Q: My daughter is 6 months old. Since one week she has been suffering from cold, but there is no runny nose. She gets the symptoms only at night. I think she is not able to breath properly. I have brought Sinarest, nasal drops, Calpol and some vitamin drops from India. Doctor advised Zyrtec (Cetrizine Dihydeochloride), Baby AYR (saline nose drops). But there is no relief for the baby. Please advise.

A:Nose block can happen due to common viral infections and may be more noticeable at night when there is a dip in temperature. Also, if both nostrils are blocked, baby may not be able to breath and thus have a disturbed sleep. The best management is saline drops followed be gentle clearing of nostrils, which could be done using nasal mucous extractors available with the chemist, or simply, by rolling a clean soft cloth into a wick and gently inserting and removing in each nostril. Saline drops loosen the secretions which can then be brought out easily. Usually, this treatment may not be required beyond a few days, by which time the infection would abate.