As you may know, we try to avoid giving our children OTC and prescription drugs as much as possible.  And since we’ve been the house of sickies lately, we’ve had to rely on some old-fashioned home remedies to help us through.  Our three-year-old, Gabriel, got a cold at a play group we went to and was generous enough to pass it on to Nathaniel and I.  Unfortunately for Nathaniel, his turned into croup and he’s had some pretty tough days, and nights.  We all have.  When I ran across this list of safe home remedies, I knew I had to share them with you.

1. Honey – it coats and soothes the throat and helps tame a cough.  In one study, parents rated honey better than cough syrup for treating children’s nighttime coughs.  Your child has to be at least a year old to try this.  For children 1-5, 1/2 teaspoon of honey.  Children 6-11, 1 teaspoon. Don’t forget to brush their teeth after taking it, especially at bedtime.  And no drinks of water afterward.  I can’t say enough about this remedy!!  We have been using this with our boys and it has worked wonderfully!  One night I even forgot to give Nathaniel his honey before bed and he was coughing and crying and couldn’t get settled at all.  I went in and gave him 1/2 teaspoon of honey and it worked like a charm.  He stopped coughing and fell fast asleep within minutes.  And would you believe this is the only “medicine” he doesn’t resist?
   
2. Neti Pot – A neti pot flushes a mild saline solution through the nasal passages, moisturizing the area and thinning, loosening, and rinsing away mucus.  Gotta have a cooperative child for this one.  Not for babies or young toddlers, and older children might not go for it.  You have to kind of learn how to do this, and a friend of mine recently told me it’s a little tricky at first.  Try practicing on yourself first.  I have never tried this myself.
3. Nose Blowing – Helps your child breathe and sleep more easily, and probably feel more comfortable.  Many kids can’t do this until 4, but some can by 2.  Hold one nostril shut and practice blowing out one side.  Gabriel can do this very well at age 3, and has been able to for a while.  It really does help.
4. Bulb Syringe – Clears the nose of little one too young to blow.  Don’t suction your baby’s nose more than a few times per day or you might irritate the lining of his nose.  Of course Nathaniel hates this, but it does help him breathe easier.
5. Vapor Rub – Supposed to help kids sleep better at night.  Research suggests that the ingredients really don’t effect congestion, but they make you feel like you’re breathing easier by producing that cool feeling in your nose.  Now you can buy these made for babies 3 months and older.  Or try making your own.  Massage into chest, neck, and back.  [Update: Here are a few more ideas...Take four ounces of jojoba oil and stir in fifteen to twenty drops lavender oil, 30-35 drops eucalyptus oil, and eight to ten drops wintergreen oil. Shake well in a closed container and warm the whole thing by running it under hot water. Just make sure to test on your own skin prior to use. Or either of these look like good options to me...Sniffles for Kids Eucalyptus Rub, or Congesto-K KiddieRub]
6. Gargling with salt water – Soothes a sore throat and helps clear mucus from the throat.  Mix 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water and stir.  Try to gargle 3-4 times a day while sick.   Your kiddo has to be able to gargle, so probably school age.
7. Elevating the head – Elevating their held while they rest can help them to breathe easier.  For babies, place some towels or slim pillows between head of mattress and crib springs.  NEVER put towels and pillows in the crib with your baby.  They could suffocate him.  For older kids, try and extra pillow.  Shoot for a 45 degree angle.  My kids toss and turn too much for this to work.  Half the time their head are at the end of their beds, in which case this would definitely not work!
8. Lots of rest – Watch videos or bring toys to the bed.  Books, puzzles, crayons and paper.
9. Steamy air – Breathing this moist air help loosen mucus in the nasal passage.  You can do this with a humidifier, cool-mist vaporizer, or a steamy bathroom.  Use the humidifier or vaporizer in your child’s bedroom when they’re sleeping or resting.  Add a few drops of menthol, eucalyptus or pine oil to the vaporizer to help them feel less congested.  You can also close the bathroom door and turn on the hot water.  Sit in your steamy bathroom for 15 minutes.  We always use a humidifier or vaporizer in their bedrooms at night when they’ve got colds.  It does make a difference.  Since Nathaniel has had croup we’ve also been doing the steam treatments in the bathroom with him.  We just bring along a few toys and books.
10. Extra Fluids – Drinking lots of fluids help prevent dehydration and it also flushes and thins nasal secretions.  Water is great, but maybe not very appealing to you child.  Try fruit smoothies and other healthy beverages, and popsicles made from 100% juice.  If your baby is less than 6 months old stick to breast milk or formula. We do smoothies for breakfast a few times a week, and one morning as I was making them I noticed the package of frozen strawberries I was adding had 90% vitamin C!  Organic juice popsicles are also great.
    
11. Chicken soup and other warm liquids – Very soothing and help relieve congestion.  Studies show that chicken soup actually relieves aches, fatigue, congestion, and fever.  Warm tea that your child likes, such as chamomile, is another idea.  (Make sure any herbal tea you want to try is safe for children.)

Update : Just to clarify for you, there are 4 different types of cough and cold medications, and NONE of them are okay for children under 4.  They include nasal decongestants, anti-histamines, cough suppressants, and expectorants.

Sources: babycenter.com

If you remember from earlier this year, the FDA issued a health advisory that cough and cold medicines should not be used to treat children under the age of 2.  Earlier this month the FDA held a public hearing on using cold medicines for children between ages 2 and 6.  They didn’t come to a conclusion and said they needed more data.  Well, guess what. The makers of these medicines, acting “out of abundance of caution”, say the medicines shouldn’t be given to children younger than 4.  I think I’m going to go with the makers on this one.

Did you know that the recent debate on all of these medicines resulted from a citizens petition by a group of pediatricians who felt that cough and cold medicines were unsafe?  Hmm.  I’m not feeling any better about these medicines if pediatrician felt they were unsafe.  Research even suggests that these medicines can do more harm than good.  Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, Baltimore’s health commissioner and a leader in the push to stop marketing these medicines for children says, “There is no evidence that these products work in kids, and there is definitely evidence of serious side effects.”

Wondering which types of medicines?  They include decongestants, expectorants, antihistamines and cough suppressants.  I’m thinking we need to learn what Grandma used to do, and find some good home remedies.  Well, I have some for you in my next post.

Update : Just to clarify for you, there are 4 different types of cough and cold medications, and NONE of them are okay for children under 4.  They include nasal decongestants, anti-histamines, cough suppressants, and expectorants.

Sources: babycenter.com