Using hypertonic saline nasal drops can shorten the duration of the common cold in children by up to two days, as indicated by recent research that will be shared at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Vienna, Austria. Additionally, these drops may help decrease the likelihood of spreading colds to other family members.
The use of hypertonic saline nasal drops has been found to potentially reduce the duration of childhood common colds by two days, according to findings from a study set to be presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Vienna, Austria [1]. These drops could also lessen the chance of passing colds to family members.
The findings were presented by Professor Steve Cunningham from the Child Life and Health department at the University of Edinburgh, UK.
He explained, “Children typically experience 10 to 12 upper respiratory infections, commonly known as colds, each year. These infections significantly influence their wellbeing and their families’ lives. While there are medications like paracetamol and ibuprofen that can help alleviate symptoms, no treatments exist that can speed up recovery from a cold.”
Dr. Sandeep Ramalingam, the chief investigator of the ELVIS-Kids study and a consultant virologist at NHS Lothian in Edinburgh, UK, observed that many people in South Asia commonly use salt-water solutions for nasal irrigation and gargling as a remedy for colds. He aimed to see if this approach could yield similar benefits in a larger clinical study.
The research involved 407 children, aged six years and younger, who were either given hypertonic saline (approximately 2.6% salt-water) nasal drops or typical cold care upon getting sick. Out of these, 301 children ended up developing a cold; 150 of their parents were provided with sea salt and instructions on how to create and apply salt-water nasal drops (three drops per nostril, at least four times a day until they recovered), while the remaining 151 children followed the usual care.
Professor Cunningham noted, “Our findings demonstrated that children using salt-water nasal drops experienced cold symptoms for an average of six days, compared to eight days for those receiving standard care. Additionally, the children using salt drops required fewer medications during their illness.”
“Salt consists of sodium and chloride. The chloride helps cells in the nose and airways generate hypochlorous acid, which aids in fighting virus infections. By supplying additional chloride, we support these cells in producing more hypochlorous acid, thus inhibiting viral replication and shortening the infection duration, leading to reduced symptoms.”
Notably, when children received the salt-water nasal drops, fewer households reported subsequent colds among family members (46% versus 61% with standard care). Eighty-two percent of parents indicated the nasal drops helped their child recover quickly, and 81% expressed willingness to use the drops again in the future.
Professor Cunningham emphasized, “By reducing the length of colds in children, we can lower the chances of other family members falling ill, which significantly contributes to how quickly a household can return to normal activities, like going to school or work.”
“Our research also confirmed that parents can safely prepare and apply nasal drops to their children, giving them some level of control over their children’s experience with the common cold.”
Professor Alexander Möeller, who is the Head of the ERS Paediatric Assembly and leads the Department of Respiratory Medicine at the University Children’s Hospital in Zurich, Switzerland, and was not part of the study, commented: “This significant research is the first to examine the effects of saline nasal drops on colds in children. While most colds typically aren’t severe, they can be very uncomfortable, especially for young kids and their families.”
“This inexpensive and straightforward treatment has the potential for global application; offering parents a safe and effective method to minimize the effects of colds in their children and the family could greatly reduce the health and economic impact of this common ailment.”
The research team plans to explore the effects of saline nasal drops on wheezing during colds further, as early findings indicated that children who received these drops experienced significantly fewer wheezing episodes (5% compared to 19%).
