Motherhood is a complex and laborious job, because all the worries about caring for the child fall on the shoulders of mom.
Feeling responsible for the life of a small creature, women make every effort to ensure that the child is healthy, because a newborn suffers ailments much more painfully than children of preschool and school age.
Therefore, any, even the most insignificant changes in the state of the child cause strong anxiety in mothers.
For example, a situation often occurs when a newborn grunts with a nose. The reasons for this phenomenon can be very diverse: from the purely anatomical features of the baby’s nose, to serious health problems. Let's look at all aspects of the appearance of such a pathology from a scientific point of view, and also find out what to do in a similar situation.
Why a newborn grunts: physiological reasons
Pediatric otolaryngologists (specialists who treat nasal diseases in young children) argue that the problem of external sounds coming from the nose of the child can be caused by purely physiological reasons. As we know, newborn babies in the early stages of their life are often not adapted to the environment. This also applies to the nasal passages: the nasal mucosa is very sensitive to external stimuli. As a result, when the air passes through the baby’s airways, wheezing sounds appear, which indicate that the baby’s nasal membrane is quite narrow. According to otolaryngologists, this is not a big deal: usually by one year the child’s body adapts to the environment completely, and grunting sounds disappear when breathing.
Also, the newborn can grunt due to the accumulation of mucus in the posterior sinuses. Since the baby’s nose is small, mucus cannot always be processed by the body, so it congeals in the nose and interferes with the normal access of oxygen. Therefore, when breathing, the baby can wheeze and even grunt. This problem can be easily solved, we will talk about ways to solve it later.
As we see, often the cause of third-party sounds from the baby’s nose is physiological aspects, which should not be worried, because as the child grows older this problem will become irrelevant.
The newborn grunts, reasons: perhaps this is a pathology?
However, grunting is not always as funny and harmless as it seems at first glance. Together with physiological reasons, otolaryngologists also note that pathologies often need to be treated with medication, and sometimes even surgery. Consider what other reasons can cause the appearance of third-party sounds from the baby’s nose:
1. Colds. If grunting is accompanied by a plentiful runny nose, cough and fever, then most likely your child has caught the SARS virus or has a cold catch. In this case, extraneous sounds arise due to the fact that the mucus that is produced during the illness interferes with the normal flow of oxygen into the body;
2. Congenital anomaly of the structure of the nasal passages. Sometimes it happens that even in the process of development in the womb, the child has a curvature of the sinus, as a result of which the baby is already born with problems regarding the respiratory tract;
3. Acquired anomaly in the structure of the nasal passages. With mechanical damage to the nose (during impact, fall, etc.), a tumor may occur, which will subsequently become an obstacle to breathing. Because of this pathology, grunting sounds may occur when breathing in newborns;
4. Foreign body in the nasal passages. Young children explore the world in different ways, sometimes even hurting themselves. For example, insert a small object into the nostril. Mothers cannot always keep track of their child, and the child subsequently cannot even tell what happened;
5. Various infectious diseases of the nasal passages. If the child's body is infected, the mucus in the nose accumulates quickly, and besides, it is thick enough to be removed from the nasal passages on its own.
If the newborn grunts, the reasons can be varied. And now it's time to figure out what to do to eliminate this symptom.
A newborn grunts: what if physiological causes?
If the child does not grunt often, but from time to time, then, most likely, grunt is a physiological problem that can be solved only after waiting a few months. But the fact remains: the baby still accumulates mucus in the nose, which is recommended to be removed, otherwise the symptom threatens to develop into pathology. Consider what actions mom can take to get rid of the problem as soon as possible:
• Every day it is necessary to do wet cleaning in the apartment. Dust and other contaminants can cause an allergic reaction, so these irritants must be removed in a timely manner. Do not use strong chemicals during cleaning: this is useless, besides, they can negatively affect the mucous membrane of the child, which is not already strong. Therefore, use clean rags and plain water;
• Humidity is also an important factor for the health of the baby. In order to control this indicator, it is recommended to purchase an air humidifier. This device is able to independently adjust the humidity level in the room. For a child’s room, the optimal indicator is 40-50%. If there is no money to buy such a device, you can use the old proven method: put saucers on the windowsills with clean water that will evaporate and the air will not be dry but moist;
• Also, one should not forget about airing the room, because unventilated rooms are an ideal habitat for pathogenic bacteria and microorganisms. Just do not allow drafts, because the baby’s fragile body negatively responds to any environmental irritants;
• Daily hygiene procedures will help to avoid accumulation of mucus in the sinuses, which subsequently turn into dry crusts. Do not forget to clean your baby’s nose with regular cotton buds every day. Do this very carefully so as not to damage the respiratory system of the child;
• If the baby is breathing heavily, it is better not to take time and provide him with first aid. Rinse the nose with saline, which will remove deposits of thick mucus from the baby's nasal passages. This tool does not have to be bought: it can be prepared independently from sea salt.
If these methods of dealing with the phenomenon do not help, it is worth considering: Is it possible that your child has pathologies of the nose, due to which he makes third-party sounds? In this case, listen to the tips below.
A newborn baby grunts: what if the baby has a pathology?
As we have already figured out, the cause of third-party sounds from the baby’s nose can be congenital or acquired pathologies. Congenital airway curvature is still in the womb, as a result of which the baby cannot breathe normally. Acquired pathologies include tumors that have arisen as a result of damage. In both cases, the nose of the newborn, unfortunately, almost always has to be operated on, because without surgical intervention the elimination of the symptom is impossible.
If a cold has become the cause of grunting of the newborn, it is recommended not to self-medicate, but to consult a doctor as soon as possible. The baby’s health is too fragile, and the immune system is not yet able to fight viruses. Therefore, the best solution would be to sign up with a pediatrician for an examination, if you see that the child’s breathing is too heavy, the temperature has risen and a cough has begun.
In any case, if the pathology dragged on for several months, examination by a professional will not be superfluous.
Now you know the reasons why the newborn grunts, what to do in such a situation and how to make sure that this problem does not have serious consequences.
