will come in handy. This will significantly ease the baby’s condition and his nose will begin to breathe fully again.
But if a child is allergic to the pollen of certain plants, it is extremely undesirable to walk during their flowering. In this case, instead of the expected benefit from fresh air, you can achieve the completely opposite effect and worsen the baby’s condition.
If parents have doubts about whether it is possible to walk with their child if they have a cough or runny nose, they should consult their pediatrician. Before making a final decision, the specialist will weigh the pros and cons, and also take into account the overall health of the baby. And under no circumstances should you rely on answers from various sites and forums for moms!
Restrictions for walking when infected with a viral infection
Restrictions for walking during ARVI are as follows:
- body temperature above 37.5 °C (you can go for a walk only after there has been no temperature for two days in a row);
- fever, chills, severe feeling of weakness;
- complications of ARVI;
- prescribed bed rest;
- severe allergy to pollen during the flowering period;
- severe weather conditions: heat, severe frost, precipitation (rain, snow) or strong wind.
If there are no restrictions, the child can be allowed to take a walk in the park or forest, breathe in the healing air, exposing his face to the sun, enjoying a wonderful day, protecting against re-infection with the help of Breathe® essential oils.
Let your child recover with pleasure! THIS IS NOT AN ADVERTISING. THE MATERIAL WAS PREPARED WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF EXPERTS.
Walking with a child with a runny nose
Many experts, answering the question of whether a child can walk with a runny nose, agree that fresh air will only bring benefits . After all, walking always has a beneficial effect on the body. Especially if you are walking with your baby in the forest or park, and it doesn’t matter whether the baby is sick or not.
However, despite this opinion, there are some nuances that all parents should be aware of. This will help you correctly solve the problem: is it possible to walk with a runny nose?
Walking in the fresh air or, in other words, air baths have a hardening effect on any person. With their help, the body learns to cope with small temperature changes, cold and wind. This helps strengthen the baby's immunity.
Fresh air helps improve blood circulation throughout the body. Moreover, it kills accumulated toxins and germs.
This is why doctors usually advise frequently ventilating the room where your child is. After all, air baths, destroying microbes, become a kind of medicine for a sick baby.
Since walking when you have a runny nose is very beneficial, the main thing that is required of parents is to learn to distinguish cool weather from rainy and windy weather, in which a weakened body is not able to fight the disease.
But in any case, when going for a walk with a child who has a runny nose, parents should adhere to some rules:
- do not wrap the baby. Children are very active outdoors, so there is a risk of quickly sweating. And if you stand in the wind in this state for at least 2 minutes, you can get quite sick. Therefore, you need to dress your child a little looser than yourself, so that he feels comfortable when running;
- do not walk in rainy weather. The cold wind, combined with wet clothes and shoes, only aggravates the baby’s condition;
- Blow your nose or thoroughly clean your baby’s nasal passages before going for a walk. After all, he must breathe exclusively through his nose, otherwise his throat will also hurt;
- Do not stay outside for more than an hour. This time is quite enough to get the necessary portion of fresh air.
When can you safely walk with your child?
You can definitely take your baby for a walk if he has a simple physiological runny nose - a phenomenon associated with the restructuring of the baby's upper respiratory tract immediately after birth. This condition is not a disease, although it causes the baby to produce snot and may even breathe with his mouth open.
If you have a physiological runny nose, the most you can do is wipe the snot with a cotton swab and feel free to go into the fresh air
You can also walk outside with a baby with mucous discharge from the nose if he has:
- There is no elevated body temperature.
- Normal appetite.
- Snot forms little by little, sometimes rolls into clots (“roes”), but does not flow like a river.
- He's in a good mood, he doesn't cry all the time.
- No coughing or constant tiresome sneezing.
In such a situation, a walk with the baby will not only not harm, but will have a beneficial effect on his condition.
Review
“I am surprised by mothers who keep their children at home for weeks, and then are surprised that the kids develop a runny nose or ARVI. Of course, it will appear if the child’s nose is used to breathing only at 27. They also ask if it’s possible to walk with a baby with snot. Yes, it’s not possible, but it’s necessary! Here, if someone gets sniffles, the first thing I do is take them outside. I’m putting everything off, but the baby needs to get some air. And when in other children such a harmless runny nose from sitting at home develops into all sorts of viral rhinitis, for us it goes away in two days. I behaved this way with both of them, and neither of them had ARVI in the first six months of life. And not to go for a walk is only if the child has a specific fever.”
Anna, Kazan
Walking down the street in the first months of a child’s life has a beneficial effect on the development of his immune system.
Contraindications to walking with a runny nose
If a child has a runny nose, whether it is possible to walk with him or not is, of course, up to the parents to decide. But it is still important to consider that mucous discharge is often an indicator of an incipient disease.
Therefore, you need to understand that there are circumstances under which it is better for a child with a runny nose to stay at home:
- general malaise, weakness, decreased energy and loss of strength - in this case, it is better for the baby’s body to fight the disease;
- high temperature (above 37.5°C);
- bad weather conditions - outside the air temperature should not be lower than -20°C, there is no rain, wind or other negative factors;
- taking medications with many side effects, because they can make a baby sweat on the street, which will lead to complications of the disease.
Today there is an opinion that a child should not be kept in sterile conditions and if a disease is suspected, medication should be given immediately. Of course, if the disease has already overcome your child, his body needs help to cope with the disease.
However, if the baby does not have symptoms of an advanced stage of an infectious disease, you should not wonder whether it is possible to walk with a runny nose. The main thing is to act correctly in such situations and your child will recover much faster.
Every mother who has a small child experiences a runny nose and nasal congestion in her baby at least once a year. Such ailment may be accompanied by other signs of the disease, or may only bother the baby a little. Almost all mothers are interested in whether it is possible to walk with a child, especially a baby, with a runny nose, and whether walking will harm the baby. Let's try to understand this issue.
Is it possible to go for a walk if a child has snot?
A runny nose in itself is not a contraindication for a child being outside. Moreover, in some cases, a walk can be beneficial for children's health. If you doubt whether you should walk with your child with a runny nose, you need to determine the cause of the ailment, and also pay attention to the child’s general health.
If a child’s snot appears exclusively in spring and summer, as a result of an allergy to pollen, before going outside during this period, it is necessary to take antihistamines, for example, Fenistil or Zyrtec. Otherwise, you can only make the situation worse. On the contrary, if the cause of a runny nose is a reaction to pet hair, dust, paint or any foreign odors in the apartment, a walk may become vital for the child.
In most cases, a runny nose occurs due to colds. In such a situation, you can walk with the child only when his body temperature does not exceed 37.5 degrees, and he himself feels good. In addition, during your walk you need to follow several useful recommendations.
Rules for walking when you have a runny nose
In order not to harm the health of the baby even more, it is necessary to follow the following recommendations:
- The most important rule is not to dress your child too warmly. Many mothers and grandmothers, if their baby has a runny nose, put several warm clothes on him at once. Do not forget that overheating is much more dangerous for a child’s body than hypothermia.
- Before going outside, the baby's nose must be thoroughly cleaned, especially in winter. If the child is still too small, this must be done using an aspirator.
- The duration of the walk in warm and windless weather should not exceed 40 minutes; in cold and windy weather, you can stay outside for no more than 15-20 minutes.
- In addition, you should not go outside at all during the rain. If a child gets wet, his condition may worsen significantly, and a lot of unpleasant symptoms will be added to the runny nose.
Many young mothers are concerned about whether it is possible to walk with their child with a runny nose. The answer is clear: yes, but following some rules. In general, walks in the fresh air have a beneficial effect on the condition of the nasopharynx in both children and adults.
A runny nose in a child can be caused by a variety of reasons. From birth to six months, it is almost a natural state of the nasopharynx. The fact is that throughout its entire intrauterine life the child was in an aquatic environment and in the first months of life learns to breathe air.
.gif» /> This is why the nasal mucosa periodically swells and secretes mucus. And what will happen if you stay at home in such a situation? The nose will never adapt to the environment, or it will happen slowly and painfully. In addition, the baby needs not only fresh air, but also sunlight.
Is it possible to go out for a walk if the child has snot? If you have a runny nose, you should not walk with children only in cases where it is caused by an infectious disease. But here it should be clear to even the most inexperienced parent that with a high fever, cough and, accordingly, snot, it is better to stay at home. In other cases, when the child has a runny nose, but there are no other manifestations of the disease, you can leave the house at any time of the year, including in winter.
- How does walking outside help?
- Contraindications
- In what weather conditions can you go for a walk?
- Conclusion and conclusions
When should a child not go for a walk if he has a cough?
Definitely, you should not go outside if your baby has a fever or a fever associated with a symptom such as cough. Even at 37 degrees it is too dangerous to do this. Dads and moms need to keep in mind that in bad weather, severe frost and wind, the signs of any disease can worsen, so this is not a good time for walking.
You should also not take risks when your child:
Cough caused by allergens. Its causes include food, plants, household clothing, carpets, linen, laundry and detergents, and household chemicals. If parents smoke, the baby may develop a cough due to harmful tobacco smoke. The prerequisites are certain medications, infectious diseases of the respiratory system, and helminth damage. In this case, going outside can aggravate the condition and even cause swelling of the face (Quincke) and an allergic rash (urticaria). In this case, only antihistamines taken before going out can help. You cannot go for a walk if at that time there is an epidemic of influenza or other childhood disease in the city. During this period, it is generally better not to be in crowded places.
If necessary, it is advisable to take precautions - any disinfectants, external creams and ointments can be used to prevent infection. You should refrain from walking during pneumonia, pleurisy of the lungs, inflammation of the mucous membranes of the trachea and pharyngeal tonsils
This is especially dangerous during an exacerbation of these ailments, as they can lead to various complications. In mild cases, the pediatrician may allow short trips when it is warm outside. You cannot take your son or daughter outside if they have contagious diseases such as scarlet fever, diphtheria, tuberculosis or chicken pox. After all, they can transmit an unpleasant illness to other children and adults. If there is severe weakness, headache and dizziness, which often accompany ARVI, children should not be taken out for a walk. In this state, it is better for them to remain in semi-bed rest, and they can breathe fresh air at an open window or on a loggia. In this case, it is necessary to dress the child warmly, but so that he does not sweat. However, the time of such air baths should be limited to 10-15 minutes. Parents should monitor their child - when the cough is paroxysmal, accompanied by nausea and the urge to vomit, he needs urgent medical attention, and a walk can weaken his body and worsen his health.
In order not to harm the child’s body, it is better not to experiment and consult a pediatrician. A qualified doctor will tell you when walking is advisable and when it can be harmful.
How does walking outside help?
.gif» /> What happens to the mucous membrane when you have a runny nose? She is irritated and swollen, so she produces a lot of mucus, that is, snot. At this moment, the child cannot breathe normally. Newborn babies under 3 months do not know how to take in air through their mouths, and a runny nose is sometimes a mortal danger for them.
The only way to relieve swelling from the mucous membrane is to provide the child with moist, cold air, which is usually not available in the house. A child's runny nose is not the same as that of adults.
.gif» /> In the case of infants, walks in the fresh air, especially in winter, can eliminate rhinitis in 2-3 days, while treatment indoors takes 7 days. By the way, leaving the house when you have a runny nose is also useful for adults.
Anthropologists claim that the mucous membrane of the human nasopharynx is designed for breathing street air. Indoors, insufficient or excessive humidity causes thickening of mucus or its excessive secretion.
And since a child’s mucous membrane is more sensitive, it reacts most acutely and vividly to changes in humidity and air temperature.
Contraindications
.gif" /> Should you go for a walk with your child when a runny nose is accompanied by signs of a more serious illness? In this case, it is better to hold off on this for now. A runny nose can be a symptom of an acute respiratory viral disease, and it is accompanied by such signs as:
- elevated temperature (from 37 ºС or more);
- general weakness;
- bad mood, the child cries and is capricious;
- loss of appetite;
- fever;
- headache.
If such signs are observed along with a runny nose, then it is best to call a doctor at home.
.gif" /> After adequate treatment of a cold, when all signs of acute respiratory viral infection disappear in the child, except for snot, you can go outside. An abundance of mucus in the nose after the illness will be observed for another 5-6 days.
There is one more aspect in which you need to be careful when walking outside: allergies. Young children are very susceptible to it. Plant pollen or exhaust fumes can cause them to snot.
This is called allergic rhinitis. In this case, you cannot leave the child completely without walks, but you have to take precautions: put a gauze bandage on the baby’s face and always keep with you an antihistamine prescribed by a doctor.
Allergic rhinitis often occurs in adults, and many people know how to deal with it.
In what weather conditions can you go for a walk?
.gif" /> People's bodies differ from each other since childhood, including the tolerance of the nasal mucosa to different climatic conditions.
Some easily endure the conditions of the Central Asian desert, while others begin to suffocate already in the Ukrainian steppes. Some people feel comfortable in cold weather of -15 ºС, while others find it simply painful to breathe in such weather. You need to monitor your child and, based on his condition, choose the optimal weather for going outside.
In most cases, it is better to stay indoors during heavy rain or wind. The rest of the time you can walk, even when there is light precipitation, drizzling or occasional snow. You can also walk without fear in fog or light frost.
Regular going outside strengthens and prevents colds.
How to walk properly when you have ARVI
First of all, you need to understand that at temperatures above 37.4 °C, walking is undesirable - most likely, they will only bring harm.
At this temperature, a walk will not be a joy: even an adult will feel discomfort and, instead of admiring nature, will want to sit down, wrap himself in a blanket, drink hot tea, and for a child the need to move can be a serious test. You should postpone health-improving walks until the moment when the temperature subsides and there are only residual effects - runny nose, cough, sore throat.
How to properly walk a child with ARVI:
- With pleasure. During illness, you should never add negative emotions. If a child does not want to go for a walk, and parents force him to get dressed, get ready, and go out, this will ultimately lead to hysteria and subsequent resentment. Negative emotions will seriously impede recovery, and sometimes, due to stress, fever and other symptoms of ARVI may return. A walk in this case will not bring any benefit. In addition, if a child objects to going outside, there is a chance that physical activity is difficult for him and it is too early to go for a walk.
- Without friends and acquaintances. Unfortunately, communication with other children, their parents, and even people you meet by chance is dangerous for both parties. A patient with ARVI can infect other people within 5-7 days, so for healthy people such an encounter is practically a guarantee of an upcoming illness. And for a sick child, communication is dangerous, since his immunity is suppressed, and any additional injection of viruses or bacterial infection will lead to a new round of illness. Therefore, it is better to choose places for walks away from playgrounds and crowds of people, adequately assessing the weather conditions. Despite the words of the famous song, nature has bad weather. Rain, thunderstorms, strong gusty winds, very low or too high temperatures, hail, heavy snowfall, deep puddles after rain - all these are reasons to stay at home and not go on a planned walk. Even a healthy person can feel unwell outside in such weather, so you should not endanger a recovering child.
- Dress your child according to the weather. Wrapping a child in several sweaters is very dangerous, as is allowing hypothermia. Therefore, clothing should be ordinary, appropriate to the weather conditions. You can take an extra jacket or scarf just in case - they can come in handy if it gets colder. Shoes are also important - they should be waterproof, reliable and warm.
- Breathing through the nose. It is impossible to cool the throat or allow it to come into contact with bacteria and viruses. Therefore, even if the runny nose has not yet passed, it is advisable for the child to blow his nose before leaving the house and take paper napkins with him. There is another alternative that partially replaces a walk through a coniferous forest with its disinfecting air - use essential oils. For example, a few drops of Breathe® Oil on a child’s scarf during a walk will not only promote his recovery, but also protect him from additional bacterial and viral infections. Thanks to the combination of essential oils that make up the Breathe® Oil, it will become easier for your child to breathe!
If a child gets sick during the flowering season or the wind raises dust, it is advisable to put a protective mask on the child outside to prevent potential allergens from entering the body during a period of low immunity.