When toddlers get a cough and cold, alleviating the symptoms can be difficult. Most over-the-counter medications are limited to older children, typically starting at age four to six. Like adults, there is little if anything that can be done to shorten the duration of a cold in a toddler. Thankfully, there are some home remedies that can help your little one feel better while you wait for the cough and cold to run their course.
Humidifier
Colds typically are accompanied by runny or stuffy noses due to inflammation in the nasal passages and excess mucus. Maintaining moist air is important to keep the secretions moving so they can be expelled. Dry air often causes these secretions to harden, creating a glue-like consistency that can make breathing even more difficult. Cool mist humidifiers are recommended for small children to avoid the possibility of burns that may come with a warm mist humidifier.
Elevate the Head
Placing a rolled up blanket underneath the head of the mattress provides enough of an incline to allow secretions to drain instead of building up in the sinuses. A build-up of secretions not only creates congestion, it also increases a cough due to the constant need to rid the breathing passages of mucous. Sleeping with the head of the bed slightly elevated will make breathing through the night easier and help clear congestion, lessening a cough.
Home Cough Remedy
Over-the-counter cough remedies aren't recommended for young children due to many of the active ingredients. Parents can make their own cough medicine with ingredients found in most kitchens. Mix 1 tsp. of honey with 1 tbsp. of freshly squeezed lemon juice and add 1 or 2 tsp. of water to thin it. Because of the honey contained in this remedy, it is only suitable for children over 12 months old. Use a medicine dropper to administer to your toddler if drinking out of a sippy cup or bottle won't work. This remedy can be used up to three times per day.
Alternatively, 1 tbsp. of honey can be given by itself to help relieve a cough.
Saline Nose Spray
Congested noses can benefit from extra moisture delivered by a saline nose spray. These sprays are available in any drug store and can be found in pediatric varieties with smaller tips more suitable for smaller noses. Follow the directions on the bottle, but typically two sprays in each nostril every few hours will help clear secretions and moisturize nasal passages.
Warm Liquids
Aside from keeping your little one hydrated, warm liquids such as chicken noodle soup or warm chicken broth can help break up chest congestion. Warm fluids will help dissolve mucus build-up in the chest, clearing the breathing passages allowing for easier breathing while relieving a cough. Also, chicken noodle soup has been shown to help relieve the general discomfort that accompanies a cold, though scientists haven't been able to pinpoint why.
