Why do we sneeze?
Talk about it together
What things do you think might make your nose feel tickly?
What about...?
Ask your child's own question
Transcript
Have you ever felt a tickle in your nose and then—achoo? Why do we sneeze?
Dust or a tiny bit of pollen can tickle the inside of your nose. Your body notices the tickle right away.
Your brain sends a fast message to take a big breath. Then your chest and nose get ready to push air out.
A sneeze blasts air out through your nose and mouth. It helps move the tickly bits away from your nose.
So that's why we sneeze! It is your body's quick way to clear a tickle from your nose.
For grown-ups: the science
We sneeze when our body pushes air out to help clear tickly things from our nose.
Sneezing is a protective reflex. Irritants such as dust, pollen, strong smells, or mucus stimulate nerves in the nose; the brain coordinates a deep breath and a forceful release of air through the nose and mouth to help expel the irritant.