Coughs and colds are common symptoms in young children. Germ exposure and fighting them help children develop their immune systems. Helping your kid to feel comfortable and manage their coughs can help them get some rest they need to help them recover.
Usually, a regular cough can last for up to one to two weeks. According to the best child specialist in Karachi, common viruses cause many coughs that have no cure. Unless a cough comes with others or is extreme. The best solution for these problems is to take comfort measures at home.
Any cough treatment should aim to keep a kid relaxed, hydrated, and sleeping well. Continue the reading to know about children’s cough remedies you can try at home.
Home Remedies for Treating Cough in Children
Here are some remedies that can effectively treat symptoms associated with cough in children.
- Offer Fluids
Staying hydrated is essential when your kid is sick. Water helps keep airways strong and moist and the body fights illness. Make sure that your kid is getting enough water-to to make them drink one serving of water for each year of their life. For instance, a one-year-old kid needs a minimum of one serving of water in a single day. Similarly, a two-year-old child needs two servings per day.
If they are refusing to take the daily amount of milk or not eating enough, then younger children may need more water to consume. Offer them water every one to two hours; however, don’t ask them strictly to drink it. Additionally, you can also offer popsicles to increase fluids.
- Add Moisture with Humidifiers
Adding moisture to the controlled air helps keep your kid’s airways from drying out and loosens mucus. This may lead to ease of congestion and coughing. Try to choose a cold air humidifier when you are going to purchase it.
Usually, cold air humidifiers are considered safe and effective for kids as warm air humidifiers. If possible, use distilled or purified water to slow down mineral buildup inside the cold air humidifier. In addition, try to run a cold humidifier all night in the place where your kid sleeps. During the daytime, you will need to run it wherever he will spend most of his time.
If you don’t have a humidifier or don’t want to buy it, then you can try running a hot shower. Sit in the steamy bathroom for some time to provide your kid with some temporary relief.
- Use Saline Nasal Drops
You can easily buy these drops from anywhere. Use them with a nose blowing or nasal syringe, these drops may help soften mucus to help remove it. If your kid doesn’t allow you to get these drops in his nose, then sitting in a warm bathtub may also clear nasal passages and soften mucus. In addition, this may also help prevent post-nasal drip.
You also need to use these drops in the middle of the night if your child wakes up coughing. These drops are considered safe for children.
- Honey
Honey, a natural sweetener, helps soothe a sore throat. Honey also possesses antibacterial properties and may help reduce symptoms associated with an infection. However, honey is not safe for your kid if he is under the age of one year due to the high risk of botulism.
For kids over one, you can give a tablespoon of honey after some hours; however, you also need to know the sugar intake that comes with it.
In addition, you can also mix honey in warm water to make it easy for your kid to consume it. This also has added benefits like hydrating your child.
- Apply Vapor Rub
It is not confirmed yet whether vapor rubs that contain menthol or camphor are beneficial. Caretakers are rubbing this balm on children’s feet and chests for generations. However, you need to use vapor rub according to the pediatrician’s advice for more benefits. Applying this vapor rub to your child’s feet may be more effective and safer than on the chest.
While using vapor rub, you need to take some precautionary measures: do not apply this on kids under two, and also do not put it under their nose or on the face.
- Elevate Your Kid’s Head When Sleeping
Always try to put a pillow under your kid’s head while sleeping. However, getting your child to fall asleep with their head on a pillow may be difficult, especially when if your kid is more prone to moving during sleep.
You can also elevate one side of the mattress instead of using a pillow. In addition, babies under one don’t need any pillows.
Conclusion
Children are more prone to germs which may lead to several conditions such as cough. It is effective for children to reduce these symptoms by using home remedies. The above-mentioned home remedies can play an important role to reduce cough symptoms in children.
