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Home Remedies for Cough and Cold Season

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Cough and cold season is here, and having a sick kiddo in the house is no fun. If your little one is starting to feel under the weather, you have several options to make them more comfortable.  

General Comfort Measures

The majority of childhood infections are caused by viruses, so antibiotics aren’t necessary or helpful. Most home remedies are simple and have been used for centuries.

Hydration: Encourage frequent sips of water. Your child should have a sippy cup or water bottle close at all times. Avoid large amounts of fruit juice or sugary beverages. Provide both comfort and hydration with warm options such as milk, non-caffeinated teas or water with honey and lemon

Chicken noodle soup: It’s a standard cold and flu comfort food for a reason. Though the research is mixed on direct cold-fighting benefits, chicken noodle soup does help you stay hydrated and may have anti-inflammatory effects. 

Rest: Allow plenty of time for rest. Your immune system is hard at work during illness, leaving less energy for play. When your child starts feeling better, you’ll know it because her energy will bounce back. 

Heads up: Add an extra pillow to boost a child’s head up during sleep (over age 1). This makes it easier to breathe and decreases nighttime coughing. 

Humidify the air: A cool-mist humidifier helps thin mucous, making it easier to cough out. Without a humidifier, all that gunk can dry out, get crusty and make it harder to breathe overnight. 

Natural Remedies for Cold Symptoms

Now that you know general comfort measures, let’s discuss remedies for more specific symptoms.

Runny nose: Babies and young children with colds are snot machines. Snot removal is up to you until your child learns how to blow into a tissue. Several devices are on the market, but nasal saline rinse and a bulb syringe work well too.

Cough and congestion: Cough is a protective mechanism. It helps your child clear his throat of mucous, germs and irritants, decreasing the chance of pneumonia development. Cough medication should never be given to kids under 4 years old, and only in rare cases above that.

Honey is the best natural cough remedy for children over 1 year-old. You can give 1/2-1 teaspoon of honey, either all at once or diluted in a bit of warm water. It soothes the throat and decreases inflammation. 

Sore throat: Popsicles and saltwater gargles are great options for soothing a sore throat. Babies and toddlers may enjoy a mesh teether frozen with fruit if they aren’t ready for Popsicles.

Saltwater gargles are easy to make. Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of salt in 8 ounces of warm water. Have your child take a mouthful, swish and gargle for about 15 seconds, then spit it out. You may have to encourage kids because they find the taste yucky, but it’s an excellent remedy to ease pain and inflammation.

Fever:  You can naturally reduce fever by giving children a lukewarm bath or placing a cool compress on their forehead. Avoid natural supplements without speaking to your pediatrician first. Remember that fever itself is not bad; it’s just a sign your immune system is working.

Preventing Illness in Young Children

You won’t prevent every cold or cough, but there are several ways to protect your family this winter.

Teach how and when to wash hands with soap and water.

Teach how to cover a cough.

Keep hand sanitizer available when handwashing is not an option.

Keep your children home from school and activities when they are sick.

Until there’s a cure for the common cold, these home remedies should help you manage all the uncomfortable symptoms. Snuggle up with a good book or movie, and your little one will feel better soon.

Joleen Sams lives with her family in Shawnee. She’s a family nurse practitioner who has always loved taking care of kids and their families.

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