An estimated 12% of the U.S. population experiences nasal congestion at any given time. When your child feels congested, they may not have the words to describe what’s bothering them. Instead, you’ll need to watch for related symptoms, such as louder breathing, mouth breathing, a nasally voice and disrupted sleep.
When children don’t get enough quality sleep, they may feel tired, irritable or restless during the day. School-aged children may also have trouble concentrating, remembering information or keeping up with schoolwork. If your child frequently struggles to sleep comfortably, nasal congestion could be one possible reason.
How Congestion Affects Sleep
Nasal congestion occurs when the tissues inside the nose become swollen, often due to inflammation or excess mucus. This makes it harder to breathe through the nose, especially when lying down.
Your child may respond by breathing through their mouth, snoring, tossing and turning or waking up throughout the night. Common causes of congestion include colds, allergies, environmental irritants and enlarged adenoids.
How To Help Your Child Sleep Better
A few simple measures can help relieve congestion and make nighttime breathing more comfortable.
- Use saline drops or spray. Saline can loosen mucus and moisturize nasal passages. For infants, gentle suction with a bulb syringe may help clear mucus.
- Encourage hydration. Drinking enough fluids helps prevent mucus from becoming too thick.
- Try a humidifier. Run a humidifier in your child’s room while they sleep.
- Reduce irritants. Avoid exposure to cigarette smoke, strong fragrances, allergens and other potential triggers.
When To Schedule an ENT Appointment
If congestion persists, frequently returns or is accompanied by habitual mouth breathing, ongoing snoring or daytime fatigue, it’s time to schedule an ENT appointment. These symptoms may indicate conditions like allergies, nasal polyps, enlarged adenoids or sleep-disordered breathing, including obstructive sleep apnea.
Our specialists can examine your child’s nose and sinuses to identify potential causes of the obstruction. We may recommend an allergy test, nasal endoscopy or imaging to pinpoint causes like allergies, enlarged adenoids or other structural issues.
Contact Puget Sound Ear Nose and Throat to schedule your child’s appointment with one of our specialists today.
Sources
Cleveland Clinic. (2022). Nasal congestion (stuffy nose): What it is, causes & treatment. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17980-nasal-congestion