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Allergy & Sinus Relief for Children

According to the National Institutes of Health, children's allergies are on the rise in part because kids are spending more time indoors than outdoors. Sinus issues are common side effects of seasonal allergies in children. Excessive sneezing, runny nose, stuffy nose and sinus congestion can be very uncomfortable for your child. There are medical and natural ways to treat and relieve allergies and sinus issues in children.

  1. Use Medicine

    • Give your child a daily 24-hour antihistamine such as children's loratadine or children's cetirizine. Watch for symptoms such as severe nasal congestion, head pain, sinus pressure and fever. Contact your doctor if these symptoms persist or worsen over a seven-day period. Most sinus infections in children are bacterial and can be treated with antibiotics. Have your child take his antibiotics faithfully for the allotted days on the prescription, typically 10 days. Probiotics can help your child maintain healthy bacteria in his body while he is on antibiotics. Most pharmacies carry probiotic capsules. Open one capsule a day and mix it with juice to encourage your child to take it.

    Use Saline

    • Clear and cleanse your child's congested nose and sinuses with a saline spray or a sinus wash administered through a neti pot. Use saline spray three times a day. Spray twice in each nostril once in the morning, once in the afternoon and once at night. Clean the spray bottle with soap and hot water after each use to prevent the infection from returning.

      To make a saline wash, mix 1 cup of warm water with one-half teaspoon of sea salt until the salt dissolves. Place the solution in a neti pot, then position your child with her head over a sink, tilted so that her chin is parallel to her shoulders. Place the neti pot in your child's right nostril and allow the solution to flow through the nose and out the other nostril. Have your child gently blow her nose, then repeat on the other side. Repeat this process up to three times a day.

    Make Lifestyle Changes

    • Have your child sleep as often as he would like, and be sure he gets at least 10 hours of sleep a night. Sleep is one of the best ways to strengthen a weakened immune system. Avoid all foods and beverages that encourage or cause mucus production, including dairy products, high-sugar foods and wheat. Give your child at least six 8-ounce glasses of water or natural clear liquids a day. Make him peppermint tea, chamomile tea or dairy-free soups to help open his nasal passages. Keep tobacco smoke away from your child; this can worsen sinus infection.

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