Whenever your baby gets cold or cough due to change in weather or due to his weak immune system, it really becomes tough for both the mother and baby. The baby becomes cranky, cannot sleep because of the stuffy or runny nose, body pain, head ache, sore throat and congestion due to cold and cough. Even the mother's don't get enough time to take rest and are on their toes for the whole day worrying and working on calming their babies.
Its really tough time for mother's when their baby is sick, but by using these simple and effective home remedies for cold and cough, you can increase your baby's recovery period and in the meanwhile will also boost their immune system so that they don't fall sick often.
These simple home remedies are tried and tested and are really helpful in soothing your baby's nasal congestion. These remedies will help your baby to relieve congestion and help them in fast recovery from the illness. For babies less than 1 year needs extra care as they are tiny and had weak immune system. Give lot of rest to your kid or baby during illness. Also care should be taken if some other member of the family is sick to protect your baby from catching infection from others. Always wash your hands before holding a baby.
Causes of stuffy nose :
- dry air
- irritants such as dust or perfume
- viral illness such as cold or flu
- pollution in the air
If the baby has breathing difficulty due to nasal congestion or difficulty in feeding or any other symptom which you feel is unusual, always feel free to consult your Doctor. Continue to breast feed your baby even if he is not well as mothers milk has all the antibodies to fight infection.
First I have listed the ways by which we can soothe our baby's nasal congestion and then the 15 home remedies for cold and cough for kids.
How to soothe Baby's and Kids nasal congestion :
1. Saline water drops:
You can get these drops easily available in the drug store or you can make your own saline water at home. Boil the water in a small bowl and put some salt in it. Let it cool down to the room temperature before using it. If you are making the saline water at home, you are recommended to make it fresh everytime you use it to prevent any bacterial growth or its always better to use the one's available in the drug store. You can always ask your pediatrician to prescribe one for the baby.
How to use it :
Lie down your baby on the bed and put a rolled towel beneath the baby's shoulder to make his head little tilted backward or you can make him lie down on your lap with his head little tilted backward so that it becomes easy to put the saline water drops in his nostrils.
Gently press the nose tip so that the drops can easily go in the nostrils. Put 2-3 drops in each nostrils and wait for a minute to loosen the mucus.
Turn your child on to their stomach so that all the loossened mucus is drained out. Catch all the mucus with a tissue paper.
2. Use humidifier :
You can run a humidifier or cool mist vapouriser near your baby's cot or crib. Water vapour from the humidifier help in moistening your babys nose and help in loosening the mucus. You are advised to clean and refill the humidifier daily to avoid any bacterial growth in it.
3. Steam up the bathroom :
You can steam up your bathroom by running the hot shower and sit with your baby for sometime in the bathroom. Close the bathroom so the water vapour don't escape out soon. These watervapour will soothe your baby's nose and loosen the mucus.
4. Breast feeding :
For babies less that 6 month, breastfeed them as frequently as possible to keep babies hydrated. Mother's milk has natural antibodies which passes on to the babies body by breastfeeding and help these tiny babies to fight various infections and also help in strengthening their immune system.
Always consult a Doctor if :
- your baby develops fever.
- no improvement in his condition.
- difficulty in breathing or breathing very quickly.
- stuffy nose along with swelling on his forehead, nose and eyes.
- trouble in feeding or shows no interest in feeding.
- baby becomes too cranky or fussy.
- your baby seems to be in pain and crying a lot.
15 Home Remedy for cold and cough for kids above 2 year :
Kids are prone to common cold and cough due to weather change and needs to be taken care of to get relief from it soon. Always keep your kid hydrated by making him drink water at regular intervals. You can also give them fresh juice and warm soups.
Apart from using above methods for decongestion listed above, other natural home remedies which you can use are mentioned below.
1. Apply Vicks Vaporub on chids feet and cover it with socks :
Apply Vicks vaporab on your child's feet and make them wear socks over it. Also apply Vicks on their chest and back before making them sleep. This helps in decongestion and fast relief from cold and cough.
2. Turmeric Milk :
Turmeric has natural anticeptic, anti-inflammatory properties which help in treating cold and cough. It also soothes sore throat and provides instant relief from running nose and aching throat. Add turmeric powder to a glass of warm milk and make youe kid have it in the morning and evening.
3. Honey and cinnamon powder :
Honey has natural soothing propeties and is widely used in treatment of cough. Add a pinch of cinnamon powder to a teaspoon of honey and mix it. Give it to your kid for relief from cough.
4. Carrom seeds, Tulasi, Turmeric and salt preparation/kadha :
Boil a cup of water on the gas stove, put 4-5 fresh tulasi leaves in it. Add 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric and 1 teaspoon of carrom or ajwain seeds and a pinch of salt. Boil it for some time so that all ingredients are properly infused in it. Strain the water in a cup and let it come down to mouth drinking temperature. Make your kid to have this drink once in the morning and in the evening.
5. Salt water gargling :
Add salt to warm water and make your kid gargle it in the morning and before going to bed. Salt water gargle soothes sore throat pain and helps in fast recovery from cold and cough.
6. Ginger and honey and black pepper powder :
Take a spoonful of organic honey in a small bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon of crushed ginger juice and a pinch of black pepper powder to it. Mix them well and give it to your kid. This help in relief from sore throat and cough.
7. Massage :
You need 4-5 garlic cloves and mustard oil, chop garlic into small pieces. Heat the oil in a small pan, put garic in it and heat till the garlic becomes brown in colour. Remove from the fire strain the oil. Cool it, till it becomes luke warm. Now use this warm oil to massage your baby's chest and back to give him relief from cough and cold.
8. Jaggery and dry ginger and ghee and turmeric :
Put 1 teaspoon of ghee or clarified butter in a small pan. Add some jaggery around one cup to it. Saute till jaggery becomes soft, now add 1 tablespoon dry ginger powder to it. Mix it thoroughly. Cool it, till it becomes warm and make small laddos or small balls of it. Give one laddo to your kid in the morning and night for relief from cough and cold.
10. Honey and ginger juice :
Take a teaspoon of honey, mix 1/2 teaspoon of ginger juice in it. You can get ginger juice by extracting juice from the crushed ginger piece. Give this mixture to your kid to get relief from cough.
11. Tomato soup with ginger garlic :
You can make your kid to have tomato soup made by boiling ginger, garlic and black pepper in it.This soup will make him warm from inside the body and will help in fast relief from cold and cough.
12. Steam inhalation :
This can be done to elder kids strictly in the presence of parents to avoid any accidental burn due to hot water. You can add few drops of eucalyptus oil and make your kid inhale the steam to relieve congestion. Inhaling steam gives fast relief from cold and cough.
13. Kadha or water boiled with various spices :
You can make kadha by boiling water. Put 1/2 inch chopped ginger, 1 teaspoon carrom seeds, a pinch of turmeric, 4-5 crushed black pepper corns and salt as per your taste. Let it boil for some time to infuse the goodness of all the ingredients. Strain the mixture in a cup. Make your kid drink this mixture twice in a day, once in the morning and once in the night. This mixture is equally effective for both adult and kids for fast relief from cold and cough.
14. Honey and lemon :
Take some warm water in a cup, add 3/4 of a lemon juice and a teaspoon of honey in it. Stir to mix in the water. This drink also help in treating cold and cough. The Lemon has high vitamin C content which help in building immunity to fight against various infections.
15. Garlic lemon tea/kadha :
Boil a cup of water, add 4-5 chopped garlic in it. Let it boil for some time. Remove from fire and squeeze out the juice of about half lemon in it. Add a teaspoon of honey in it and stir to mix all the ingredients. Sip this tea/kadha to get relief from cold and cough. It also help in building immunity against catching cold and cough frequently.
When to see a doctor :
Most of the time there is no need to see a physian, but if your child has the following symptoms, please call the Doctor.
- When you kid has fever with temperature more than 100.4 degrees.
- Your baby is less than 6 month and has fever.
- If the symptoms last for more than a week.
- If your kid has symptoms like difficulty in breathing, headache or nausea or vomiting.
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