Identify And Treat Mucus And Strings In Children

Mucus and cords in children are very common up to 5 years of age. It is one of the body’s defense mechanisms against infections.

When a virus comes in contact with the airways and invades them, the body responds by producing this gelatinous material. In turn, it transports the bacteria so that the body can get rid of them.

It is important that parents are well informed about this condition and how they can best treat it. That way, they know what to do if their children lose their appetite, get tired or show other symptoms that we will mention below.

Although mucus and cord do not pose a serious problem per se, it can be a sign of a more complex disease.

What are the different types of mucus and cords that occur in children?

• Clear and abundant mucus. It goes up and down the throat and some children swallow it. It is a sign of a cold and is accompanied by constant sneezing. It can be between two and four days.

• Thick and abundant mucus. When a cold does not go away, the throat begins to recede by making even thicker mucus and strings. Although there is not much in the baby’s nose, he starts coughing a lot when he lies down.
• Green or yellow mucus and strings. These two colors indicate that white blood cells have begun to fight the infection.
• Thick green mucus and strings. It usually comes in the morning. It also sometimes occurs in the eyes and is a sign that white blood cells are fighting an infection.
• Mucus and constipation accompanied by a prolonged cough and difficulty breathing. If your child has difficulty breathing at night and coughs a lot, it may mean that she has bronchitis.
• Thick mucus and strings along with fever. This may be a sign of a more serious infection, such as ear infections or pneumonia.

How should you treat mucus and strings in children?

Most pediatricians do not prescribe drugs to control mucus and cords in children under 2 years of age. It is better to treat them with simple means that allow them to get rid of the mucus.

However, it can be treated with medication if the mucus production is very abundant, does not allow the child to breathe easily or is accompanied by high fever.

What methods can be used?

There are various treatments that can be used to eliminate mucus and strings in children.

• Give your child plenty to drink to avoid dehydration. Giving plenty of water will make the mucus more fluid and help the baby cough it up.

• Make sure the room is well ventilated. The room must be well ventilated and clean to prevent spores from forming.
• Use a nose tweezers. These are used to remove dry mucus and snoring crows from the nostrils.
• Use nasal drops. These should be given to the child when lying on their side. You apply a serum that drips or sprays into the nostrils. This serum can be physiological, hypertonic or just saline.

In addition to these, home remedies can also be used, for example:

• An infusion of mallow with lemon juice and honey.
• Carrot and orange juice in the morning. This contains large amounts of vitamins A and C.
• Chicken broth can reduce inflammation in the airways due to the fact that it contains cysteine.

Most pediatricians do not prescribe drugs for mucus and cords to children under 2 years.

In case of high fever, your pediatrician may also recommend other medicines, for example:

• Antihistamines
• Antibiotics
• Mucolytics
• Nebulizer

When do you have to take the child to the pediatrician?

If your child has any of the following symptoms, do not hesitate to take them to the doctor:

• Very prolonged cough that causes breathing problems. If this happens, it may have bronchitis.
• General illness and high fever, which may be signs of ear infection or pneumonia.

In summary, mucus and cords in children are very common and often not harmful because it is a defense mechanism against infections.

If you notice that your child has a lot of it, coughs without being able to stop and gets their sleep disturbed, take the necessary preventive measures.

If you also see that the child has other symptoms, take it to the pediatrician immediately.