Nasal Washes

J.:

I use the Neil Med nasal rinse EVERY night. I use it on my kids when they have been in a very dusty/dirty environment, after they vomit (and it comes out their nose!) and when they are sounding congested.

I MUST prefer the squeeze bottle over the netty pot - soooo much easier!

I have been using the saline solution on my boys since they were 2 years old (now soon to be 11 and 9). Never used them on my daughter (now 25) because we didn't know about them (keep in mind they probably would've been a "miracle" for her since she suffered from nose bleeds....

My Husband uses the Neti Pot.
He has sinus issues. It helps him.
My daughter, from 5 years old, uses the Neti Pot too, IF she is sick.

You are using the nasal wash, TWICE a day, in your daughter.
I would say... once a day is enough.

BUT she has Asthma.
I have Asthma.
I do not use the nasal washes.
I don't need to.
You are using the nasal wash on your daughter... for her SINUSES, right? Because, this is not an Asthma... solution.

You need to be sure... to do the nasal wash.. properly... OTHERWISE... the Sinuses will not drain properly nor, dry out... properly. If you do not 'blow' out and let the water drain out from your nose, properly.... then, you will always have moisture in there... and it will create... an infection... or make the Sinuses... worse.
THIS is what may be happening to your daughter.... since you said she is Congested... and has "horrid breath".... from the drainage into her throat....

To me, THIS is the problem.
In her Sinuses.
It is not the frequency of how many times you use the nasal wash on her... but IF you are doing it properly... AND having the water in her nasal cavity... drain properly.... and completely.... and that it is drying in there. Not having residual moisture in her sinuses.

For us, we do not use powders in our Neti Pot. Just warm water. OR, the special "salt" that comes with it.

all the best,
Susan

I just went to Neil Med Sinus Rinse website and see that they say that their recommendation is that a child should be 4 years old before you use their sinus rinse on the child....my guess it is fine. But I would be sure and she gets everything drained from her sinuses after you use it...so that the moisture isn't just "sitting there" and causing more issues!!

I wish I had used them on my son when he was small. He had terrible congestion and sinus issues, snoring at night and I know he didn't sleep well from not being able to breathe freely through his sinuses...

When I heard about them, I bought some for him, and let him try them when he was around 9 or 10. He liked them okay, but I'm not sure he used them properly, and he was a little too big for ME to do it FOR him, lol. I started out buying the cans of saline rinse. Then found the other stuff that is cheaper that you mix the packet yourself and have the squeeze bottle. He tried that and said it burned, so he refused to use them after that. I don't think he mixed it properly maybe...

These days he gets allergy immunotherapy(injections) and is much improved!

great question, I tried with my 6 yo once with the pot sounds like bottle woudl be easier Thanks!!

My DH uses the squeeze bottle version. He had a sinus infection that would not go away, so he started using it and has ever since.

J.,

Has your child's doctor ever discussed using a nebulizer? You mentioned that your daughter is asthmatic and I would think the nebulizer would help her breath easier during the night. It really helped my son when he was younger. (We don't need to use it that often anymore. He was never diagnosed as asthmatic, but the doctor ordered one for him anyway since he showed some signs of being asthamatic.

I don't use nasal washes enough to share anything with you. (Probaby only 3 or 4 times a year.) I've heard some bad things about using them too often or maybe.... it was just a certain brand.

Anyway.... I hope she has better sleepy nights ahead of her.