Whenever my children get sick with a cold, it usually means nights filled with coughing, sneezing and cries of “Mommy, I don’t feel good“. I hate not having a magic wand to wave around that can make their illnesses disappear. I thought mommies were supposed to be able to fix everything?
With the new regulations on children’s cough and cold medicine, many parents, like myself, have had to find alternative ways of treating their children’s colds. And to be honest, the non-medicine alternatives are actually a better choice for treatment rather than pumping your child, or yourself, for that matter, full of medicines. I firmly believe that doctor’s and pharmaceutical companies are only out for themselves and their bottom line, not for the wellness of those who are sick.
So what can you to do when your child catches a cold? Keep reading below to find out.
- Keep your child hydrated. Make sure they drink plenty of fluids, like water, fruit or vegetable juices and soup. You should avoid giving your child caffeinated beverages, like soda or coffee because they can cause dehydration. However, some herbal teas mixed with honey are okay to drink since they can help relieve neck pain.
- Feed your child chicken noodle soup. A study done in 2000 revealed that chicken soup helps relieve the symptoms of upper respiratory infections.
- Make sure your child gets plenty of rest. Ultimately, your child should get a solid 8 hours of sleep per night. The proper amount of rest will help them to get better faster.
- Have your child gargle with salt water. It will help to get rid of mucus buildup in the neck and clean out your child’s ears. Keep in mind that gargling is not something babies or toddlers should do.
- Place saline nose drops in your child’s nose as directed to help clear out their nasal passages.
- Place warm compresses on your child’s forehead and nose. It can help relieve headaches and sinus pain.
- Use a humidifier, which helps sore throats and runny noses. Warm air humidifiers are not recommended for use in the bedrooms of young children since they can cause burns. When using any humidifier, make sure to clean and sanitize them regularly.
- Give your child a steam bath. All you need to do is boil a cup of water and pour it into a bowl. Have your child lean over it with a towel over his head to lock in the steam. Allow your child to breathe the steam in for 30 seconds. If you’d like, you can also add peppermint or eucalyptus drops to the water. Steam baths are not recommended for young children because the hot water can cause burns. It’s also not recommended for children afflicted with asthma.
Do you have any other cold remedies or treatments that you use on your children that you’ve found work well? We’d love to hear about them.