Top Five Cough and Cold Home Remedies for Children

My kids were sick this week so I did some research on cough and cold home remedies for children. Learn how and why to use each of these five home remedies (humidifier, honey, saline nose drops, liquids, and acetaminophen) to help relieve cough and cold symptoms.

WebMD published an article where they included information from the FDA warning against using some over-the-counter medicines with children under the age of two years old because of the possibility of serious harm or death.

For this reason, many parents are opting to use natural home remedies wherever possible. I hope the below information is helpful to you in treating your child's cough or cold symptoms. The unfortunate news is that no known home remedy will assist in getting your child well faster. Symptoms will last between one and two weeks.

Humidifiers work exceptionally well at relieving congestion for short term use. Use a cold or warm humidifier in your sick child's room to increase moisture in the air. Using a humidifier can help to ease breathing.

I wrote a hub recently on a few different warm mist humidifiers. Click HERE to read it. After each use of your humidifier, it is recommended that you change the water and disinfect the machine to prevent mold and mildew from growing.

Honey can be used to relieve coughing. However, honey is not to be used in infants one year or younger due to the risk of infant botulism. According to the Mayo clinic, in one study, children age "2 and older with upper respiratory tract infections were given up to 2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) of honey at bedtime. The honey seemed to reduce nighttime coughing and improve sleep."

• 1/2 Tsp Children Ages 2 - 5
• 1 Tsp Children Ages 6 - 11
• 2 Tsp Kids 12 & Older

Saline nose drops are a natural remedy that can be used to relieve congestion. Using saline nose drops can help your baby breath as the solution breaks up nasal congestion.

According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology, this product works by liquefying nasal secretions and thereby decreasing the risk of crusting in the sinus cavities.

Children breath through their noses, not their mouths. Therefore, the use of saline nasal drops is recommended by doctors in order to make it more comfortable for your child to breath. As a result, your baby will be able to nurse or suck on a bottle more easily.

After you've helped your child ease their breathing, they will need plenty of liquids in their system to loosen congestion and prevent dehydration. The Mayo clinic suggests giving your child water, juice, clear broth, or warm lemon water with honey. Give your little one the fluids that they normally drink but avoid caffeinated beverages like soda because those can make dehydration worse.

Babies under the age of six months should only be given breast milk, formula, or pedialyte, but not straight water. Giving an infant this young can cause an electrolyte imbalance because their kidneys aren't mature enough to process it sufficiently. If your child is older than twelve months, you can give them water, diluted juice, or milk.

Acetaminophen is used to lower a child's temperature when they have a fever. There are a few things to consider when administering acetaminophen to your child.

Make sure to use the dispenser which comes with the medicine. The reason being, infant drops and children’s liquid fever reducers both come in different strengths and therefore will include different sized medicine dispensers.

Never use aspirin because of the risk of Reye’s syndrome which can damage the brain and liver.

• 3 Months - Check with Doctor
• 3-6 Months - Acetaminophen Dosage - Check with Doctor
• 7 Months & Up - Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen Dosage - Check with Doctor

Melinda Longoria, MSM writes product buying guides and reviews on Hubpages. She also operates a successful Facebook fanpage where pregnant moms connect, Maternity Clothes Online, which has over 940 followers. She is also a mommy to three little cuties. Please feel free to post your comments and questions about this article in the below comment box.

Do you know any helpful home remedies for treating children's cough or cold? Please include verifiable sources for your information. What remedies have worked for you in the past? We would love to hear any helpful feedback on this subject.