“Is a blocked nose dangerous for a baby?”

Babies are what we call "obligate nose breathers," which means that they MUST breathe through their noses, not their mouths. When an infant is feeding, his/her mouth is completely blocked with the bottle nipple, so breathing through the nose is the only route -- if an infant cannot breathe through his nose, he will not eat. As with all "symptoms," understanding what is CAUSING the symptom is crucial. Some babies are born with congenital blockages in their noses, and those must be identified and repaired early in life. If it's an upper respiratory infection, that can be treated symptomatically, but the proper diagnosis must be made. 6-month-old infants are too young for "allergies."

Shelley C. Springer, MD, MBA, MSc, JD, FAAP