Children typically experience upper respiratory infections (URI) often each year, where children in daycare may experience 10 or more URIs due to the close proximity of the children in a closed space. Treatment for a URI is mostly symptomatic focusing on fever reduction and removal of mucous from the nasal passageways. Nasal aspirators have been used particularly with young children to create a partial vacuum for suctioning nasal discharge from the child's nostril. A typical nasal aspirator includes an oval shaped bulb, a tip, and a stem. The bulb is generally made out of a rubber type of material that has an opening into an inner hollow cavity. The nasal aspirator is used by compressing the bulb which forces air out of the inner hollow cavity through an opening in the tip. The tip is then placed and aligned with the nasal passage of the child so as to create a seal between the tip and the nasal passage. Once in place, the compressed bulb is then released creating a temporary vacuum due to the pressure within the inner hollow cavity of the bulb being less than the pressure of the external environment. The pressure differential creates a partial vacuum causing suction at the opening of the tip. The nasal aspirator thus assists in cleaning and clearing the child's nasal passage. Prior art nasal aspirators require the user to grasp the bulb or body of the aspirator with the hand and fingers thus preventing the user from using their hand and fingers to maintain the child's head in the correct position.
Various embodiments of the present systems and methods recognize and address the foregoing considerations, and others, of prior art nasal aspirators.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds