Home Cold & Flu Remedies for Small Children

When winter approaches, most of us gear up for another season of cold and flu breakouts. We go out for our immunizations for flu and stock up on all the medicines and syrups. If you try to stay out of the way of pharmaceutical drugs and prefer to treat your illness and symptoms with natural remedies, there are certainly quite a few in regards to this area that are helpful and beneficial for yourself, however, if you have an infant or small child problems may be posed by many home remedies.

Infants and children require special care in every situation and it only gets worse with the onset of illness. First and foremost, you should always consult a physician when your child is sick and experiencing discomfort from symptoms. During consultation, you may bring up some of the tried and true home remedies that we will go over here.

The first home remedy in treating children with colds and flu is the number one remedy on every list: chicken soup. Not only will warm chicken soup help clear the sinuses, but the broth will prevent dehydration and provide essential nutrients in combating the illness. In addition, chicken soup is a natural anti-inflammatory. Children may eat whole chicken soup, but infants should only be given the broth.

Another way to help clear congestion naturally is to use the power of steam. Run a hot shower in a closed bathroom for at least ten minutes and then walk into the bathroom and sit or stand for 15 minutes. Exit the bathroom and close the door. Wait 10 minutes and then return for another 15 minutes. This will clear sinuses and allow for expectoration during cough.

It is advised to keep your home always moist and humidified. Electric humidifiers are excellent for this purpose as long as they are used correctly and maintained regularly. Your home should constantly be in the range of 40-50% humidity and your humidifiers should be cleaned and disinfected at least once per week. Mold and mildew grow fast in these machines and you don't want them releasing particles and spores into the air which can exacerbate symptoms.

Honey has been a cough remedy almost since the people have first harvested it. According to Allison Jance at www.healthcentral.com, studies have shown that honey is more effective than cough medicine for a cough when given orally before bed. One tablespoon is sufficient. Do not use this for children under 1 year! Honey has been linked to botulism poisoning in infants less than 1 year old.

Make sure your children have clean nasal passages and sinuses. Help them blow their noses regularly or use a suction device to pull out excess mucous. Clean the nasal passages with a mild, warm salt water solution.

Vitamin C is the single most important vitamin in dealing with colds and flu. It helps boost the immune system, giving it that extra push it sometimes needs. Fresh juices are the best source of Vitamin C and not only easy to provide, but enjoyable to drink as well.

Herbal remedies for coughs have often been recommended that are safe for children. One is a tea of eucalyptus and chamomile. http://pregnancyandbaby.com recommends cleaning 7 eucalyptus leaves and 3 chamomile plants and placing them in a container. Pour ½ liter of boiling water over them. Once the water is cold, the plants and leaves can be strained out and then given orally in 3-teaspoon doses once per day. A thyme remedy is also suggested. Twenty thyme buds can be boiled in water for several minutes. Once cooled, it can be drank in unlimited quantities throughout the day.

These home remedies are safe for both you and your small children, but again, I stress to always ask your physician or health professional before attempting any of these ideas.