Runny nose....

So my youngest Ethan has had a runny nose for well over 2 weeks. He has had no other symptoms and a day or two after he started running the twins caught it but theirs only lasted for a day or two. Plus they know how to blow their nose so it's sooo much easier.
The snot is a yellowish green but he hasn't had a fever at all and today started coughing a little bit but not much. I think it's just the mucas draining.
So my big question is how long would you wait to take him to the doctor, would you take him to the doctor? He is a little bit fussy and he is teething but the runny nose has been very consistent and just won't stop. :headbang: Could it be teething? For this long?

Any tips on how to get it to stop? I figure the draining is good but geesh it's getting everywhere!!! :laughing: It's gotten so bad that my dd will call for me because "Etan is icky" :lol:

And is it really a must for him to rub it all over my shirt first thing in the morning?!?!
Thanks for letting me vent

 

Brigette, :hug: poor Ethan! Maybe since I'm a first time parent and don't have much experience dealing with these things, I'd call the pediatrician and see what they say :unsure: I know it's taken my DD almost 2 weeks to get her 1st year molar in and she's been working on her last 2nd year molar for 3 weeks :faint:
The only thing I can think of is to use the dread nose sucker to clear out the nose. I would also prop up with mattress with some pillows and use Pedia vapor strips or if you have a humidifier that you can add a vapor strip too, I'd use that during day and night to help out.
I hope that pesky runny nose stops soon!

 

I'd call the pedi too... they've told me before that symptoms last between 10 and 14 days... if its longer then they've gotten exposed to another cold/strain of a cold etc.

the other reason I'd call the pedi is that you say his snot is yellow/greenish... I think if its not clear then it means infection... which might just mean more time... but still call and see what they say.

there isn't a lot to give them for a cold... ours does say that we can give the Benadryl, and I didn't have any last night and my poor ds was coughing a lot. I did go get some during the day today and gave it to them both, but I actually think they haven't been coughing as much today...

anyway... I feel your pain for the snot! we're in the middle of it too!

 

My ds has been the same and we pointlessly visited the doctor today. He had had a cough and runny nose for weeks but suddenly developed a rash too that we were concerned about. Ended up being a viral exanthem (don't know how to spell it) and nothing they could do and nothing to worry about. I would probably hold off because I just don't think they will do anything! My ds has allergies too and seems to have a constant runny nose so we do give him claritin or zyrtec if he wakes up and seem to be stuffy.

 

My kids just got over a bad cold that lasted almost 3 weeks. They had very runny noses the entire time, but it wasn't too bad other than the first few days when they slept poorly. I don't think I would go to the pedi because I don't think they'll do anything. We used the saline nasal spray and bulb syringe to keep things moving. We also used a humidifier.

 

Green/yellow snot is usually an infection...actually most of the time means an infection. If he's had it for a couple weeks I'd probably take him in and get him checked, sinus infections almost never go away without antibiotics.

On the other hand, if it's not accompanied by a fever or fussiness, I have been known to wait it out. Yeah, I'm a big help! :lol:

Liam gets sinus infections/ear infections fairly often, he's has 3-4 this spring alone, so when he starts running green snot and is fussy, I take him in. Last night and tonight he's been fussy, so I suspect an ear infection is brewing. No sign of green snot at least! Thankfully they have their 18month well baby check tomorrow so I can get his ears checked.

 

without a fever, i wouldn't bother going in. ardon: the girls have had some pretty impressive runny noses that have lasted for 2 - 3 weeks. once Riley was so stuffed up, she had green snot coming out her tear ducts. :bad: but no fever, and active & happy, so i didn't bother taking her in & it cleared up on its own. i figured she just got two colds back to back.

if you're worried though, a call can't hurt. KUP!

ps i've always thought that runny noses are waaaaay worse than anything they can produce in their diaper because at least the diapers are (relatively) contained - but snot? snot gets everywhere. ugh.

 

I don't know what it's like in CA, but here in MI we're having pollen counts that are off the charts! Turns out that Nate inherited his father's ragweed allergy. <_< His nose has been running like a faucet. Could it be allergies with Ethan? I've given Nate 1/2 tsp of Zyrtec before bed and it's really helped. My guys get baths every day because of his eczema, and that also really clears the gunk out!

I also taught my guys to blow their noses. They're not really good at it, but they will ask for a tissue and kind of snort a bit and wipe their noses. Today Jack dislodged a giant booger!!! (TMI, I know. ) I can give them tissue but I have to retrieve them fairly quickly because they will shred them. Maybe you could introduce a cloth hankie and see how he does with it!

I also wouldn't bother going to the doctor unless he developed a fever. ardon: