Be careful when using physiological saline to clean the eyes and nose for children

No small physiological saline drops into the eyes, used in reasonable doses because abuse can cause the opposite effect.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Dieu Thuy - Head of Pediatric Department (Hanoi Medical University), hygiene of baby's eyes and nose with salt water is one of the ways to raise healthy children. This helps to remove excess mucus, bacteria, and prevent upper respiratory infections.

The nose and eyes have different structures, so the mother must apply separately when cleaning. With the nose, the mother first holds the baby lying on his side to one side so that the nasal fluid can easily flow out when the saline is dripped. Next, she placed a physiological saline tube into her nose and squeezed it gently for a few seconds and finally wiped her nose with a soft cloth.

Dr. Nguyen Thi Dieu Thuy with many years of experience in pediatric care, gives an overview of the use of physiological saline in eye and nose hygiene for children

If the fluid in the baby's nose is thick, the mother may wait 2 to 3 minutes after adding the saline to soften the dirt. After that, the parents performed a nose suction with a machine. Mother does not use nose suction for babies because this is a way of spreading bacteria that make babies more susceptible to respiratory diseases.

When eye hygiene, mother drops a few drops of physiological saline into a cotton ball and then wipe both sides of the eyes. Parents should use 2 different cotton pads to avoid cross-infection. Mother needs to keep the cotton pad damp in combination with a gentle wipe, not letting the dry rust rub and hurt the baby. Unlike the nose, parents do not drip salt water directly into the baby's eyes because it can affect the cornea.

Parents wash their nose and eyes about 2 times a day. Abuse can cause an adverse effect in the nose, causing the nose to lose its natural secretions and mucosal barrier, leading to more dryness in the nose and more irritation.

You should use physiological saline tubes specially designed for eye and nose hygiene. Photo: Shutterstock

In the morning, after the baby wakes up is a good time to clean the eyes and nose. In addition, mothers can increase the number of times in case the baby shows wheezing, runny nose, or after the child is exposed to the environment in the street.

There are two types of physiological saline divided according to the function used to wash wounds and the type used to clean the eyes and nose. Currently, many mothers still use a 500ml bottle of saline to reduce the eyes and nose for babies. This is a mistake because this type is for external use only, does not guarantee sterility when entering the body.

Associate professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Dieu Thuy advises that, for the baby's hygiene, the mother needs to choose a standard isotonic physiological saline. You can refer to the French Fysoline products, with single-dose technology, to avoid gentle cross-infection suitable for infants. In addition, when buying, moms should choose the type with rounded heads to protect the eyes and nose of children.