5 Natural Remedies For Babies That Are Suffering From Colds Or Coughs

Here are some natural remedies that we can give to babies that are suffering from colds and coughs. Check out the article we found over at Top 10 Home Remedies.

Every year hundreds of infants and small children suffer from colds and coughs, mainly due to their weak immune systems. In fact, within the first year of life, most babies will have up to seven colds.

Children pick up the various infection-causing viruses through contact with an infected person or contaminated air or surfaces.

Some symptoms of colds and coughs in babies are a congested or runny nose, a low-grade fever of up to 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, sneezing, coughing, loss of appetite, irritability and difficulty sleeping.

Dealing with a sick child can be really difficult for parents as well as caretakers.

As the American Academy of Pediatrics advises against giving cough and cold medications to children under 6 years old because of potentially fatal side effects, it is best to stick to natural methods. Home treatments will ease their symptoms and strengthen their immune systems.

However, be sure to call your doctor if your child has a temperature higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit and symptoms that last more than a week. Always consult your doctor if your baby is younger than 3 months old and has a fever.

Here are the top home remedies for colds and coughs in babies.

1. Sponge Bath

To reduce a fever in small babies, give them a cool water bath or sponge bath to regulate body temperature. A bath has the added benefit of relaxing your child and it will help them sleep better, which is essential for faster recovery.

• For small babies, give a sponge bath 2 or 3 times a day. Soak a washcloth in room temperature tap water, wring out the excess water and then sponge the armpits, feet, hands and groin to reduce their temperature.
• Another option is to place a cold, damp washcloth on your baby’s forehead and change it every few minutes.
• Older children can take a cool bath or shower.

Note: Avoid using very cold water, which may cause the internal body temperature to rise.

2. Lemon

Lemon is another good home remedy. Being rich in vitamin C, lemon helps boost the immune system and assists the body in fighting colds and flu.

Its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties also help reduce symptoms, such as sore throat, runny nose and coughing.

1. Put the juice and peels from 4 lemons and 1 tablespoon of ginger slices in a pan.
2. Add enough boiling water to cover the ingredients.
3. Cover and let it steep for 10 minutes.
4. Strain off the liquid.
5. Dilute this liquid with an equal amount of warm water and add raw honey for taste.
6. Give your child this hot lemonade to drink, a few times a day.

Note: For babies younger than 1 year, add sugar instead of honey for taste.

3. Honey

Honey is a safe remedy for children age 1 and older who are suffering from the common cold or a cough. It has high antibacterial, antioxidant and immune-boosting properties that help ease coughing, soothe a sore throat and kill the bacteria causing the infection.

• Mix 2 teaspoons of raw honey and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Give it to your child every few hours for symptom relief.
• You can also have your child swallow a spoonful of buckwheat honey several times a day.
• A glass of warm milk with honey can relieve a dry cough and reduce chest pain.

Note: Never give honey to babies younger than 1 year, as it contains bacteria that can cause infantile botulism.

4. Warm Chicken Soup

For children older than 1 year, warm chicken soup is a great option when suffering from a cold or cough. It is light and nutritious and can help relieve congestion. The antioxidants in it speed up the healing process.

In addition, chicken soup improves the function of protective cilia in the nasal cavity that prevent contagions from entering the body.

A 2000 study published in the Chest journal suggests that chicken soup contains a number of substances with beneficial medicinal activity for upper respiratory tract infections.

Serve your children homemade chicken soup using organic chicken and vegetables, such as carrots, beet root and spinach. You can feed babies chicken soup 2 or 3 times a day.

5. Ginger

Ginger is another very popular natural cure for colds and coughs due to its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral and antitussive (cough suppressant) properties.

It is also effective at inducing sweating and expelling heat, which in turn relieves mild fever. In addition, it boosts the immune system to help speed up recovery.

1. Put 6 cups of water, ½ cup thinly sliced ginger and 2 cinnamon sticks in a pan.
2. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes, then strain it.
3. Add raw honey or sugar and give it to your child to drink several times a day. For babies younger than 1 year, you can dilute the liquid in warm water before giving it to them.

Older children can also be given ginger slices or ginger candies to chew.

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