The common cold is a contagious disease that is caused by a number of various viruses. Medically, the common cold is referred as upper respiratory tract viral infection. The common cold symptoms may include runny nose, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion and sneezing. It may occur most frequently during the fall, winter and spring. Many mothers consider using home remedies for treating this ailment. The common cold spreads either by direct contact with infected secretions or by inhaling the airborne virus which gets infected through sneezing. The common cold is contagious during the initial two to three days of illness. Everyone tend to develop the common cold as they have not yet developed proper immune system. Mamma’s often get worried on their children during cold or cough infection and also worried on what and how to make their kids feel at ease comfort. Common cold is contagious and there is no-one stop cure for it. May it be antibiotics, syrups or pills. However, it is better to provide some remedies to your kids for some relief from your kitchen than a medical shop. The following are few of such home remedies for cold & cough.
1. Breast milk for newborn
There is no remedy or cure for common cold in newborn better than the natural food – the breast milk. A regular feed helps to make cranky baby calm. They feel comfortable in only mummy’s hands.
2. Warm mustard oil massage
Warm a little amount of mustard oil with two garlic pods and a few kalonji seeds. Massage this infused oil onto your baby’s chest, back, palm and feet. Wipe out the excess oil with a soft muslin cloth. This could make babies to get relief from cold and feel comfort.
3. Infused coconut oil massage
Heat half a cup of coconut oil and add a pearl onion, 2 to 3 tulsi leaves and one betal stem. When all the ingredients are warm enough, turn off the temperature, apply it on chest, back, palm and feet. This could make children to get some relief. The common practice is to add natural camphor to it. But the research says that the camphor is too strong and pungent when used on the skin of babies. Hence it is not recommended to use camphor for kids below 2 years of age.
4. Turmeric
Turmeric has been lauded for its healing properties. It isn’t surprising that it’s a part of lots of home remedies in India. One way of using turmeric for cold is to make a turmeric paste with the warm water and apply it on chest and wash away after sometime. The warmness of turmeric paste melts down the mucus and allows it to ooze out easier. The other way of using turmeric for cold ailment even for the adults is that take a warm milk and add a pinch of turmeric and pepper powder and drink it after mixing. This could give us relief from cough.
Boil milk with a pinch of turmeric and a garlic pod added to it – This acts as a natural paracetamol.
5. Honey combinations
Honey can be used as an important remedy for cold. But it is recommended that not to give honey to children below one year as raw honey do not have digestive capacity in babies. Other than that, honey is an excellent home remedy to fight from germs that spread cold and cough. Honey can also be used in combinations with pepper powder, dry ginger and lemon for better results.
- Honey with pepper powder
In a spoonful of honey, add a pinch of powdered pepper and mix well. Feed your kid at regular intervals. This remedy is good for both cold and cough.
- Honey with dry ginger
A pinch of powdered dry ginger added to a spoonful of honey works great for cough.
- Honey with lemon
In a glass of water. Squeeze some lemon juice and add honey to it. Mix well and make children to drink. As this is a tasty remedy, kids will not say no to this homemade medicine. It is good for both cold and cough.
6. Jaggery, cumin, black pepper and warm water concoction
Make the water boil with 1 or 2 teaspoon of jaggery, 1 or 2 black peppercorn, a pinch of cumin seeds in it. This concoction water is filtered and fed to kids. It is to be noted that more than two teaspoons of this concoction should not be given as the jaggery and pepper produces heat. This concoction is good for cold. cough and sore throat.
7. Soups
A warm soup makes an excellent food for calming, comforting children and relieves all kinds of cold and cough. Little pepper powder added to it gives little more comfort. May it be a chicken soup. mutton soup or a vegetable soup.
8. Citrus fruit juices
Regular sips of juice containing vitamin C such as lemon, orange or amla fights germs that spread colds. However, citrus fruit juices should be avoided if your child suffers from sore throat.
9. Dry ginger coffee
The name tells coffee, but actually there is no coffee involved in this remedy. Anyway this can be consumed only by grownups. Coarsely crush together dry ginger, pepper corns and tulsi leaves. Filter the mixture and it can be fed in a lukewarm temperature.
10. Gargling
Gargling with plain warm water or salt added to it provide relief from sore throat and cough. Doing it regularly gives the better result.
11. Steam
Steam inhalation soothes and helps children to get relief from blocked nose. The warm, moist air works by loosening the mucus in the nasal passages and provides a temporary relief. You can consider buying vaporizer.
12. Infused or plain water
Ensure that your kid is hydrated with a plenty of warm water, breast milk(In case of newborn) or any other fluids. Fluids help boosting immune system and also help your kid to get better from cold ailment. Infused water, which is a mix of water with ajwain, cumin or tulsi also gives a better relief. Boil the water with a spoon of ajwain or cumin seeds or tulsi leaves. Filter the water and in the lukewarm temperature, make you child to sip at regular intervals.
The Takeaway
The common cold and cough are the part and go in every child as they are more prone to germs and yet developing immune systems are not ready to fight against it. Prepare yourself for its unwelcome arrival with herbs, steamers and home remedies available in you kitchen and make your child feel comfortable and get relief from the germs causing cold and cough. Mammas! be happy and satisfied giving your child home remedies for treating or comforting cold and cough.