A proven natural remedy for the common cold in babies is drops from the agave. How to use aloe in the nose of children?
Children from the moment of birth have unformed immunity to the environment. It is very important to protect the kids from all kinds of infections, colds and other adverse diseases during this period. However, parents do not always succeed in this, and the appearance of a cold in a child in preschool age is recorded on average 5-6 times a year.
On the market there are a huge number of sprays, drops and medicines that help overcome the disease crumbs, but I want to use natural remedies to carefully eliminate the trouble. We will tell you how to treat a runny nose in a child with the help of a home agave and pharmacy products with its juice.
The benefit of the ages with a cold
The chemical composition of the pulp of aloe leaves has many useful compounds for the body. Among them:
- Macro and microelements.
- Beta carotene.
- Vitamins of group A, C, E.
- Volatile
- Allantoin.
- Emodin.
- Rabarberon.
- Natolin.
- Aloin.
- Emolin.
- Homonataloin.
- Antrons.
- Chrysophanic acid.
- C-glycosylchromone-aloesin.
- Polyuronides.
- Phenols.
- Esters.
- Organic acids: succinic, malic, isolimonic, citric, cinnamon, l-coumaric.
- Resinous substances (do not exceed 10% of the substance).
- Other biologically active components.
Due to the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, an aqueous solution of aloe juice is often made to fight colds, including a runny nose. There is a general increase in immunity and a beneficial effect on the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract (can cough in children be cured with aloe juice?).
Can kids drip in the nose?
Pure or diluted aloe juice contains a high concentration of various compounds. For children's mucous membranes, this can turn into irritation, various troubles instead of a therapeutic effect. Therefore, you should know the following rules for using aloe for the treatment of colds in children:
- The frequency of use of funds based on aloe juice for children is much lower than for adults.
- This plant is not always able to cope with the symptoms of a cold.
- Not all adult recipes are suitable for babies.
- The adverse effects of therapy can be an allergic reaction, symptoms or burns of the nasal mucosa.
- Be sure to ask about the effectiveness of aloe for a specific case with a doctor who will determine the appropriateness of such therapy.
The sensitivity of the nasal mucosa of infants is very high, so any means should be used very carefully. Safe concentration of agave juice in distilled water - 6 drops per 1 tbsp. l, which is very small to provide a therapeutic effect.
How to dilute and drip?
It is impossible to introduce pure plant juice into the nasal cavity, since there is a risk of burns to the mucosa and respiratory tract. For this, the extract is diluted with boiled or distilled water, milk.
How to drip the product in the baby’s nose? Therapy is performed in compliance with the following rules:
- The mixture is buried only in the nasal cavity, it is necessary here to hold it and prevent flowing into the throat.
- In case of drops falling onto the surface of the throat mucosa, the solution should be immediately spit out and the procedure repeated.
- The pose is chosen convenient for the child so that he can sit for several minutes without movement while the juice is absorbed into the nasal mucosa.
- Allowed to use cotton swabs moistened with medicinal fluid, with half an hour aging.
- The frequency of the procedure should not exceed 4-5 sets per day.
- Before use, the nasal cavity is cleaned of mucus.
- The last method for a better healing and healing effect is best done immediately before bedtime.
To dilute the concentrate, the following recommendations should be followed:
- Depending on the age of the patient, the desired concentration is selected: for children under 3 years old - it is better to take 2 or 3 parts of boiled water for 1 part of the juice, for older children, dilution in the same proportions with distillate or boiled water is allowed.
- The water temperature should be slightly higher than room temperature so that drops can be used immediately during the dilution process.
- Instead of water, milk is sometimes used, it must first be boiled, cooled and filtered. This product alleviates discomfort when the solution enters the nasal mucosa.
Temperature and dosage
To prepare a solution based on aloe juice, several rules should be followed. This applies to temperature conditions, the method of collection, breeding, storage and direct application:
- Medicinal properties for children have agave leaves with a plant age of at least 3 years.
- Leaves are suitable for the lower ones, since they are the fattest, respectively, contain more juice and nutrients.
- For half a day, the collected leaves should be kept in the cold (a conventional refrigerator with a temperature of no higher than 5 ° C is suitable). This contributes to the activation of macro- and microelements, as well as vitamins.
- Before cutting and squeezing the juice from the leaves of the agave, thoroughly rinse them in running water.
- For a baby, it should be bred in a higher concentration, the use of concentrated juice is prohibited, since this will cause swelling, hyperemia, irritation of the baby's mucosa.
- For infants and children up to 1 year, it is advisable to warm the solution to room temperature. This can be done by leaving a container with drops in a warm place in advance for 1-2 hours before the procedure.
- A normal reaction to drops in a baby manifests itself in the form of an increased amount of mucous discharge from the nose, accompanied by lacrimation, sneezing during the first 20 minutes after the manipulations.
- The solution is stored for no more than a day in the refrigerator; a fresh preparation is prepared for everyday use.
- Juice is used no more than 4-5 times a day.
How to apply for babies?
Children up to the first year of life are treated very rarely with the juice of an agave. Doctors in exceptional cases recommend the use of this tool. This is due to the high sensitivity of the mucous membrane of the baby's nasopharynx to the aggressive components of the drug.
Treatment is carried out according to the scheme:
- The frequency of instillation is 3-4 times a day.
- Dosage - 2-3 drops of aloe with water in each nostril.
- From the second day they are waiting for the effect, after 3 days of lack of results, the instillation of the plant juice is canceled.
For more information on the use of aloe from a runny nose for an infant, read a separate article.
Treatment for babies older than one year
Children older than a year are treated with juice, diluted in a ratio of 1 part squeeze to 3 parts of distilled water, instead of which ordinary boiled liquid from a tap is suitable.It should be preheated to ambient temperature. For quick heating of the mixture, you can use a water bath, the drug is heated no higher than 20-25 ° C. Drops are dosed 3-4 units in each nasal cavity no more than 3-4 times a day. Therapy is up to 10-14 days.
Cold recipes - step by step instructions
There are many recipes based on agave juice for children. The most popular is the mixing of plant juice with boiled or distilled water, honey, oils (most often olive).
With distilled or boiled water
Most often used for treatment in solution with water for children under 10 years old. It is necessary to breed in a proportion of 1 part plant juice to 3 parts of a clean warm liquid.
How to make drops:
- Cut the leaves, choose the most fleshy.
- Soak for 12 hours in the refrigerator.
- Rinse thoroughly in running water.
- Remove the spikes and skin to remove the pulp.
- Put the mass in cheesecloth, squeeze in a prepared container.
- Dilute with water using a measuring cup or pipette in a 1: 3 ratio, it is more convenient to measure with drops.
- Store no more than a day in a cold place.
For babies up to 3 years, 2 drops are dripped into each nostril. Children aged 3 to 10 years - 3-4 drops in each nasal cavity. For adolescents, the dosage rises to 5-7 drops. Burrowing position: half-sitting with an inclination towards the nostrils, regarding which the procedure is performed.
Emulsion with a mixture of oils
The juice of the plant is not often mixed with such agents, since it can be used to treat mild rhinitis and other ENT diseases of bacterial origin.
For cooking should:
- Collect leaves from the bottom of the agave.
- Stand for 6 to 12 hours in the refrigerator.
- They peel the sheet or remove the thorns, finely crumble.
- The pulp is placed in cheesecloth, squeezed into a separate container.
- Combine in a ratio of 1 to 5 the juice of the plant with linseed, burdock and olive oil.
- Before use, warm to room temperature.
The main action of the emulsion is to maintain the desired level of moisture in the mucosa, which facilitates the secretion of mucus. Before use, the nose is well cleaned. It is advisable to consult a pediatrician about the justification of this recipe for a specific form of the common cold.
Pharmacy products
Among the most popular colds for children based on agave juice:
- Aqualore.
- Quicks.
- Nazo Spray
- Vicks-asset, etc.
Most modern products based on agave juice have an antibacterial, vasoconstrictive and anti-inflammatory effect. Funds are available in the form of a spray, which facilitates the application, allowing the drugs to be sprayed and evenly cover the baby's nose.
Drops and sprays are recommended for children under 6 years of age by 1 injection or 2-3 drops in one nostril no more than 2-3 times per day. For older children and adolescents, a dose of 3-4 drops or 1 injection in 1 nasal cavity 3-4 times a day. The peculiarity of drugs from the pharmacy in long-term storage is from a year to 2-3 years. "Living" aloe in the composition of ready-to-use solutions retains healing properties for no more than 24 hours.
Contraindications
Despite a number of advantages and useful properties of agave juice, they should not be used in the following cases:
- For children from birth to one year, the use of aloe juice is indicated only after consulting a pediatrician.
- With the first negative manifestations on the composition of the plant, therapy is stopped. For people suffering from hypertension and cardiovascular diseases, the remedy is dangerous, since aloe has the ability to accelerate blood flow.
- The presence of allergies to the agave, which manifests itself in the form of a skin rash, nausea, swelling, itching and burning of the mucosa.
- Viral runny nose.
Aloe or agave is a common houseplant familiar to everyone. The presence of a rich complex of vitamins, macro- and microelements, acids and other compounds endows the juice with many cured qualities. The use of plant-based preparations should be carried out with care, compliance with dosages, frequency of instillation and general recommendations. It is best if the pediatrician examines the baby and tells himself whether the remedy will help with aloe. Any initiative can result in damage, burns or swelling of the nasal mucosa.