Saline nasal drops reduce the duration of the common cold in young children by two days, study shows

Medical Xpress / European Respiratory Society Congress ^ | Sept. 5, 2024 | Dr. Sandeep Ramalingam et al

[ConservativeMind]

Using hypertonic saline nasal drops can reduce the length of the common cold in children by two days, according to a study. They can also reduce the onward transmission of colds to family members.

The research team recruited 407 children aged up to six years for a study where they were given either hypertonic saline ~2.6% (salt-water) nasal drops or usual care when they developed a cold.

Overall, 301 children developed a cold; for 150 of these, their parents were given sea salt and taught to make and apply salt-water nose drops to the children's noses (three drops per nostril, a minimum of four times per day, until well) and 151 children had usual cold care.

Professor Cunningham explains, "We found that children using salt-water nose drops had cold symptoms for an average of six days, where those with usual care had symptoms for eight days.

"Salt is made up of sodium and chloride. Chloride is used by the cells lining the nose and windpipes to produce hypochlorous acid within cells, which they use to defend against virus infection. By giving extra chloride to the lining cells, this helps the cells produce more hypochlorous acid, which helps suppress viral replication, reducing the length of the virus infection, and therefore the duration of symptoms."

When children got salt-water nose drops, fewer households reported family members catching a cold (46% vs. 61% for usual care); 82% of parents said the nose drops helped the child get better quickly and 81% said they would use nose drops in the future.

"Our study also showed that parents can safely make and administer nose drops to their children."

Results from this study showed that children who received the drops had significantly fewer episodes of wheeze (5% vs. 19%).

[jerod]

Here’s another idea... If you get a cold just suck it up and suffer with it. Its’s cold. Colds happen and be glad when you get over it.

Some people actually start with a cold and then end up dying with pneumonia... So be glad when you recover... It means that your immune system is working without any assistance.

[Rusty0604]

Thanks, good advice.

[ConservativeMind]

If you think your “young” child can handle the spray, spray away.