The season of cold and flu is upon us, so it seems like stuffy noses, dry cough in kids and congestion are imminent. So mommies, stock up on the hand sanitizer! Apart from the obvious looming threat of COVID, flu season brings icky germs everywhere. Remember, that ‘common colds’ are in fact common and your child will suffer as many as six to eight in the first year, no matter how patient you are and how hard you try to stop it. However, being prepared with home remedies for baby cough is the safest way to deal with your baby's cold. It could help to ease your fears if you know how most colds work and what to expect, so you can concentrate on breastfeeding your baby back to health.
You can find at the start of cold that your happy tot is not quite themselves. Their appetite may decrease and they may be more irritable. Suffering from the common cold may also cause difficulties in sleeping. A common cold is a viral infection of the child's nose and mouth. The key signs of a cold include nasal congestion and a runny nose. Babies are particularly vulnerable to the common cold, in part because other older kids are always around them. They have also not yet developed immunity to several common infections.
Anything from the changing weather to a sick friend who passed on the cold to your child can get your little one ill. And we all know colds and coughs can be painful considering the loss of energy, and sore throats. But what do you do when your child is too young for antibiotics or has some allergy? Indian recipes for child coughing at night remedies have always proven to work wonders when it comes to colds and coughs.
Air: When people suffering from cold and cough are around her kids, He or she could transmit the virus directly to your baby while sneezing or speaking.
Direct Contact: When someone with the common cold touches the hand of your baby i.e. makes direct contact, they may transmit the cold infection to your baby who, after touching his or her eyes, nose, or mouth, could become infected.
Contaminated Surfaces: Some viruses can live on surfaces for two hours or longer. By touching a contaminated surface, such as a toy, your child can catch a virus.
This article will be focusing on some of the most common baby cough remedies however, you should always consult with your paediatrician before taking any steps yourself.
Garlic and Ajwain have been scientifically proven to be antibacterial and antiviral. And when put together, they tend to be highly effective in curing colds and coughs. The recipe is simple, you only need to roast two cloves of garlic with a tablespoon of carom seeds (ajwain) in a small pan. Let it cool a little before using it for a pouch. And after a few minutes, you can tie the roasted garlic and carom seeds in a muslin cloth and keep it near the place where your child sleeps. The fumes from the mixture help clear out nasal tracks and are one of the best Indian home remedies for cough in kids.
When it comes to Indian home remedies for cough for kids, ajwain water and jaggery is the simplest recipe. You will need to boil a cup of water with some ajwain seeds and mix it with a teaspoon of jaggery. The next step is to strain the water and give your toddler this water in intervals to keep them hydrated.
Kids will often refrain from drinking any kinds of kadhas and juices. It’s a tough job trying to make your child eat or drink something medicinal which does not taste really great. So, of course in such situations, you would want something which is tasty right? Lemon juice mixed with honey is a delightful little drink which your little one will enjoy. Mix a little lemon juice in a cup along with honey and add a little warm water to it. When you are done mixing, you can give this tasty medicine to your child for a healthy throat.
When talking about cough remedies for kids, we can not leave behind Kesar milk. You can give your toddler saffron milk before they go to bed for an instant effect. Add a few strands of saffron to a cup of boiled milk before it cools down. Once the milk is cool enough, strain the saffron strands and it is ready to drink. Kesar has medicinal properties and is known for its nutritious qualities. Also, with a little bit of sugar, a cup of Kesar milk makes a tasty drink so that your child does not have to drink anything they don’t want to.
Palm sugar, also known as tal mishri, is available in many local stores and is very popular for cold and cough remedies. For this drink, you will also require some tulsi leaves and ginger. Add some palm sugar to water and keep it for boiling along with tulsi leaves. You can add a little bit of ginger to the recipe if your child is comfortable. You can add palm sugar and tulsi to ginger tea as well for an equally effective remedy.
‘Haldi doodh’ is the ultimate home remedy for cough in infants. It is a must for a dry cough. At night, give the baby a glass of milk with a pinch of turmeric. For sweetness, you can also add jaggery. In addition, milk and turmeric offer a balanced and nutritious mix.
White onions are one of the most common home remedies for cold in babies in the north of India. In the months of April and May, it is generally accessible. To make this juice, cut the white onion to support your toddler and keep it in a tub. Add some drinking water, then sieve it and give your toddler a teaspoon a day. This will clear and relieve the nasal passage of any cold or cough.
One of the easiest dry cough treatments to help toddlers get rid of cold and congestion is a tablespoon of ghee and a teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper powder, combining the two and feeding during the cold winter months. The taste is also a bonus!
Here are some precautions that you can take to help prevent your little one from catching a cold and cough.
Take caution and don’t let your child around children or adults with a cold and cough. Inculcate the habit of frequent hand-washing in your child and ask them not to touch their mouth, eyes, or nose until her hands are washed. If taps are not around, encourage the use of hand sanitizers.
Make sure that your child’s toys and play areas are properly cleaned on a regular basis, especially if many children are playing together. Ask everyone in the household to cough or sneeze into a tissue. Cough or sneeze into the crook of your arm if you can't find a tissue in time.
Before anyone comes in contact with your child, ask them to wash their hands or use a hand sanitizer. You can practice this yourself too by thoroughly washing your hands before feeding or touching your baby.
1. Why is my child constantly coughing?
It is essential to understand the nature of your child’s cough early on and the answers could range anywhere from allergies to whooping cough.
2. When should you take your child to the doctor for a cough?
If after applying home remedies to your child, coughing still persists you should consult a doctor.
3. Why are coughs worse at night?
Coughing gets worse at night as your kid is lying flat in their bed. This causes mucus to pool and cause excessive coughing in the back of the throat. Sleeping with a raised head will minimise this.
4. Can we use Vicks on a baby?
Vicks BabyRub is safe for babies older than 3 months and toddlers up to 5 years of age. When paired with a massage, it will help you moisturise, soothe and calm your baby and ensures better sleep.
5. How do I get rid of my baby's chest cold?
Steaming helps to loosen the mucus within the chest. It provides relief to your baby’s chest as the vaporizer or humidifier adds moisture to the air. Alternatively, you can carry your baby to a steam-filled bathroom.
