Nose suctioning trouble-HELP!!!

[Debobu]

HI

My 20 month old has a virus now with very think nose mucus. The Dr told us to make sure we suction it as much as we can so the lungs stay clear, etc.
Our son is absolutely terrified when we try to do it- we use the nose Frieda and it is a horrible experience for all of us involved.
I am not talking about a toddler being a little upset and fighting the suctioning and then when it is over going back to playing ,laughing, etc- he is in sheer terror and wailing while I hold him down and my husband suctions. He is shaking, screaming and then hyperventilating and looking like he can't breath from the stress!!!! Tonight we tried before bed and my husband said he is not doing it again...
We have tried talking him about it, showing him done to us, etc, but he is still afraid. Now he won't even let us wipe the snot or put saline up his nose (which we got him used to)-he seems pretty traumatized!

What do we do?
Any techniques we can use? Better devices? Any alternatives?
Can we get away with not suctioning at all? -Don't want it to turn into something worse either... We just went through croup and it was horrible!!!

We are also doing steam in the bathroom, humidifier and homeopathics....

Any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks!!!

[Debobu]

No suggestions at all?

[meemee]

i would do nothing.

you are already doing it all. steam baths, humidifier.

yes you can get away with no suctioning.

THE key is liquids. give him as much liquids to drink as you can. as he will tolerate. it will keep his mucus liquidy and he will sneeze or it will flow out.

right after he wakes up get him physically active for about 15 minutes. running around the house or whatever you can get him to do. a little more wont be bad. and then let him play for at least 15 minutes in a steamy shower (not bath). you can continue and let him play in the bathtub. what that does is loosen the mucus and force it to flow out. the physical activity loosens the mucus and the steam bath forces it out. it is absolutely imperative that you do that first thing in the morning as they have been without liquids thru the night so their mucus will be very thick.

the thick nose mucus is due to lack of fluids in body. not to dangerous levels but the only true thing to thin the mucus would be liquids.

my dd is almost 8. the best 'medicine' for a cold or virus was liquids. lots and lots of liquids. a little at a time on regular intervals.

at that time i also didnt avoid milk. at least dd was getting some nutrition. when she was older. at that age i just made sure she nursed and nursed a lot.

also by that age i think i had lost the suction thingy. i think your child is old enough to be encouraged to blow.

personally i would much rather tickle the nose and make then sneeze rather than suction the nose.

i cant remember that far back but i remember dd got the hang of blowing v. early. i would hand her the tissue and encourage her to blow.