Saltwater nose spray diminishes kid's cold symptoms, say Czech researchers

[PureCajunSunshine]

 

CHICAGO (Reuters, By Michael Conlon) - For parents worried about how to treat children's colds now that some medicines have been called into question, the answer may be a dose of salt water.

 

A nasal spray made from Atlantic Ocean seawater eased wintertime cold symptoms faster and slowed cough and cold symptoms from returning among children ages 6 to 10, researchers in Europe reported on Monday.

 

It may be that the salt water has a simple mechanical effect of clearing mucus, or it could be that trace elements in the water play some more significant role, though the exact reason why such a solution works is not known, said Dr. Ivo Slapak and colleagues at the Teaching Hospital of Brno in the Czech Republic.

 

The study, published in the January issue of the Archives of Otolaryngology, was paid for by Goemar Laboratoires La Madeleine, Saint-Malo, France, which makes Physiomer, the seawater nasal spray used in the investigation.

 

The authors said that while saline washes have long been mentioned as a treatment for colds, scientific evidence about whether they work is poor.

 

The report was published days after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said children under 2 should not be given nonprescription cough and cold medicines because they are too dangerous for that age group, with deaths, convulsions and rapid heart rates reported in rare cases.

 

U.S. health officials have not yet decided if the widely sold medicines made by companies such as Wyeth and Johnson & Johnson are appropriate for older children, and have said they hope to have a ruling covering appropriate use for children 2 to 11 later this year.

 

The American Academy of Pediatrics has said cough and cold products are ineffective for children under age 6, and may also be risky.

 

The Czech study involved 390 children with uncomplicated cold or flu symptoms. Some of the children were given standard treatments such as nasal decongestants. Others received those same medications plus the saline nasal wash, which the authors said "preserves the concentrations of ions and trace elements at levels comparable with those of seawater."

 

The study lasted for 12 weeks in the winter of 2006. Children given the salt water spray got it six times a day initially and three times a day in the latter part of the study when the investigators were looking at whether it would prevent symptoms from redeveloping.

 

The noses of children given the spray were less stuffy and runny the second time they were checked, the study said. And eight weeks after the study began, those in the saline group had significantly fewer severe sore throats, coughs, nasal obstructions and secretions than those given standard treatments.

 

Fewer children in the saline group had to use fever-reducing drugs, nasal decongestants and mucus-dissolving medications or antibiotics, the researchers said. In addition children who used the salt spray were sick less often and missed fewer school days.

 

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080121/hl_nm/colds_salt_dc_1

 

[Cowgirl]

I cannot say whether saline nasal rinses cure viruses - I've never felt that it "cured" a cold, although it helped with congestion. But I can say that I have used warm salt water as a nasal rinse (not something I enjoy, but it works, so I will do it) to cure sinus infections.

 

I tend to get sinus infections (which are bacterial) secondary to colds (which are viral). Rather than go to the doctor for antibiotics and a prescription for a nasal decongestant when I recognized the symptoms of another sinus infection, I have successfully used warm saline rinses of my sinuses, along with green tea (inhaled steam plus drink it) and have cured sinus infections without a trip to the doctor.

[PureCajunSunshine]

Originally Posted By: Cowgirl

I've never felt that it "cured" a cold,

I agree. The original thread title was copied and pasted from a news article, I changed it to more accurately reflect my (our) perceptions...

"Saltwater nose spray diminishes kid's cold symptoms, say Czech researchers"

[mommato3boys]

We used a saline spray called Ayre when the boys were little. I used it as often as I could when they were really stopped up. Between it and the humidifier we got through some rough colds.

[anrol5]

We used to use sterile saline solution to wash twin2's nose out, every time he got a cold. He hated it. I held him down, while hubby washed his nose out.

 

Why would we do such a horrible thing? Doctors orders. Twin2 used to get terrible ear infections as a baby. We are talking pus filled, bleeding ears for months at a time. A paediatrician showed us how to do it. He also taught us, how to wash twin2's ears out with hydrogen peroxide. We did all the things the doctor told us to do, and twin2 never got another ear infection. He eventually grew out of ear infections, and thank goodness we don't have to do it now.

 

Anrol

 

[JCK88]

Yeah..but the news article specified "Atlantic Ocean seawater" not sterile nasal spray...

[suzyq322]

Last year in January, My then 3 month old granddaughter, had RSV.

Saline was one of the treatments that her ped. gave . That seemed to help more than the steroids did. She was 100% within 2 weeks. Almost a unheard of for RSV.

Suzyq

[RusticOkie]

We're using a saline spray with my dd who is a couple days shy of 3 months old and it is definitely helping her congestion.