When your child has a viral infection, the discomfort he feels is clear to see. While some viral infections affect his digestive system and cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, others, such as the respiratory syncytial virus, cause children to cough and experience symptoms akin to a chest cold. The irritated respiratory tract leads to near-constant coughing, which is one of the most visible signs of your child's discomfort. As long the cough isn't serious, try treating the reaction at home with methods that are safe for small children.
Step 1
Install a cool-mist humidifier in your child's room. Coughs are more prominent and less productive in dry air, since mucus is less likely to move throughout the respiratory tract. By moistening the air, you help to soothe a scratchy throat and chest to calm the actual need to cough, while moistening the mucus trapped as a result of the virus so your child is able to cough more productively.
Step 2
Offer your child 1 teaspoon of honey as long as he's more than 1 year old. While infants have a higher risk for the effects of botulism, a severe form of food poisoning from honey, older toddlers and children can consume honey safely. Mix 1 teaspoon in a warm glass of milk or herbal tea to help soothe the scratchy sensation in the throat and chest so your child feels the need to cough less.
Step 3
Take your child outside to breathe the cool, fresh air. KidsHealth points out that cool air often helps to relieve the need to cough, but you'll still need to dress your child appropriately for the weather. Ensure he's warm enough, then head outside for 10 to 15 minutes to see if exposure to fresh air helps to calm his cough.
Step 4
Offer your child a bowl of chicken soup. Chicken soup might seem like an old wives' remedy, but a landmark 2000 study published in the medical journal "Chest" found that it actually has anti-inflammatory properties that affect the movement of neutrophils in the body. Neutrophils are responsible for the creation of mucus in the body, so chicken soup helps to relieve symptoms as a result of congestion, such as coughing or a stuffy nose.
Step 5
Schedule an appointment if your child experiences difficulty breathing, wheezes when he coughs, the cough becomes worse or isn't resolved within three weeks. If you have a baby less than a month old, see a doctor at the first sign of a cough. While viral infections don't typically need antibiotics, sometimes coughs are a sign of a treatable condition, such as whooping cough, and your child will benefit from breathing treatments.
References
- KidsHealth.org: Your Child's Cough
- American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology: Cough in Children: Tips to Remember
- Merck Manuals: Respiratory Tract Infections in Children; Mary T. Caserta; May 2007
- Seattle Children's Hospital: Cough
- "Chest"; Chicken Soup Inhibits Neutrophil Chemotaxis In Vitro; Barbara O. Rennard, et al.; October 2000
