An effective cough suppressant for toddlers is prepared with readily available ingredients from the kitchen counter. This article discusses a few homes remedies to cure cough in young children.
Cold and cough are usually manifested with each changing season. While common cold requires some time for complete recovery, the duration of cough can be shortened effectively. Coughing is the body’s natural response to expel unwanted particles from the air passages. Since, toddlers and young children are very sensitive to changing environmental conditions, they are at a higher risk of getting cough than adults. And for treating the condition, a natural cough suppressant is better than therapeutic formulations.
Natural Cough Suppressants for Young Children
Although cough can be treated with over-the-counter (OTC) cough medicine in adults, dealing the same condition in toddlers is not so easy. This is because young children may react adversely to the prescribed dosage of cough syrups. Thus, therapeutic cough suppressant is not recommended for children below 6 years. However, you can prepare some natural remedies to suppress cough at home with readily available supplies. They are:
Lemon Tea
A good home remedy for babies is to feed lemon tea prepared with warm water. Fill the feeding bottle with 8 ounces warm water and add 1 teaspoon each of natural sweetener and fresh lemon juice. Feed it to your baby when it is still warm. This will relieve the baby’s sore throat and clear the mucus effectively.
Ginger Tea
Similar to lemon-enriched tea, ginger tea is effective for treating cough in toddlers. Prepare hot tea (as you usually do) and stir in crushed ginger root. Allow your kid to drink ginger tea for 2-3 times daily. Within a few days, the frequency of cough will decrease significantly.
Buckwheat Honey
For toddlers above one year old, feeding buckwheat honey on a daily basis will help. You can mix pure honey (1-2 teaspoon) in warm water or juice, and feed it to your kid until the cold subsides. Adding a dash of white pepper and few drops of lemon juice in honey mixture will boost its effectiveness in suppressing the cough.
Milk with Honey
In a glass of warm milk, add one teaspoon of superior quality honey and a pinch of pure turmeric powder. Stir well and feed it to your toddler everyday. This will help reduce the post nasal drip and cure cough problems.
Soothing Vapor
Eucalyptus oil is prized for its cough relieving properties. Therefore, you can massage the oil over the baby’s chest and back. You can also put a few drops of the oil in warm water, dip a clean washcloth, and place it over the toddler’s chest. Another home remedy is to add some drops of eucalyptus oil in warm bathing water.
Steam Therapy
This is another simple remedy that is very effective in suppressing cough. Switch on the hot shower and close the bathroom door from outside for a few minutes. After this, sit in the bathroom along with your child for at least 15 minutes. The inhaled steam will help clear chest congestion and treat cough in infants.
Try the aforementioned home remedies, and most probably, your child will show improvement signs. Also, to help your child sleep comfortably at night, install a cool mist humidifier in the bedroom. Even if cough remedies for toddlers do not work out, do not blindly give over-the-counter cough syrups. It is better to get the condition checked by a trusted pediatrician and follow his/her directions. The doctor may suggest dextromethorphan for suppressing cough in toddlers. Follow the exact dose and feed only for the prescribed period to avoid over dosing effects.
Disclaimer: This AptParenting article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.
