Getting a cold is a huge pain for so many reasons – It is contagious meaning may pass to others in the family, it is persistent meaning the phlegm, the cough and the discomfort does not even take a break at night and then it lingers on for a decent amount of time before it finally starts fading away. While you are down with cold, more often than not, you wish you develop fever so you can take a real medicine and be done with it but that does not always happen and you are stuck with day/night syrups and packets of lozenges which only seem to ease you out instead of curing.
It gets even worse when kids get it as medications get restricted and they tend to get irritated and fussy because of all the discomfort. V and I prefer using home remedies for such situation rather than giving medication. In this post, we have jotted down some home remedies to combat such a situation. These are the ones which have worked for us and our kids and we absolutely swear by these. They give comfort to kids, are very mild and effective at the same time.
Also read : Flat foot in kids – what you need to know!
Let’s check out these remedies with no further delay.
Garlic and Carom Seeds Potli for Nasal and Chest Congestion
This one is my personal favorite when it comes to babies. Simply dry roast 4-5 pods of garlic along with a teaspoon of carom seeds. Roast till its aromatic and then wrap them in a cotton or muslin cloth with knot the the top (called potli). Keep this potli in baby’s crib when he sleeps or even naps. It should not be very close to his nose but close enough that the baby gets the healing aroma coming out of it. It is said that slowly the aroma going inside baby and to his chest relieves congestion and helps in a calming sleep.
Since this is a very mild remedy, it may not be as effective for toddlers and older kids.
Honey for Throat
Honey makes an amazing ingredient in so many cough medicines due to its antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. Taking a spoonful of honey 2-3 times a day specially before sleeping helps soothe throat and calm coughing.
V swears by adding a pinch of black pepper to honey for a faster and more effective remedy.
Note that honey should not be given to babies till they reach 1 year. This recipe should be given to babies and children above 12 months of age.
Mustard Oil for Chest and Feet
Mustard oil is warm by nature which makes it effective for cold and cough. Warm some mustard oil along with some carom seeds and ginger. Cool it down and gently massage some of this onto child’s chest and back of the feet. It makes a great home made vaporub. Applying this before sleeping enables a better sleep and speedy recovery.
Honey Ginger Warm Water
Fluids help a great deal in recovering from cold and cough. Due to resting mode and lethargy, fluids are the only way to flush out all the unwanted toxins and keep the body hydrated. Warm water infused with some ginger topped with honey makes a yummy and effective drink that not only provides fluid to the body but also helps in relieving cough and cold due to ginger and honey.
Again, this remedy is only to be given to children above 12 months of age.
Apart from these recipes, there are few other things that you can incorporate to deal with cough/cold in children.
- Cool Mist humidifier – Humidifier with cool mist in the room where the child is sleeping is extremely helpful in dealing with congestion. The mist should reach the child while asleep for it to be effective.
- Elevation while sleeping – Using an extra pillow and elevating head and chest area while sleeping keeps the phlegm from flowing and helps in a restful sleep.
- Saline Spray – Saline spray helps a great deal in clearing out the nasal spray and comforting the breathing process. It can be used up to 3-4 times a day.
Also read : Effect of sugar on kids
While these are all very effective remedies that can help relieve children and babies in cold/cough situation, there are still some symptoms to look out for which may indicate a bigger problem than just a common cold. If you notice any of these symptoms, it is advisable to contact your doctor before starting with any home based medication. The symptoms are:
- Diarrhea
- Earache
- Vomiting / choking feeling while coughing
- Fever (above 100 F) for over 72 hours
- Wheezing or having trouble breathing
- Loss of water intake/insufficient urination
With this, we come to end of this post. We hope this posts helps you and your child in some or the other way.
Stay Healthy!
A | XOXO
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