Looking for a Good Humidifier

Hi M.,

My name is E. I have four children between the ages of 8 and 1 year. I have two humidifiers in my home, They both are Vick's brand and I have had them for years. They work very well, I really like the one with the HEPA filter. Also try raising him up a little bit while he is sleeping(like put a towel under his mattress to elevate his head).

Breathing problems are very common in the winter months and I know that last winter I several problems with my childrens respritory issues. There might be other factors in your home that are causing these problems as well.

This winter I have converted my home to natural cleaning and everday use items form a company called Melaleuca. This winter I have not had any problems with my self or my children. In fact my Oldest son has asthma and he has not needed his fast acting inhaler since I have brought these products into my home. It is really something to consider. If you want more information about humidfiers or melaleuca please call me ###-###-####

Many, I am a nurse and what you are discribing is a infant that probably has some inlarged adnoids . If you put the front legs of the crib on blocks, making the head 2-4 inches higher than the body it will help keep the nose from clogging up. If this works- check with your DR. on looking at your precious package's nasal passages. All hunidifier's are pretty much the same but if you put alittle vicks vapor rub in the water, it might help. Hope this helps him.

I had the same problem with my 1 year old!He was congested and coughing for what seemed liked months. I had a cheap humidifier which did nothing so I invested in a slightly better model. I bought the Vick's warm air humidifier (V745A Vicks Warm Mist Humidifier from Baby's R Us) and propped up his crib mattress on one end with a pillow. These two things combined worked a miracle! He is not longer stuffy (or coughing) and is sleeping more comfortably. The humidifier also keeps his room warmer which helps. I also put on a flannel crib sheet which stays warmer in the winter and keeps him more cozy when he sleeps. Good luck!

You definitely want a cool mist humidifier. We bought a Sunbeam (model 1120) at Walgreens last winter for $40 (I think) and we love it! It has a gauge to tell you when to replace the filter, we haven't needed to yet, and it has an auto dry feature so the filter dries and doesn't get all moldy when you're done using it.

Another good thing for stuffy noses are saline drops.

I wasn't picky on the humidifer so no help there but my daughters doc has her using saline nasal spray every night when she gets the slightest sniffle. It has worked wonders for her, it's cheap and non addictive!

I did some research on humidifiers and found that you should only use the warm mist humidifiers. The cool mist humidifiers harbor more bacteria. You will have weekly maintenance on the warm mist humidifiers due to mineral build up, but it is easily cleaned with vinegar. I found mine at Target for just under $50. My co-worker purchased a really nice one at Lowes that was more expensive, but had a 5 year warranty. Both my husband and myself have allergy problems and since running this in our daughter's room neither of us has had the normal issues this winter.

The other thing that may help with the stuffiness is to have him sleep on an incline so his head is elevated. At your son's age my daughter wanted nothing to do with her incline any longer, so it may not work for you.

Hi M.,
I agree with Erin. I was going to suggest using Melaleuca Oil or Melagel under his nose and swabbed just inside his nostrils. This is very safe and we have been doing this for almost 5 years. I'm sure that Erin can help answer all of your questions. You will want to hear what she has to say about all the products, especially with your little one around. Thanks.

Over the years I've found the ultrasonic cool mist humidifier to work the best. It doesn't get easily clogged up with minerals. It seemed to me that when the mist is cool things in the room get less soggy. And the humidifier lasts for years.

I just bought a new one at Walgreens for $29.99. The directions suggest using distilled water but I haven't done that. There can be a build up of minerals over time, depending on how hard your water is, which I've cleaned out with vinegar. Cleaning out minerals is much easier with the sonic humidifier than the other type.

I've found the ultrasonic one to be much more dependable and to run for longer than warm mist ones. Look for how much water it holds. That determines how long it will run. Mine runs for 20 hours and when I'm having breathing problems I run it almost constantly, monitoring for condensation on windows and walls.

Added info: one of the reasons I use the sonic humidifier is that there are no filters and the system is entirely enclosed thus preventing mold spores to get into the machine. The instructions say to not let water sit in the tank for more than 24 hours to prevent bacteria growth however. Turn it off only when the tank is empty. Sometimes I empty the tank and dry the base instead of waiting for all the water to be used.

I did some research on the Internet and learned that the problem with mold growth when using a humidifier or vaporizer is in the environment and not the unit itself. When the air is too humid mold grows on window sills and walls. One way to prevent this is to turn the humidifier off or lower the amount of humidity entering the air if you see moisture on the windows. Instructions suggest using a hygrometer, available at hardware stores, to measure the level of humidity which should be between 40 and 50%.

I was not aware of the usefulness of monitering the humidity level with the use of a hygrometer. Ive been aware that condensation on windows causes mold growth and that I always had condensation when I used a vaporizer. Often newer houses are so well sealed up (to increase energy efficiency) that there is condensation and mold problems. Mold can negatively affect upper respiratory health.