Ask the Doctor :: Runny Nose and Sensitive Skin

We had several medical questions come in this week! Since my dad is doing me a favor while still juggling his very large practice, we’ve decided to limit it to two questions a week (but I’m saving all the questions, so yours will be answered eventually). Here they are:

{}  Elleane asked, “When is a runny nose something to worry about?”

The doctor answered:  The 3 most common causes of rhinorhea (runny nose) are:  allergies, viruses, and bacterial nasal infections.

If your child has allergies, she will have a runny nose without systemic symptoms like fever. She may also sneeze or have itchy eyes. She should respond well to antihistamines and/or decongestants. However, keep in mind that it is not common for children under 1 to have significant allergies, so if your baby exhibits these symptoms..keep reading.

The rhinovirus is a very common cause of a runny nose. This virus will cause clear nasal discharge, a mild cough, and possibly a low-grade fever. Symptoms are usually not severe, but if they don’t clear up in 5 days you’ll want to check with your doctor.

Bacterial infections, including rhinosinusitis, is due to a nasal infection. Symptoms include nasty nasal discharge, including greenish or yellowish mucus, and may be associated with a low-grade fever and possibly a cough. These infections can predispose to lower respiratory infections such as bronchitis, so it is important to check with your doctor if your child exhibits these symptoms for a period of time.

Another cause for a runny nose in young children could quite possibly be a foreign body placed in the nose. :)

{}  Stephanie asked, “My 3 year old daughter must have sensitive skin. If she eats something with Ranch dressing, and it touches the skin on her face, her face breaks out into red, raw-looking places. They usually go away in an hour or so. Tonight she asked for a Kosher dill pickle spear at dinnertime and then proceeded to eat it like a piece of watermelon. The ends of the pickle touched her face and the same red, raw-looking places broke out.
What is causing this? Is there something that I should be applying to her skin when this happens? Is she destined to avoid Ranch dressing and pickles until she is a neater eater?

The doctor answered:  More than likely, it is a chemical reaction caused by the acid in the food that irritates her skin.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that the child is allergic to the food, rather that the child has a skin sensitivity to more acidic foods. More than likely, the child will outgrow it. If there is a rash with no contact or the child develops diarrhea, this would be more concern for allergies.

If your daughter is not bothered by the reaction, there shouldn’t be any reason for her not to eat these foods. If it is bothersome, however, you may wish to wait until she is a “neater eater.” :)

*Jenae’s comment:  Big Brother also gets this “rash” whenever he gets ketchup on his face. It too will go away within the hour, but it doesn’t seem to bother him one bit so we continue to let him eat ketchup.

Do you have a question for my dad, the family physician? E-mail your questions to [email protected] with “Ask the Doctor” as the subject line. Please refrain from asking questions that require extensive medical history, as he will not be able to objectively answer those questions.

**The contents in this post is for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this site.