The great snot debate- to wipe or not to wipe?

[BiffChipsandKippers]

DD, nearly 3 has an awful cold. Snot constantly streaming down her face, bloodshot eyes, cough... the works. Wiping get nose constantly is making it really sore (skin becoming very red and tender, she's crying everytime it's wiped).

I'm a wipe it once every hour/thirty minutes type whereas DH would do it every 5. At pick up for my elder DS from after school activity the volunteer ran off immediately to find a tissue and wiped her nose (they do know her in another context so not a weird overstep by any means) and I couldn't help but feel a bit judged. I had wiped it when we left the house which is approx 8 minutes away.

AIBU?

YANBU- continue to wipe at frequent intervals but don't overdo it
YABU- wipe it more often you neglectful grunt

Also, if IABU, any tips on what to use/how to wipe to prevent it getting so sore??

I tend not to use tissue a lot and just squeeze the snot out with my fingers and then wash my hands. I know it's not for everyone.

I don't think she was being judgy just offering some help thinking you hadn't noticed

Going back many years, but my mum, and then later I, made washable hankies from an old flannelette sheet. So very very soft for sore and delicate noses. Mum soaked in mild bleach solution before boiling in an old pan. I soaked in nappy bleach and then washed in a hot wash.

A cautionary note about balsam tissues my (now adult) daughter finds they really really sting when her nose is already sore.

I hate seeing kids with snot on their faces. I wipe every time, put sudocrem on the nose if it's getting sore.

Whatever you do don’t use a wet wipe. Those things sting like acid on a raw face and parents wonder why their child screams when they use them/ try one on your own sore nose. Buy Kleenex balsam and put plain Vaseline at each wipe

This is not a debate. It's disgusting.

Please also teach your child to blow their nose. There are children in my DD's year 1 class who come out of school with bungs of green snot trailing out of their noses and it is just revolting. And bad for the poor child who learns to sniff it all in and block up their sinuses.

Another vote for balsam tissues. I always used to get a sore nose with a cold (I'm always very snotty) and they've been a God send since they were brought out.

This has never been a debate! You need to wipe your kid’s nose. Seeing kids with snot on their face is revolting

Frequently wiping is the only way. It's horrible seeing a snotty nose on anyone who isn't your own child.

Those snot sucker tube things help.

Is it really a debate? Why wouldn’t you wipe it?
Even my 18 month old knows how to blow and does a pretty good job of it, surely a 3 year old knows how to blow?

Muslins are actually quite rough imo at home I use those micro fibre/ fleece makeup cloths for nose and mouth after eating as they are super soft.

Hankie is softer than tissue, especially an old well washed one. Needs to be washed in a 60 or 90 degree wash. Lipsalve is good for soreness

😪🤮Wipe it! I used a baby wipe if their nose was sore as they have moisturiser on them.

Another one for you need to wipe her nose more often than this. Imagine being left for 30 mins with snot hanging from your nose - also I hateeee seeing kids with snot running down their nose like other posters have said.

@BiffChipsandKippers
My DD gets really snotty so I use a cotton vest as it is softer than tissues, a good smearing of vaseline all around the nose and sterimar congestion relief which is a fine water spray which clears the nose.

Thick vaseline moustache once she is asleep. It will really help.

Hmm, fair enough I see I am being unreasonable. Shall wipe more often and see if it actually helps the soreness 🤞

Balsam tissues help.

Bath with sponge to ‘play’ with really helps, as the steam makes the snot less sticky plus the water in the sponge and so wiping it off is less sore.

Salt water can really flush it all out in one go. Doing it in the bath might be a good place to do it.

I wipe as much as I can- but I agree you can't catch it every 5 seconds. I do make a bigger effort when we're out, god it's relentless though!

Kleenex make an extra soft tissue which is so much softer than standard tissues. I remember coming home from work having used the cheap office tissues all day and treating myself to the expensive soft tissues and they felt like a soft blanket on my very sore nose.

I use fluffy microfibre flannels if we have really bad colds they are much better for little noses and stops them getting sore. I've somehow accumulated enough to rotate and wash even if the whole family is ill.

Something like this ..

Put the Vaseline on a tissue and give her a wipe with it once you have cleaned her nose. She likely won’t notice. That will stop her skin from getting any more raw.

The very least you could do is take a moment to clean her nose before you entering a building. Snots are not a good look!

I have a 3yo DC.

Honestly, the only thing that works is a sinus rinse during bathtime every night.

They will then sleep well and wake up less snotty!

Give it a go, I highly recommend it and it was actually a paediatrician advice.

We didn't enter a building. We walked up a dark path and stood outside a door while my son came to it. Whilst I also held a 5 month old.

Leaving it wet is probably what is causing the rash.

Wipe with something more gentle than a tissue, like an old hanky or a wet cloth.

Apply barrier cream.

Ah, ok. I had misunderstood.