How to Help a Sick Child Feel Better Without the Use of Cold Medicine

Trying to help a sick child feel better without the use of cold medicine when they are suffering from a seasonal cold can be really challenging. With the changes during the past couple of years concerning cold medicine made specifically for children, including recalls and the pulling of certain children's cold products off the shelves entirely, a lot of parents are wondering how to help their small child feel better without the use of cold medicine. If you need suggestions for how to help a sick child feel better without the use of cold medicine, consider the following tips.

If the child is old enough to gargle safely, have them gargle saltwater.
Gargling warm saltwater is so beneficial when it comes to soothing sore throats, lessening the severity of a cold, and even helping to prevent a cold altogether, that it should be a mainstay of your home remedy arsenal. When you need to know how to help a sick child feel better without the use of cold medicine, first conclude whether or not the child is capable of gargling with warm saltwater without swallowing it. My own children could do this very well by the time they were about 4 years old. Simply warm some water in a mug for about 30 seconds in the microwave, test the temperature to make sure it isn't too hot, and then ask the child to gargle, and spit, at least 3 separate times. This will soothe a sore throat, draw out toxins (especially helpful when a child is starting to develop tonsillitis), and even wash away germs.

As you try to learn how to help a sick child feel better without the use of cold medicine, keep in mind that cold germs that a child ingests or breathes in, can settle in the back of the throat and in the nostrils for a few days before symptoms present. That's why, anytime we are out in public places (movie theatres, the grocery store, Boys & Girls Club, Disneyland, etc.), during cold and flu season, I have my children gargle with warm saltwater when they get home, and also a couple of times the following day. Additionally, I have them swab the inside of their nostrils with a clean cotton swab dipped in warm saltwater (use a clean side of the swab for each nostril), as well. When we do come down with a cold, this preventative practice keeps our symptoms relatively mild. So, when you need to know how to help a sick child feel better without the use of cold medicine, start with having them gargle warm saltwater.

For chest congestion, have the child drink very warm liquids.
When you need to know how to help a sick child feel better without the use of cold medicine, don't underestimate the efficiency of very warm liquids. If you can have your child sip some very warm water, chicken soup broth, or tea. The warm liquid will help to break up some of the congestion, and will likely prompt your child to cough up some of the phlegm that is making them so uncomfortable, leaving them able to spit it out. Warm liquids are also a good way to help a sick child feel better without the use of cold medicine because it soothes a sore throat.

Use steam to your advantage.
Allowing a child to stand in a warm shower as the steam billows up can really help to break up congestion and encourage the flow of mucus from the sinuses, as well. The child may begin to cough productively, and although this can be uncomfortable as it occurs, the overall effect of ejecting phlegm and mucus from the body will almost always leave the child feeling a little more comfortable afterwards. When you want to help a sick child feel better without the use of cold medicine, steam is a great resource.

Vitamin C can help!
You will find varying recommendations as to dose allowances when it comes to Vitamin C for children. Doctors will not suggest more than the daily recommended allowance, whereas a leading Vitamin C awareness organization suggests that much higher doses are not only safe, but beneficial for many physical conditions. Personally, when our kids were between the ages of 2 and 5, we gave them half of one packet of Emergen-C per day (about 500 mg) during times when they had either been exposed to other people who were sick, had visited a public venue like Disneyland or Chuck E. Cheese during cold and flu season, when others in the house were battling a cold, or when they themselves had contracted a cold or flu. Once our kids reached the age of 6 (or were about 45 pounds) we began allowing them take the full 1,000mg dose of Emergen-C. The extra vitamin C assists in lessening symptom severity and duration of symptoms, so it can be very helpful when you need to help a sick child feel better without the use of cold medicine. Consult your pediatrician for doses you are comfortable with, or to ask about dose allowances for children under the age of 2.

Try Vicks Vapo Rub.
Many years ago, I knew a teenager whose grandmother would rub Vicks Vapo Rub all over his feet if he was sick with a cold or flu, stick some socks on him, and send him to bed. I never saw this individual suffer from any illness for longer than about 12 hours. While the rest of the world was miserable for four or more days with whatever cold or flu was going around, this guy would be perky and healthy by the very next morning after the first onset of symptoms. The Vicks Vapo Rub container label does not mention anything about applying it to feet, although there is no shortage of individuals who have posted online about their own positive experiences with this practice. The Vick's label does claim that the menthol and camphor in the product will relieve nasal congestion, suppress a cough, and relieve minor muscle aches and pains. I have put a pea-sized amount of Vick's on my hand as the hot shower is running (with the tub plugged up so that the water accumulates at the bottom), so that it would melt into the water and rise up with the steam, in order to help alleviate congestion in a child as young as six, with good results. I have also tried applying Vick's on the chest and feet of same said child, and by the next morning, I must admit he was looking, sounding, and acting as though he felt pretty well. Do not apply Vick's Vapo Rub directly under a child's nose, as it has been known to cause irritation which led to respiratory distress (the menthol formulation isn't good for putting very close to airways). Additionally, do not use regular Vick's Vapo Rub on a child under the age of 2. There is a baby Vick's product which is formulated to be safe for use on children aged two years and under.

It can be so tough on a household when a child gets sick and cannot take cold medicine. So the next time you need to know how to help a sick child feel better without the use of cold medicine, try some of these suggestions.