Home Remedies
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A good home remedy is safe, inexpensive, and as beneficial as OTC medicines. They are also found in nearly every home. Here is how you can treat your child's symptoms with simple but effective home remedies instead of medicines. 1. Runny Nose: Just suction or blow it. And remember, when your child's nose runs like a faucet, it's getting rid of viruses. Antihistamines (eg,Benadryl) do not help the average cold. However, they are useful and approved if the runny nose is caused by nasal allergies (hay fever).2. Blocked Nose: Use nasal washes. Use saline nose spray or drops to loosen up dried mucus, followed by blowing or suctioning the nose. If these are not available, warm water will work fine. Instill 2 to 3 drops in each nostril. Do one side at a time. Then suction or blow. Teens can just splash warm water into their nose. Repeat nasal washes until the return is clear. Do nasal washes whenever your child can't breathe through the nose. For infants on a bottle or breast, use nose drops before feedings. We recommend purchasing a NoseFrida device, available at Concord Pharmacy on the first floor of our building, for gentler suction than the bulb. Saline nose drops and sprays are available in all pharmacies without a prescription. To make your own, add ½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) of table salt and a pinch of baking soda to 1 cup (8 oz or 240 mL) of warm tap water. Sticky, Stubborn Mucus: Remove with a wet cotton swab. Medicines: There is no medicine that can remove dried mucus or pus from the nose. 3. Coughing: Use homemade cough medicines. For Children less than 3 Months Old: Saline and suction nose 3x daily; call doctor. For Children 3 Months to less than 1 Year Old: Thyme maple syrup recipe below. Be sure to substitute MAPLE SYRUP for honey if your child is less than 1 year due to the risk of infant botulism! For Children 1 Year and Older: Thyme honey cough syrup recipe below (credit: Dr. Lowdog). Recent research has shown that honey is better than drugstore cough syrups at reducing the frequency and severity of nighttime coughing. For Children 6 Years and Older: In addition to below recipe, you may also use COUGH DROPS to coat the irritated throat. (If cough drops are not available, you can use hard candy.) Coughing Spasms: Expose your child to warm mist from a shower 4. Fluids: Help your child drink plenty of fluids. Staying well hydrated thins the body's secretions, making it easier to cough. 5. Humidity: If the air in your home is dry, use a humidifier. Moist air keeps nasal mucus from drying up and lubricates the airway. Running a warm shower for a while can also help humidify the air. Coughs and Colds: Medicines or Home Remedies?. (2013, May 11).HealthyChildren.org. Retrieved January 18, 2014, from http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/ear-nose-throat/Pages/Coughs-and-Colds-Medicines-or-Home-Remedies.aspx | ||