Transient hearing loss is a common consequence when parents self-administer nasal and throat irrigation to their children without a doctor's prescription.

Unforeseen consequences

Ms. Bich Thuy (residing in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City) is a typical case. After several doctor's visits to the doctor and being advised to steam her child's nose at home, she later started steaming her child's nose and throat herself whenever the child fell ill. As a result, her child developed pneumonia and had to be hospitalized for treatment.

"I often bought medicine to use at home for my grandchild's nasal and throat steaming. I noticed that my grandchild felt better after each steaming session. But later, my grandchild's illness worsened and they had to be hospitalized for treatment," Ms. Bich Thuy shared.

According to Dr. Tran Thien Ngoc Thao, lecturer in Pediatrics at Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine (Ho Chi Minh City), nebulization, also known as aerosol therapy, is a method of delivering medication from liquid form to a mist to treat certain respiratory illnesses in children. Medications delivered via aerosol therapy usually have a rapid, direct effect on the respiratory tract, are minimally absorbed into the bloodstream, and therefore have little systemic effect.

In many cases, family members buy medication and spray it on their children without consulting a doctor, which can worsen the condition due to the use of the wrong medication or improper use. Not a few cases have resulted in hoarseness, dry mouth, oral thrush, or, more dangerously, transient deafness.

In addition, using nebulizers that do not meet quality standards, improper nebulization techniques, and unsanitary equipment can easily introduce germs into the respiratory tract and lungs, making children more susceptible to infections.

According to Dr. Truong Tam Phong, an ENT specialist at Vu Anh International General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, nasal and throat steaming for children depends on the specific illness, and the prescribed medication and steaming method will vary accordingly.

"If family members perform nasal irrigation incorrectly or use medication without proper prescription, it can be counterproductive and may worsen the child's condition," Dr. Phong added.

Proper nasal and throat steaming

Jobnasal and throat inhalationThis can still be done at home for children; however, parents should consult a doctor about the medication and method of inhalation before proceeding.

According to Dr. Thao, to spray pesticides correctly, we first need to pay attention to several issues such as: the type of pesticide, the dosage, the number of times to spray per day, and the duration of use… And remember, the doctor will be the one to decide these things.

Additionally, before spraying the child with insecticide, parents must ensure that all equipment is thoroughly disinfected. When preparing the insecticide spray, parents should wash their hands thoroughly with soap. When spraying, parents should have the child sit comfortably; the average spraying time is usually about 10 minutes and should not exceed 15 minutes.

According to Dr. Phong, although nasal and throat steaming has a local effect and high treatment efficacy, in most cases it is still only a supportive treatment. Therefore, parents should adhere to the doctor's treatment instructions.

If parents have a nebulizer at home and have previously been prescribed nebulization by a doctor, they can perform nebulization a few times if the illness recurs with similar symptoms. If the illness does not improve, parents should take their child to the doctor for examination and further advice.

According to Thanh Nien newspaper - nt