Is a runny nose normal in a newborn or an infant up to 3 months old?
Applies to age: 0–3 months
In short
A stuffy or runny nose is one of the main symptoms of a cold. A cold starts to get better after about 1–2 weeks, and in young children it may last longer. If breathing difficulty is severe or there are seizures, call 999 (the ambulance number in Poland) or 112 (the emergency number in Poland).
What is normal
All claims: international norm
- A stuffy or runny nose is one of the main symptoms of a cold.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
a blocked or runny nose
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-14 · license [1]
- Improvement with a cold starts after about 1–2 weeks, but in young children symptoms may last longer.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
You should begin to feel better in about 1 to 2 weeks.
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-14 · license [1]
Symptoms of a cold can last longer in young children.
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-14 · license [1]
- A young child with a cold may be irritable, have trouble eating and sleeping, breathe through the mouth, and vomit after coughing.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
They may also be irritable, have difficulty feeding and sleeping, breathe through their mouth, and get sick after coughing.
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-14 · license [1]
When to worry
All claims: international norm
Worth discussing with a doctor:
- If cold symptoms do not improve after 10 days, it is worth seeing a doctor.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
your cold symptoms do not get better after 10 days
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-14 · license [1]
- If cold symptoms get worse, it is worth seeing a doctor.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
your cold symptoms get worse
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-14 · license [1]
- If a child's cold symptoms cause worry, it is worth seeing a doctor.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
you're worried about your child's cold symptoms
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-14 · license [1]
ER / 112 (Poland)
Immediate medical help needed:
- A sudden worsening of a sick child's condition that may lead to harm to health needs immediate medical help.
Source: Portal Pacjenta – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
nagłego pogorszenia się stanu osoby chorej, który może prowadzić do uszczerbku na zdrowiu.
Portal Pacjenta · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-14 · license [2]
- Severe breathing difficulty needs immediate medical help.
Source: Portal Pacjenta – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
nasilona duszność
Portal Pacjenta · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-14 · license [2]
- When a life is at risk, call 999 (the ambulance number in Poland) or 112 (the emergency number in Poland).
Source: Portal Pacjenta – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
Jeśli potrzebujesz natychmiastowej pomocy, bo zagrożone jest Twoje lub czyjeś życie, możesz zadzwonić pod jeden z dwóch numerów ratunkowych: 999 lub 112.
Portal Pacjenta · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-14 · license [2]
- Severe breathing difficulty is a situation in which an ambulance is called.
Source: Portal Pacjenta – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
nasilona duszność
Portal Pacjenta · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-14 · license [2]
- Impaired consciousness is a situation in which an ambulance is called.
Source: Portal Pacjenta – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
zaburzenia świadomości
Portal Pacjenta · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-14 · license [2]
- Seizures are a situation in which an ambulance is called.
Source: Portal Pacjenta – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
drgawki
Portal Pacjenta · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-14 · license [2]
- A very high fever with seizures, or with symptoms that do not usually occur in that person during a fever, is a situation in which an ambulance is called.
Source: Portal Pacjenta – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
bardzo wysoka gorączka z drgawkami lub objawami, które zwykle u danej osoby podczas gorączki nie występują
Portal Pacjenta · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-14 · license [2]
See a doctor
- At night, on weekends and on holidays, outside the working hours of the primary care (POZ) clinic, you can go to the nearest night and holiday care (NiŚOZ) point.
Source: Portal Pacjenta – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
W nocy, w weekendy i święta, czyli poza godzinami pracy podstawowej opieki zdrowotnej, możesz udać się do najbliższego punktu NiŚOZ (nocnej i świątecznej opieki zdrowotnej).
Portal Pacjenta · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-14 · license [2]
international norm “International norm” next to a section heading means its claims come from a non-Polish source, because no Polish source in our registry covers this topic. When this applies to only some of the claims, the foreign ones carry the same label next to their source.
Sources
- NHS (nhs.uk, Anglia)License: Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: NHS (nhs.uk, Anglia). Content summarized and translated by the editors; changed relative to the original. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. The summary is ours and is not attributed to the NHS.
- Portal Pacjenta (pacjent.gov.pl)License: CC BY 3.0 PL. Source: Portal Pacjenta (pacjent.gov.pl). Content summarized and translated by the editors; changed relative to the original.