Reasons for sputum formation and how to get rid of infant sputum

The importance of phlegm:

Sputum is a viscous mucous substance, with a yellowish-white color. It is naturally secreted from the pharynx, lungs, and bronchi. Its secretion increases in many cases to protect the body from bacteria, viruses, and dust and expel it from the body. Phlegm also facilitates the work of the respiratory cilia. Many infants suffer from sputum as a result of various diseases of the respiratory system, which causes them distress, discomfort, and inability to breastfeed, because of their inability to get rid of sputum by spitting like adults, but rather the bulk of it is swallowed, or the mother helps them. To get rid of it by following several methods that we will mention during this topic.

Causes of sputum formation:

Sputum or mucus is present naturally in the respiratory tracts, and its natural color is a transparent color close to white, but the production of sputum in large quantities or a change in its color is usually associated with the presence of a specific disease in the respiratory system, and the most important of these reasons include the following:

• Respiratory allergy, sinus sensitivity.
• Normal runny nose, coinciding with a runny nose and morning sputum, due to sputum coming back at night while sleeping.
• Pneumonia.
• Inflammation of the bronchi or bronchi, and is considered a chronic disease, accompanied by severe coughing and high fever.
• Asthma.

How to get rid of baby phlegm:

• Avoid sleeping the infant on a high pillow, to facilitate the process of mucus, phlegm and sputum coming out of the nose, and avoid returning to the pharynx.
• Breastfeed the baby more, to boost the functioning of the immune system.
• Make sure to give the baby warm fluids, which stimulate the expulsion of sputum.
• Use a saline solution to wash the nose of the infant in cases of colds. It is available in pharmacies in the form of ready-made solutions, or it can be prepared at home by dissolving half a spoonful of salt in a cup of previously boiled water.
• Keep the infant away from the atmosphere polluted by cigarette smoke.
• Avoid exposing the infant to climatic fluctuations, that is, taking the infant out of the house in very cold or very hot weather.
• Use the aspirator available in pharmacies to clean the infant's nostrils, or you can use cotton soaked in saline several times a day.
• Make sure to warm the baby's room, ventilate it, and expose it to the sun from time to time, to renew the room's air and rid it of microbes.