Sneezing is frequently associated with colds and allergies. However, newborns sneeze a lot . It is normal for parents to wonder: does he have a cold?
What is sneezing?
Sneezing is the involuntary and forced expulsion of air through the nose and mouth . Any irritant in the nose can trigger a sneeze. Dust, pepper, cold air, or a virus in the nose can trigger a sneeze. When we sneeze, multiple muscles are involved: the diaphragm, the abdominal and chest wall muscles, the throat muscles, and even the eyelids (that’s why we always close our eyes when we sneeze). All of them get the air to go out at more than 100km per hour.
People who suffer from certain allergies (to dust, pollen, animal hair …) also sneeze when they come into contact with the allergen. It’s a way to keep it away.
And there are some people who sneeze when exposed to light. It is what is known as photic sneezing .
Why do newborns sneeze?
Newborns and babies up to about six months of age breathe only through their mouths . Their larynx is higher than we do, which allows them to eat and breathe at the same time.
As they cannot breathe through their mouth, it is essential that the nose is kept clean, in order to breathe well. That is why any small particle lodged there triggers a sneeze . It is a reflex act, which allows the nose to always be free and open.
During the first hours of life they often sneeze a lot, thus clearing the airways of amniotic fluid. Later, small traces of milk, mucus, dust … will make you sneeze. These sneezes, which are very frequent in the newborn, become less common as the baby grows, without a set time (some sneeze a lot for a few days, others for a few weeks). There is also no “maximum” number of sneezes per day. If they are sporadic (they spend time without sneezing) and are not associated with other symptoms, there is no need to worry.
How do I know that even if I sneeze, I don’t have a cold?
Isolated sneezing, with no other symptoms, is not at all worrisome . What’s more, they are beneficial because they allow our newborn’s nose to be open and clean.
However, we must be vigilant if you have other symptoms. When a baby has a cold, he has mucus in his nose and a cough . In addition, it is common for the little ones to have a fever or low-grade fever when they catch a cold and, on occasions, they may have respiratory distress (we will see this because he breathes very quickly, his chest sinks, his ribs are marked). It is also quite common for babies to reject food when they have a cold.
Thus, if our baby presents, in addition to sneezing, any of the symptoms that we have mentioned (fever, cough, respiratory distress …), we should consult with the pediatrician.
As for environmental allergies (pollens, mites …), which can also manifest with sneezing, they do not appear until children are older because they need to have been exposed to the allergen on several occasions.
Newborn rhinitis
Sometimes babies make a lot of noise when they breathe, as if they had a cold, but we don’t see much mucus or there is a cough or fever. It may be a newborn rhinitis. The nasal mucosa becomes inflamed and thus makes it difficult for air to pass, causing noise when breathing.
In these cases we can apply a few drops of saline serum and / or increase the humidity of the environment. Vacuuming is not recommended , even if you have a lot of mucus; in these cases it is better to instill physiological saline with a little pressure.
In more severe cases the pediatrician may recommend some medication. In any case, as we have mentioned previously, if respiratory distress appears or our baby refuses the feedings, we must consult with the pediatrician.
In Babies and more | Newborn Care: How to Clean Your Baby’s Nose
