How long can a kid's nose run with thick mucus...1 month?!

[Other Mummy]

Hoping I could get some good feedback/advice from all of you.

I have a 22 month old dcc who for the past month has had a thick nasal discharge that goes from greenish/clean/yellow.. It runs past his chin most days. I'm constantatly soping him up with tissues. sorry for the graphic description.

I have expressed to his mum in the first week of his discharge and his mum hands me some sanitizer and a box of kleenex. Seriously?? I have mentioned it to his dad the other day, how his nose won't stop running. This while I'm chasing him down to wipe his nose for the 35th time so that he won't wipe it on one of the other kids he's chasing in the backyard. His dad shrugs it off.

So tonight when mum/dad comes. I'm going to have a word with them. Basically mention that however every kid gets a runny nose, I do not make a big deal of it, if it is clear and not constant and clears up in relatively normal timeframe. But...this is really unhygenic for my other daycare kids/babies. I'm constantly wiping down toys, his arms (ugh). Today there was snot on another child's back after they were playing together on the carpet and hugging/rolling around.

So...I was going to suggest they take him to see a doctor ASAP. And not to come back until it's cleared up. However, I was going to NOT charge them. Don't think I can. My contract does not state Thick Discharge Flem from nose for extended period".. Although I'm going to revise very soon

Feedback??

[sunnydays]

I don't know, but personally I would not require a child to stay home for this. I might suggest they talk to their doctor about it, but the doctor will probably just say it's a cold and not do much. Some kids just seem to have runny noses all the time. There's been some really nasty bugs going around and most of my daycare kids had runny noses for more than a month (although thankfully they are all fine now). I think as long as there is no fever and the child is not acting sick, there's not much you can do. I think of it as just one of the unpleasant parts of the job, wiping noses and cleaning bums go hand in hand.

[Sarah]

How long can a kid's nose run with thick mucus...1 month?!

Hummmmm let's see, my 2 X 2 yo started here in october 2011 with a runny nose, and guess what, they still have runny noses today! I chase them with tissues, I try my best to protect the toys, the other kids ans my couch hahaha! But doesn't always work!

There's not much a doctor can do!

[Inspired by Reggio]

Ya - that is a tough one if there are not any other symptoms to his nose it could be so many things causing extra sinus discharge .... specially this year when our weather has been so WEIRD this winter and not have had enough below freezing for long enough periods to actually 'kill off' the spores and crap outside as a result many people are experiencing their worst 'allergy season' in their life time as it is starting earlier and way more concentrated

Children who are teething also have runny nose syndrome as well and while normally 'clear' it too can change color for seemingly benign reasons.

The color of your mucus can change for various reasons ... while yellow and green mucus is typically stated to be indication of 'cold' or 'infection' in the absense of any 'other' symptoms of infection the cause my not be infection at all - I have read online that the processing too many environmental toxins and allergens through your sinus can cause changes in the color of our boogers in a perfectly 'healthy' person so in the absence of any other symptoms to indicate 'cold' I would assume this is just an allergen and poses no contagious issue to the others.

However that said would still suggest that the child's DR follow up with WHY the excessive drippage...if it is allergies perhaps allergy tests to identify WHAT so if possible it can be eliminated from his diet or environment and if not able to omit exposure allergen medication to reduce the symptoms for him?

[Emily3]

Hi! Sorry to say that I agree with the other posters.....I have a boy who has been with me for over a year and has had a revolting, spread all over his face, runny nose the entire time I have known him!!!! He also has long hair which gets stuck to his face with snot....just to give you a lovely picture, tee hee! He is otherwise fine with no illness at all. Guess it's just one of the joys of working with kids!

[Momof4]

I would not say that he couldn't come to daycare but I would ask his parents to take him to the doctor to check his ears for an infection. In my vast experience as a Mom, clear is viral and green is bacterial. We cannot SEE an ear infection! Only a doctor can diagnose that so that's my greatest fear and the tubes between the nose/throat/ears are all connected so green mucous discharge from the nose is an indicator.

[Mamma_Mia]

I would not say that he couldn't come to daycare but I would ask his parents to take him to the doctor to check......

.....him out ASAP! I too have a girl who has had a runny nose since birth (according to the parents) she's always runny or stuffed up. She's been with me for over a month and at times its quite annoying.....she can only breathe out of her mouth so she makes that deep-breath-out sound ALL-DAY-LONG....ughh LOL

[Momof4]

Eeeeeww Ahhhhhhhh Eeeeeew Ahhhhh Just messing with you MammaMia. I had a girl in care who breathed like that and I seriously got into the habit of leaving the room for quiet time because she snored like an old man and I really needed the break from it. 3 years of that, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. She was also super intelligent but a super tattletale.

[Other Mummy]

Some really good feedback, I spoke with the mum at pick up time. I asked if she would consider seeing his doctor as he also snores quite loudly when he's asleep at nap time. I mentioned how his arms get slimed and how the older kids are noticing and not wanting to hold his hand during our walks thru the park. (buddy system). We will see. How another child was slimed down his back earlier. I know if it was one of my children, I'd be following up with their pediatrician and not just shrug and give it the old "oh well..." But at least it got the mum thinking and I'm sure she's getting tired of me mentioning it at pick up...so we will see. Keep you all updated

[Momof4]

Some really good feedback, I spoke with the mum at pick up time. I asked if she would consider seeing his doctor as he also snores quite loudly when he's asleep at nap time. I mentioned how his arms get slimed and how the older kids are noticing and not wanting to hold his hand during our walks thru the park. (buddy system). We will see. How another child was slimed down his back earlier. I know if it was one of my children, I'd be following up with their pediatrician and not just shrug and give it the old "oh well..." But at least it got the mum thinking and I'm sure she's getting tired of me mentioning it at pick up...so we will see. Keep you all updated

You know, now that you mention it, that's how I got through to the parents of the baby here who turns out has a milk allergy. I think the Dad got tired of me telling him every day that those newbornish yellow poops were not normal for a 1 year old and they really needed to address his pain and nonstop crying. I think when I started getting to the point that I was handing him to his Dad really fast at the end of the day, with a sort of OMG attitude, that's when he talked his wife into trying non dairy foods. Surprise, surprise, it worked and he stopped screaming all day and his poops firmed up.

Why are we smarter than the parents? In your case, it could cause lifetime sinus or adenaid or ear infection problems for this little guy and that's just child abuse!