NAVIGATING COLD AND COUGH SEASON WITH KIDS PART TWO: Natural remedies and keeping children comfortable
What Causes Colds?
The simple answer: viruses cause colds. There are many viruses (one source I came across said over 200) in the cold family. Children with experienced and healthy immune systems can usually manage colds easily. Other viruses have more severe and uncomfortable symptoms. Some viruses are harder on smaller children, both because their symptoms are more severe and necessary treatments for symptom management can be uncomfortable for them. A child’s immune system is just getting started when it comes to fighting off viruses. The early years of managing illness can be difficult on both parents and children. It’s not fun for kids to feel unwell, and it’s stressful as parents to navigate illness. (Please see our previous post on when to call your provider).
Ways to Prepare for Cough and Cold Season
There is no magical vaccine or medication for avoiding colds. However, we can do several things to boost our family’s immune system for the season:
Get outside in the sunshine playing as much as possible.
Get enough sleep.
Eat nutrient rich foods.
Natural Remedies for Colds and Coughs
Food
The first line of preventing illness and healing is doing a little research on foods your family eats. Ideally, our families are exposed to a whole food, plant based diet. There are many immune-boosting foods: fish, leafy greens, citrus fruits, soups that include basil, garlic, ginger, parsley, tumeric and onion. These foods can really pack a punch. Vitamin C-rich foods are also helpful in boosting the immune system. Bell peppers, strawberries, broccoli, parsley, kiwis, citrus, and cantaloupe are just a few foods rich in Vitamin C.
Hydration
When children have stuffy noses they tend to breathe through their mouths. Combined with fevers, this can lead to dehydration. Plenty of water or diluted juice will help prevent dehydration. Purple grape juice can do double duty relieving dehydration and working as an expectorant and break up phlegm and reduce coughing (more on mucus below). Milk, on the other hand, can cause mucus to thicken so avoid it if you can. To help soothe scratchy and sore throats, you can make popsicles out of juice or Pedialyte. Sipping broth is another good way to promote hydration. When eating soups, have your child sip the broth very slowly and breathe the steam over the bowl. The effects of warm broth only last about half an hour so eating soup throughout the day can help calm a scratchy throat and cough.
Dealing with Mucus
The build up of thick mucus causes a lot of discomfort, difficulty breathing through the nose, and can even lead to infection. Using saline drops in the nose can help to thin it out. All pharmacies have saline drops available for a few dollars. It’s a good idea to always have extra bottles on hand. To use saline, you can either spray it in each nostril or have the child tip their head back so you can put a few drops in at a time. Let the saline sit in the nose for a minute or two before blowing or suctioning the nose. This allows it to soften thick and dry mucus.
The FridaBaby Snotsucker has become quite a popular nasal aspirator. Many parents like how well it works to help move mucus and clear nasal passageways. Another way to loosen mucus is to take a warm bath in a very steamy bathroom. For an extra steamy room, you can run a hot shower for a few minutes before running the bath. Once the water is an appropriate temperature for the child, let them soak in the water. There are also salt bath products for congestion and made for children. Use these as directed.
Finally, using a cool-mist humidifier near the child’s sleeping area can help them breathe easier. Humidifiers are a great way to add moisture to the air, and this may help ease coughing and congestion. It is important to keep your cool-mist humidifier clean to prevent the buildup of bacteria and mold.
Herbs and Oils
There are many natural methods that can offer symptom relief or boost the immune system. However, natural doesn’t always mean safe. Be careful using natural remedies with children. Remember that information regarding the safety of herbs, oils, or homeopathic products is not the same for adults as it is for children. This is why it is important to check with your doctor before giving any of these remedies to a child. Also, if you are trying a new herb, use caution and start with very small amounts. Many people are allergic to herbs. For example: allergies to herbs in the mint family are very common, and dandelion cannot be used by children with latex allergies.
The other important factor using natural methods to treat colds is how early you use them. Natural methods work better on the front end of the illness so the best time to use them is when you see the beginning signs of illness in your child.
Types of Herbs
To boost the immune system, basil, echinacea, elderberry and garlic are often found in teas, syrups and soups.
Herbs used for antivirals are often basil, echinacea, elderberry and marshmallow root. Marshmallow root is a dried herb that can be added to teas. It forms a protective layer on your mucus membranes and helps with pain and inflammation.
Antioxidant herbs are basil, elderberry, sage and turmeric. Sage is an astringent and is good for sore throats, canker sores, hoarseness and laryngitis.
Teas
Making tea is a great way to use herbs and natural products. Camomile and honey tea is often used and is simple and calming for coughs and sore throat remedies. You can use a camomile tea as your base and add other ingredients such as, lemon, sage, honey (as long as the child is over one year old), elderberry syrup, marshmallow root and dried lemon zest. There are a lot of cold, cough, immune boosting and tummy soothing teas out there so you don’t have to make your own. Making your own can be fun, but it can also be time consuming to find the dried herbs and expensive to experiment.If you plan to use herbs, seek out a reputable source for recipes and always check with your doctor to make sure they would be safe for your child. One source I like is Dr. Low Dog.
Here is a tea recipe from Winnie the Pooh (shared by author A.A. Milne in his Get Well Pooh book)
Tiggers Toddy for a Cough
1 tsp honey
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon peel
1 tsp cinnamon or cloves
1 camomile tea bag
Steep the chamomile tea in hot water, stir in the honey, lemon juice, and lemon peel. Dust the top with a sprinkle of cinnamon and sip slowly when it is cool enough. You will know it’s helping when you start to feel a bit bouncy.
Essential Oils
Essential oils can help with congestion, however the most commonly used oils for colds and congestion are peppermint and eucalyptus and neither of these are considered fully safe for children. These oils should not be used around babies and young children. There are many child safe bath products for congestion that do use eucalyptus in very small amounts. Make sure you read the age recommendation on these products. If you want to use essential oils please buy them from companies that take child safety seriously. Companies like Plant Therapies have child appropriate oils for immune boosting and congestion relief for children. Whole Foods also carries a few brands of child safe chest rubs infused with gentle oils and herbs to soothe congested breathing.
Caution
There are a few things to remember if you are using natural methods of symptom relief. Always read all product directions so you are aware of the age and dose recommendations for children. Remember, not all natural methods are safe for children. Always talk to your doctor before trying new natural relief methods. Your doctor will guide you on safety and dosing. Also, some doctors have trusted information on local resources for acquiring natural care products in your area.
Links for this post
Plant Therapy
Dr. Low Dog