Cold and Cough Home Remedies for Children: What Works?

 

Is honey OK for a cough? Should children with a cold avoid thick fluids like milk? WebMD asked the experts.

Concerns about the safety of over-the-counter cold medicines for children have left many parents searching for alternative remedies for children's cold and cough symptoms.

Popular over-the-counter cold and cough remedies for infants have been withdrawn from the market after the FDA warned in January 2008 against giving those types of medicines to children younger than 2 because of the possibility of serious harm or death.

While the FDA is considering whether to change the guidelines for children ages 2 to 11, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association in October 2008 said they would voluntarily change the labels on cough and cold medications to say they should not be used in children younger than 4. An FDA advisory panel made a similar recommendation in October 2008, saying that nonprescription cold medicines should not be given to children ages 2 to 5.

The nonprescription remedies include antihistamines for runny noses, decongestants for stuffy noses, cough suppressants, and expectorants for loosening mucus to relieve congestion.

Children get six to 10 colds a year on average, according to the National Institutes of Health. And as surely as children get the sniffles, parents want to ease their symptoms.

The bad news for parents: No home remedies or cold medicines will make a cold go away faster; they usually run their course in seven to 10 days. At best, some medicines will relieve symptoms. But even that is in question, says Sheela R. Geraghty, MD, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Ohio. She recommends fluids, reducing fever to make a child comfortable, and keeping noses suctioned so babies can eat comfortably.

“To be honest with you, that’s about it,” Geraghty says. “Time is what helps with colds.”

For more specific guidance on soothing coughs and other cold symptoms, WebMD talked to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the FDA, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, Geraghty, Rachel Dodge, MD, MPH, a pediatrician with Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore, and Joyce Allers, RN, clinical program manager of the School Health Program at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Here are their suggestions:

 

Fluids

Make sure children stay hydrated, and give them what they’re accustomed to drinking. For babies, stick to breast milk or formula for those younger than 6 months. An oral electrolyte solution designed for infants, such as Pedialyte, also can be given. Don’t give straight water to babies younger than 6 months; their kidneys can’t process it correctly and an electrolyte imbalance may occur.

For children older than 12 months, try water, diluted juice, and milk.

Sometimes parents hear that they shouldn’t give milk because it promotes mucus building. That’s an old wives’ tale with no scientific evidence to back it up, Geraghty says. It’s especially important for babies to continue drinking breast milk or formula.

Fever

For a baby younger than 3 months, check with a doctor.

For babies ages 3 to 6 months, talk to your child’s doctor about using infant acetaminophen and ask for the correct dosage. Make sure to use the measuring cup or spoon included with the medicine. Household measuring spoons may not measure accurately, resulting in an overdose.

For children 7 months and older, try acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Check with the doctor for the right dosage. Read bottles and packages carefully to make sure you’re giving the right dose. Infant drops and children’s liquid fever reducers come in different strengths. Make sure you’re giving the correct amount.

Aspirin should not be used because of the risk of developing Reye’s syndrome, a serious illness that can damage the brain and liver.

If an infant younger than 3 months has a temperature, taken rectally, that is higher than 100.4 degrees, check with your doctor or go to an emergency room immediately. In young infants, this could be a sign of a serious infection. Also, consult a doctor if a child older than 3 months has a temperature higher than 104 when taken rectally.

 

Coughing

Give a half-teaspoon of honey to children ages 2 to 5; 1 teaspoon to children ages 6 to 11; and 2 teaspoons to those 12 and older, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends. Do not give honey to babies younger than 1 because of the risk of infant botulism.

Smoke can irritate already inflamed airways. Don’t smoke in a home with children, advice that extends beyond cold season. While children have colds, keep them away from smoke from other sources, too, such as grills and wood-burning fires.

If the coughing is so severe that it keeps a child from sleeping, or if the cough lasts beyond 10 days, discuss it with a doctor.

 

Scratchy Throat

Soft foods such as puddings, Popsicles, chicken soup, gelatin desserts, and ice cream can feel good to a scratchy throat, Allers says. If a child doesn’t feel like eating their usual diet, try some of these foods.

 

Congestion

Saline nasal drops can help relieve congestion, especially in an infant’s small nasal passages. Because babies breathe through their noses and not their mouths, breaking up nasal congestion can make it easier to breathe, allowing a baby to nurse or drink from a bottle more comfortably.

Place a few of the salt water drops in each nostril to thin mucus, wait at least 60 seconds, then use a blue bulb syringe to gently remove discharge. For infants, try this before feeding.

Saline drops or spray also can relieve stuffy noses in older children. Have children wait 60 seconds after using the spray before gently blowing their noses.

Resting with the head elevated might make children feel more comfortable by improving drainage. If you want to raise a baby’s head slightly, try placing a rolled-up towel underneath the crib mattress. Do not place any soft bedding or pillows on the mattress itself because of the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, Dodge cautions. For older children, place a folded towel between a mattress and box springs to elevate the head and chest. Choose a slight angle so a child doesn’t slide down the mattress.

A cool-mist humidifier or vaporizer in a child’s room can add moisture to the air, helping ease breathing through dry, congested nasal passages. Some pediatricians and children’s hospitals, as well as the AAP, recommend them. After each use, empty water from the machine. Make sure to follow manufacturer’s instructions on keeping machines clean and disinfected. Do not use hot water in a vaporizer because of the risk of burns.

Geraghty advises against using a humidifier. Most aren’t cleaned between each use, she says, resulting in mold and mildew spreading through the air in a child’s room, worsening their condition.

 

When to Call 911

    * If an infant is making grunting noises while trying to breathe.
    * If a child stops breathing for more than 10 seconds.
    * If a toddler can’t complete a sentence because he is struggling to breathe.
    * If there is a blue or dark purple color to the nail bed, lips, gums, or mucous membranes.

When to Call a Doctor

    * A child is so weak and tired he doesn’t respond well.
    * A child doesn’t play for at least a few minutes in a four-hour period while he is awake.
    * If a child complains of a tight feeling in his chest, or that his chest hurts.
    * If, after seeing a doctor, a child starts wheezing or having more difficulty breathing.
    * If an infant can’t be calmed by methods that usually work, like singing, rocking, or giving a pacifier.
    * A child tugs at her ear or shows sign of ear pain.
    * Fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher in a child 3 months or younger.
    * Fever for more than three days in an older baby or child.
    * If the child appears dehydrated. For babies younger than 12 months, that means a dry diaper after six to eight hours. For older children, that means no urination for more than eight hours. No tears when crying, sunken eyes, and dry lips are also indicators of dehydration.
    * A child has bloody mucus or saliva.

 

 

Elizabeth Lee - WebMD