When an adult falls asleep with his mouth open, it is a funny sight that might appear on social media on his birthday. But when seeing a baby who sleeps with his little mouth open is the cutest thing to watch as a parent. But wait! Why does he sleep with his mouth open? Why is he breathing from his mouth instead of his nose? Your parent instinct will have you questioning the opened mouth of your baby.
Although sleeping with the mouth open is rarely a symptom of a health condition, it can be a sign of an upper respiratory disease of your baby. Therefore, it is always better to be concerned about the sleeping behavior of your baby. Keep reading this article to know why your baby keeps his mouth open while sleeping, remedies, and when to seek medical advice.
CONTENT
1. Why does my baby sleep with his mouth open?
2. What causes my baby to breathe from his nose?
3. How can I help my baby who is mouth breathing?
4. When to be concerned about the mouth breathing of a baby?
1. Why does my baby sleep with his mouth open?
We breathe through our noses unless our nasal passage is blocked for some reason. It is the same for babies. It is a reflex of the human body to breathe through the mouth when the nasal passage is blocked. The babies will breathe through the mouth when they are crying. But they do not have this reflex at least until they turn three months old.
The most common reason why babies mouth breathe is congestion in their upper respiratory system. A blockage in the throat or the nose can easily force a baby to have his mouth during sleep to keep breathing easily. The blockages are mostly harmless like a stuffy nose from mucus congestion or a mild allergy. But, there can be complicated health conditions causing congestions in the upper respiratory systems of babies.
Breathing through the mouth is not as same as breathing through the nose. It is less efficient and makes it difficult for the lungs to absorb the amount of oxygen needed to function our bodies. When we breathe through our nose, it filters out the potential irritants and germs to a certain level but, mouth breathing takes away this barrier. On the other hand, mouth breathing can become a habit that is hard to get rid of. Therefore, it is recommended to fix the problem of nose breathing as soon as you notice it.
2. What causes my baby to breathe from his nose?
Mucus
The babies cannot clean their noses by themselves or tell you that their nose needs to be cleaned. Mucus can be a result of a cold that your baby is having or had recently. An allergic reaction to a substance in the environment will also trigger mucus production. If you notice your baby is mouth breathing, check whether his nose is congested with mucus.
Deviated Septum
The abnormalities in the structure of the nose can also lead to breathing through the nose. The bone that separates the nostrils of your baby or the cartilage can be deformed in a way affecting the breathing process. This is common among babies who have a narrow upper jaw.
Sleep apnea
If your baby is breathing from his mouth, it can be a sign that your baby is experiencing sleep apnea. It will appear along with other symptoms like restlessness while sleeping, snoring, pauses in breathing, and coughing. Mouth breathing happens when your baby’s airway is blocked due to a reason like a tonsil inflammation
It should be noted that some babies will breathe through their mouths for no reason as a habit. But it is always better to rule out other health complications.
3. How can I help my baby who is mouth breathing?
If you notice that your baby is constantly sleeping with his mouth open, you should meet your pediatrician. The pediatrician will help you to rule out the potential health problems that might cause a symptom like a mouth breathing. If the pediatrician confirms that your baby is healthy, below are some home remedies to help your baby to get rid of the need to mouth breathe.
Bulb Syringe
If your baby has a cold and you think his nose is congested, you can use a bulb syringe to clean his nose. The babies cannot blow their noses by themselves, and a bulb syringe is the best way to get that mucus out without hurting the baby. NoseFrida Snotsucker is such a safe device to clean the nasal passage of the little ones.
Saline Wash
Spraying some saline water to the nose of your baby will loosen the congested mucus. It will make it easier for you to suck out the mucus with a bulb syringe. The saline water you spray into your baby’s nose must be very clean. It is always good to use a saline spray like Simply Saline Nasal Mist as it assures the hygiene and cleanliness of the liquid that goes inside your baby’s nose.
Humidifier
The dry air can also cause stuffy noses in babies. A humidifier helps to improve the humidity of the surrounding your baby that will comfort him by loosening his nose. When your purchase a humidifier, go for one that avoids burning risks as it will be placed around your baby.
In case you do not have a humidifier, let the hot water run in the bathroom for a few minutes while the windows and the door are closed. Sit there with your baby till the baby starts to feel better.
You can read this article to know more about why babies get congested and home remedies to help them.
4. When to be concerned about the mouth breathing of a baby?
If you are sure that your baby is not congested and he is still breathing from his mouth, it is time to call your pediatrician. It can be an infection in the tonsils and adenoids. They can also be formed largely due to genetics. Either reason will cause breathing difficulties for your baby.
Some conditions may require surgeries to fix the breathing problem such as removing the tonsils or adenoids or correcting the deviated septum. But mild cases of sleep apnea and tonsil infections will be treated with medications.