Nares is the Latin word for "nostrils."
Latin for nostrils, "nares" are commonly associated with various breathing difficulties and problems. In children, it's crucial to know when they're having breathing difficulty, whether or not it's related to their nostrils. The possible cause of the breathing difficulty could be something as simple as a stuffy nose or something more serious, like a sinus infection.
Causes
Difficult breathing that has to do with the nostrils is usually caused by congestion brought on from bacteria or viral infection. Pay attention to any other symptoms, as your child may simply have a common cold. Other relatively easy-to-treat causes include a sinus infection or the flu. The nasal congestion may also simply be allergies. More serious possibilities include nasal polyps and vasomotor rhinitis. Ensure that your child can breathe fine through his mouth before assuming his problem stems from a nasal source.
Infants and Young Children
Since infants and young children may not be able to tell you what's wrong or help themselves, pay close attention to their symptoms and breathing difficulties and consider non-nasal related symptoms like asthma or chest congestion. AskDrSears.com assures that nasal congestion is normal in newborns for the first few weeks. While it's relatively harmless in most cases, it may make sleeping and breast feeding difficult. You may be able to help relieve congestion with nasal saline or a bulb syringe or aspirator to suck out mucus.
Treatment at Home
There are a number of things you and your child can do to perhaps alleviate some of the congestion and make breathing easier. Increasing your home's humidity with a humidifier promotes de-congestion, as do warm liquids like tea and broth. Ensure he drinks plenty of water and juices. If nasal breathing grows in difficulty while laying down, consider raising their head or upper body for sleeping. A nice, steamy shower may also help relieve nasal congestion.
Contacting the Doctor
The U.S. National Library of Medicine recommends calling your child's doctor if he exhibits certain symptoms. If your child's problem is accompanied by a cough, contact the doctor if that cough lasts more than 10 days or if it produces gray or greenish-yellow mucus. If he can't breathe because of congestion, ensure he's not also experiencing blurred vision. Call the doctor if you notice forehead, eye, nose or cheek swelling. Examining his mouth, contact his doctor if you find yellow or white dots in the throat or on his tonsils or he complains about growing throat discomfort. Also seek medical help if the symptoms causing his breathing difficulty last longer than two weeks or alters everyday activity.
Tags: your child, breathing difficulty, nasal congestion, breathing difficulties, contact doctor