Cough Home Remedies

Natural Treatments for Childrens Coughs

Kids and cough medicine don't mix. Cough home remedies on the other hand can be safely used to treat coughs, colds and snotty noses without risk of the serious problems associated with cough medicines from your pharmacy.

The American FDA issued yet other warning parents in January 2008 to not give babies under two years of age over-the-counter (OTC) cold and cough medicine because of potentially "serious and life-threatening side effects." This includes decongestants, expectorants, antihistamines and antitussives (cough suppressants). Cough home remedies are completely safe and are not associated with the dangerous side effects of cough medications.

There are four main types of cough that children experience:

1. The runny nose dripping backwards: This is the most common type of cough you will encounter as a parent and is the most suited to treatment with cough home remedies. This cough is caused by mucous from the nose dripping down the back of your child’s throat. The cough reflex is triggered by the mucous and your child coughs to prevent this mucous moving into their chest. In this case, your child’s cough is performing a very important function and should never be suppressed.

   This type of cough can sound very wet and scary, especially after your child wakes from a sleep but is nothing to be worried about, it is NOT bronchitis – DON’T BE TEMPTED TO GIVE ANTIBIOTICS JUST IN CASE.

   Effective home remedies for this type of cough include onion cough syrup and garlic socks.

   Your child’s cough is most likely to be caused by a runny nose dripping backwards if:

• Their cough is much worse after waking from a sleep (laying down allows large amounts of mucous to accumulate which must be cleared once they are up and active). In many cases the cough will go after they have been up for about 30 minutes only to return after their next sleep.
• Your child’s cough sounds very ‘wet’ but when someone listens to their chest, their chest sounds perfectly clear.
2. Bronchitis: The cough caused by bronchitis often sounds very similar to the cough caused by a runny nose dripping backwards except a bronchitis cough is usually present day and night, whereas a runny nose dripping backwards is at its worst when your child wakes from sleep.

   Bronchitis can be successfully treated with natural medicine instead of antibiotics, however, until you are experienced and confident, it is best to work with an experienced natural therapist to treat your child’s bronchitis.

3. Viral Cough: Viral coughs are a dry, irritating cough often worse during the night. Croup and Bronchiolitis are examples of a viral cough. Viral coughs do not respond to antibiotics.

   Most viral coughs respond to moist air and steam. If you don’t have a humidifier, close your bathroom doors and windows then run the hot water tap to let the bathroom steam up. Place some blankets and towels on the floor and sit with your child. To encourage them to breathe deeply, get them to blow something. After blowing out, they will naturally take a big deep breath of steamy air in which will ease their cough. Some ideas of things to blow include blowing a candle out, blowing a feather or a floating toy.

   The herbal combination of Marshmallow root and Wild Cherry Bark can be soothing and effective treatments for dry, viral coughs. Croup can be effectively treated with Homoeopathic medicines.

4. Asthmatic Cough: An asthmatic cough is also a dry cough and tends to occur mostly at night time. In some children it starts as soon as the sun goes down and temperature drops in the early evening. It commonly worsens when the temperature drops again in the early hours of the morning.

   An asthmatic cough cannot be treated with cough home remedies, you will need to work with an experienced natural therapist if your child has asthma.

Onion Cough Syrup

• This cough syryp actually tastes rather pleasant and is a very effective treatment for both wet and dry coughs.

  Peel a large brown onion and cut in half. Place in a saucer and drizzle with 3 tablespoons of honey. Cover and leave in the fridge overnight. Remove the onion and stir well to mix with the honey. If possible, use Manuka honey.




• Dose: 1 teaspoon every 1-2 hours as needed.

  
  

• The high sugar content of the honey, draws the liquid out of the onion. Onion, like its close relative garlic, contains substances that act like an antibiotic when excreted through your child's lungs and respiratory tract. It also helps to break down the bonds holding mucous together, making it easier to cough out. The honey helps to soothe sore throats and dry coughs

Garlic Socks

Suitable for babies under 12 months

• Cut 2 cloves of garlic in half and gently crush using the back of a spoon or knife. Place the crushed garlic between two pairs of socks and leave on your child overnight. You should notice faint ‘garlic breath’ the next morning




• The volatile oil (the smelly compounds) in the garlic is easily absorbed into the blood stream through the soles of a baby’s feet. As the volatile oil is excreted through the lungs it has a mild antibiotic effect and also helps to thin mucous making it easier to cough up.




• Garlic socks are less effective for older children as the skin on the soles of their feet thickens and is less absorbent.

Chicken Soup A powerful and proven cold and flu medicine with no side effects.