A sick child is always a cause for worry among parents. Seeing a small, fragile body suffering from a cold and being racked with coughing is too much to bear. Worry not, there’s a lot you can do to make your kid feel better and recover.
When your child is in the grips of a drippy, sneezy, coughy, all-around miserable cold, here’s how you can soothe his or her condition.
1. Give medicine
Administering cough medication should be based on a pediatrician’s recommendations. Depending on your child’s age, your doctor may advise the use of cough syrup for kids. This is easier for children to take instead of lozenges.
Your medicine choices may include:
- Antihistamines – These work best for allergy problems but aren’t useful for treating viral illnesses like the common cold.
- Cough Expectorants – These help thin out mucus to let your kid cough it up easily. Make sure to let your child drink lots of water when taking this medicine.
- Decongestants – Salt water nose drops and sprays can improve your child’s stuffy nose. However, don’t use them for more than two to three days as they can later make your kid’s nasal passage feel more congested.
Take note that there are many over-the-counter medicines that contain more than one ingredient which your child may not need. Make sure to read labels carefully as you may be giving your kid too much medicine. Whenever you have questions regarding the cough medicine, don’t hesitate to ask the pharmacist or your doctor.
Additionally, if your child is allergic to any type of medicine or ingredient, alert your doctor so he or she can avoid prescribing medicine which can aggravate your child’s condition.
2. Use steam
Steam can help loosen out chest and nasal congestion to make it easier for your kid to blow or cough up the mucus. You can do this by turning your bathroom into a steam room. Close the door, run a hot shower and sit inside with your child for about 15 minutes in the morning and before bedtime.
You can keep your child from getting bored by bringing in some books or snacks. While you’re inside the steam room, you may also drum on your child’s back and chest using your open palms. This will help break up the congestion in those areas, just make sure not to do it too hard as it may hurt instead.
3. Provide plenty of drinks
Drinking extra fluids helps thin out mucus and drains it. This will also help ease your child’s sore throat. Try giving your child a variety of fluids, such as:
- Warm water
- Tea with lemon and honey
- Chicken soup
- Ice pops
4. Use a chest rub
Use medicated rub like Vicks VapoRub on your child’s chest to make him or her feel more comfortable at night. Massaging a medicated rub containing camphor, menthol, and eucalyptus oil on your child will give relief from cough and congestion. However, make sure to only use medicated rub as advised by your pediatrician and on a child not below the age of two.
5. Blow the nose
As much as possible, remind your child to blow his or her nose often. It’s an efficient way to help him or her get rid of mucus. If your kid can’t blow his or her nose, you can make use of a nasal aspirator.
Ask a pharmacist where you can find nasal aspirators in a store. Pick one with a rubber bulb and a plastic tip as this have better suction and will be less irritating.
When using a nasal aspirator, follow these tips:
- Suction each nostril for eight to 10 times in a row.
- If your kid’s nose is stuffy and nothing is coming out, place three to four drops or sprays of saltwater into each nostril. Wait for at least two minutes, then suction again.
6. Deep clean
If your child’s cough is still dry and raspy after all your efforts, it may be due to asthma or allergies. The best thing you can do is to remove irritants inside your home. If you can, isolate your child in a clean room and deep clean the rest of the house.
Don’t use room fresheners or wear perfume when near your child. Also, ban your pets from entering your child’s room.
When to call the doctor
Home remedies for cough and cold symptoms are great. But, you should also know when your child’s condition is serious and requires further examination. If you observe any of the following symptoms, contact your child’s pediatrician:
- Fever lasting more than six days or above 104 degrees Fahrenheit
- Cold or cough lasting more than 10 days
- Fast breathing, wheezing, or any trouble breathing
- Bluish skin color
- Dehydration (cold skin, cracked lips, or no urinary output in 12 hours)
- Difficulty being woken from sleep
- Seizures
- Coughing up blood
There are many ways to relieve a child’s cough like the six tips mentioned above. However, it’s important that you know when it’s serious to ensure that your child’s condition doesn’t get any worse. If you suspect your child’s condition is deteriorating even after applying the above tips, don’t hesitate to bring him or her to a pediatrician immediately.
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