While growing up, a child tends to catch flu once in a while and as a parent, you have to make sure he or she has the perfect remedies to help relieve the symptoms which if persist, one is advised to visit the hospital immediately. Instead of running to the drugstore to get cough and cold meds, which actually aren’t recommend for kids, there are plenty of safe home remedies worth trying which really help so much.
There’s is nothing torturous like having that feeling of seeing your kids sick with a cough or cold and you just want to make them feel better. It makes you so desperate pushing, you to try and help ease their symptoms as fast as possible. When this occurs, the perfect way to handle this situation is to look at a variety of home remedies rather than the all-in-one drugstore cough and cold meds. These may bring reactions of an increased or uneven heart rate, sleeplessness, drowsiness, nausea, constipation, and slow or shallow breathing. Over-the-counter cough and cold meds for kids under the age of six aren’t recommended unless prescribed by a pediatrician. Always keep that in mind.
There are many herbal and alternative remedies that haven’t been evaluated for use with kids and are generally not recommended by medical practitioners. Here are some tools for battling coughs and colds this winter.
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Extra Pillows.
It’s funny how adding pillows to your child’s head can make a difference. Just a simple task like this can surprise you because it can help clear congestion too.
2. A spoonful of honey
When you talk about honey, almost every household relates to it as a remedy. Kid’s under 1 year shouldn’t be given honey because of their infant botulism.
You should know that several studies have shown that swallowing one teaspoon (15 mL) of honey about half an hour before bed can help you get a better night’s sleep and settle a cough. It’s believed that the antimicrobial and antibacterial properties of honey may be the ones at work.
3. Give your child plenty of fluids.
Keeping kids hydrated plays a really vital role in making them feel better. A lot of mothers who have experience will tell you the same thing. A cold or cough can make kids lethargic, meaning it’s hard for them to eat or drink. The cycle just continues so ensure you give your kids small amounts of food and especially liquids often. Some kid-friendly options include soup (try a low-sodium broth), apple sauce, juice mixed with a bit of water (try serving it in a shot glass, it’s somehow enough of a novelty to intrigue them). Frozen treats like popsicles also do the magic. A good alternative to juice is cooled, fruity hibiscus tea, which is brightly colored like juice, but not nearly as sweet.
4. Vicks VapoRub
In case you don’t know what this is, it’s strongly scented stuff that is rubbed on the chest or under the nose. It gives you an irritating feeling when applied especially under the nose which makes you want to rub it off immediately.
It’s not exactly a “home remedy,” it’s an over-the-counter med that till today, is still quite popular as a topical option in many households “There’s a small amount of evidence to suggest that it can improve symptoms and is advisable that you apply it at bedtime.
5. Humidifier
Getting a humidifier can save your life. This device help’s manage a child’s cough and cold symptoms by keeping their airway moist. Cool or warm mist? It doesn’t really matter, although a cool-mist is generally better for a barky, seal-like croup cough. You can also bundle your child in a blanket and take them outside to breathe in some cool air for a few minutes. That natural fresh air truly helps and also gives the child some positive energy.
6. Sponge bath
Giving your child a sponge bath with lukewarm water combined with Neem can truly help. There’s also reasonable evidence to suggest that if you combine the bathwater with Tylenol or Advil, it is more likely to bring a fever down within an hour or two. However, if your child is already feeling chilled, put away the sponging. Those are just but a few remedies to consider applying when your child catches a cold or flu. There are more remedies that people use which actually work and is passed from generation to generation.
When should you see a doctor?
Immediately see a medical provider once your child is wheezing, having labored or fast breathing (nostrils are flared, skin is stretched tight over the ribcage and a prescribed inhaler isn’t helping), a cough that leads to choking, vomiting, or trouble breathing. Also, infrequent urination due to dehydration and difficulty in breathing are serious symptoms. It’s a red flag too when your child’s temperature doesn’t seem to get normal for more than 72 hours.
Coughs and colds are a fact of life and while there’s no magic approach to wipe them instantly out of your child, but you can manage their symptoms and help your child get some healing rest. Make sure that complete comfort is your only ultimate goal. Kids are delicate to manage while growing up and so much attention should be put in this time of their lives to help them stay healthy.
