Q: My toddler keeps on sniffling during the nights and it disrupts his sleep sometimes, what could be causing this?

Answered by: Dr Kelvin Chee Chun Lin, Paediatrician, Pantai Hospital Cheras

Nasal symptoms are common amongst children of your child’s age group, mostly because of their relatively narrower nasal passages.

Therefore, the passages are more easily blocked with building up of mucus, and you can imagine the discomfort of the child from congested and blocked nose.

Severe blockage would lead to the child using mouth to breath, which is uncomfortable and annoying.

Often, parents’ nights are also affected from the child’s discomfort. 

The commonest cause of nasal symptoms in toddlers, is upper respiratory infection, majority of them from viruses. 

Treatment is primarily aimed at clearing the blockage of mucus and also reduction of the mucus production if possible.

One popular treatment is using nasal devices (either spray or drops), containing saline or seawater, which unblocks the plug of mucus in the child’s nose.

Seawater has the added advantage of having minerals which encourage the cells in the nose to clear the mucus and debris more efficiently. 

Nasal decongestant, such as oxymetazoline, helps to reduce the mucus production, and hence directly addressing the mechanism of the nasal blockage.

Non-drowsy anti-histamines can also help to decrease the mucus production. 

Prolonged blockage of the nose passages, may also lead to back flow into the air pockets called sinuses, located around the nose region.

This can eventually lead to secondary bacterial infection of these sinuses. Your doctor may consider starting antibiotics if this is suspected. 

Chronic nasal congestion may indicate swelling of glands located at the back of the child’s nasal passages, called adenoids.

The already narrowed passages are further constricted by these enlarged adenoids.

This is closely related to Allergic Rhinitis, also known as hay fever.

Please get your doctor to assess your child for this condition, if your child has frequent and recurrent episode of nasal symptoms, particularly if the symptoms are already affecting your child’s sleep.

Good quality sleep is important for children’s development.