Coughing is one of the bodies best defense mechanisms. The purpose of a cough is throw irritants out of the body. You want a cough to help get rid of the mucus and prevent dead cells from settling in the lungs.
Suppressing a cough is not always the best way to go. The following natural remedies can help relieve a painful, or simply annoying cough. With that said, if a toddler’s cough does not reduce within two weeks, it could be a sign of something more serious than a common cold.
Add moisture
A humidifier is an excellent weapon against a painful, dry cough. Warm, moist air can be soothing and can also help a child relax. Be sure to keep the machine extra clean to avoid pushing more bacteria into the air.
Add a scarf
Changes in temperature, a gust of cold air or simply walking into an air conditioned room can aggravate a cough. Keep your child bundled up while their body is fighting an irritant. A cozy scarf or mom’s robe can be used to keep the chill out.
Plan a sneak attack
Children suffering from a cough may not be sleeping well at night. Although they may not have a fever or any other symptoms, they may desperately need an extra nap to make up for lost sleep at night. Their body is working overtime and needs all the help it can get. Now is a good time to explain the function of white blood cells. You can tell your child their army of white blood cells needs them to be still so they can
sneak up on the germs.
Have a tea party
Now is the time to push the fluids. Make nutritious soups to help your child fight the infection, offer warm water, or gentle herb tea. Having a tea party is a fun way to accomplish this task. If your child is over a year old, a teaspoon of honey can be added. Milk can be a problem for some, cut down or avoid it all together while fighting a cough.
Be like a koala
My daughter refused to let me put eucalyptus balm on her chest until I told her it is the only food a picky koala will eat. That was all it took for her to suddenly love the smell of eucalyptus! It helps that she had a stuffed koala in her room that also became her best lovie when she was sick. Used as aromatherapy, eucalyptus balm will open the breathing passage, improve circulation and help a blocked nose.
More by Sylvie Branch:
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