General Cough and Cold Home Remedies For Kids
With more than 200 viruses floating around, it’s no surprise that cough and cold is so common in kids. Especially during seasonal change, every second child is seen suffering from the same.
As parents it’s tough to see our kids constantly sneezing and wheezing. The discomfort due to blocked nose or congestion leaves the child unable to eat or sleep properly. As a result, the child is always cranky and sometimes clingy.
I often resort to home remedies to treat general cough and cold for my kids. When A&A started schooling, cough and cold were like a biweekly affair. Resorting to OTC medicines or antibiotics everytime did not look like a feasible option.
Home remedies are quite common in India. They are considered to be safer and a better alternative to meds and antibiotics. They donot cost a lot and help make kids feel better instantly .
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Here are some simple home remedies for kids to treat general cold and cough –
1 Garlic & Ajwain Pouch
Both Garlic and Ajwain have antibacterial properties. Just take 1 or 2 garlic stoves and a spoonful of Ajwain, dry roast them, let it cool and put it a muslin cloth (& tie it tight). Keep the pouch near the baby’s pillow ( at a safe distance). The smell of garlic and Ajwain helps to soothe the child suffering from blocked nose. I sometimes also rub the pouch on my kid’s feet and it helps.
2. Turmeric Rub
Turmeric is known for its multiple health benefits. Prefer using a dry turmeric stick, char it and make a paste with warm water. Rub it on the baby’s chest. It helps to soothe the congestion.
3. Steam
Steam works wonder in cold. Just add a bit of turmeric in the water (used for steaming) and it’s all the more effective. Be careful while giving steam and place the child at a safe distance of using a steamer.
4. Honey and Ginger
Dry roast ginger, squeeze its juice and mix it with warm honey. Give one spoon to the child and it’s truly effective in treating dry cough. PLEASE NOTE – Use this only for kids above 1 year of age. Honey shouldn’t be given to kids less than one year.
5. Tulsi leaves and Ginger
Basil leaves can fight off a range of infections. Take one cup of water, add tulsi leaves and a small piece of ginger. Boil the mixture on slow heat, till the quantity becomes half. Give a spoon or two to the kids twice a day
6. Mustard Oil Mix with Garlic and Ajwain
Heat one fourth cup of Mustard oil. Add 2 cloves of crushed garlic and ajwain. Take it off the stove once it turns brown. Massage this oil on baby’s chest and under the feet. It helps soothe the congestion.
7. Lemon Juice Mixed With Honey
Lemon contains vitamin C which is known to strengthen the immunity. In a cup, just mix lemon juice along with honey. Add some water and feed your baby.
8. Concoction of Lemon, Honey and Cinnamon
Mix the three- lemon juice, honey and cinnaman powder and heat it a bit. Feed the same to the baby and see quick and effective results.
9. Gargling
This is more appropriate for older kids (3 years or above). Make the child gargle warm water or salt water twice or thrice a day. This helps provide quick relief to the sore throat and cough.
10. Turmeric Milk
Everyone has heard of ‘haldi doodh’ and it’s benefits. This particularly helps in dry cough. Just give your child a glass of warm milk with a pinch of turmeric at night. You can also add jaggery for sweetness.
General Precautions You Must Take –
1 Ensure that the child is not allergic to any ingredients that you use in your home remedy.
2. Remember to give an age appropriate remedy. A one year old child would not be able to gargle.
3. Check the temperature of the rub or mixture you give to the kid. It should be warm, not too hot.
4. Ensure the child is well hydrated.
5. Consult your doctor, in case of any doubt.
Do you prefer home remedies for kids? What is that one home remedy that always works for you?
Also read : Is It Safe To Use Talcum Powder For Babies?
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This is useful information for all parents and maybe even for ourselves! the methods are also so useful!
Bookmarked your post. The natural remedies look so simple yet we forget the naturak healing method and start focusing on OTC meds. Really found this to be useful.
These remedies are indeed the safest and really effective treatments for children. Many of,”dadima ke nuske” still work wonders. I have myself used many of the above treatments for my children. A great resource for parents.
I’m bookmarking this post. I didn’t know even half of the remedies mentioned and I believe it is useful for babies and adults alike.
Thats a great list, it would be really handy for all parents. Mustard oil mix is a favorite in our house.
Try this the next time. Take equal amount of raw jaggery and black peppercorns. Mix together and pound in a mortar and pestle. Make small balls of this mixture. Eat one at regular intervals to soothe the throat and reduce congestion. And some really nice tips! I never knew that you could add turmeric to water during inhalation/steaming.
These are fantastic home remedies. I also swear by some of them. If the cold gets out of hand then we also use homeopathy.
these are very effective supportive treatment to be given to child for cold and cough. this treatment definitely helps.
I have often fried the ajwain and garlic potli. It works wonders. You’ve put down great points together.
I have often used the ajwain garlic potli. Works wonders. You have put together very apt remedies.
Not sure about babies but this is definitely very useful for me! Turmeric milk and gargling are standards.
Turmeric rub was new! Will keep this is mind next time. I completely rely on these natural remedies and they always work fine.
These remedies are holistic unlike the drugs we usually go for.
Such a lovely post. I’ve saved your home remedies because I believe in natural therapy.
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great post, cough and cold is every house problem and even I try some home remedy first honey ginger and turmeric honey is my rescue medicine
honey and ginger is my go to remedy for cold and cough for my kids. going to try others too in future.
Thanks. Very useful tips.
Home remedies are really a good idea for small ailments. Even doctors suggest some easy remedies nowadays. For a certain kind of allergy turmeric powder with small quantities of honey is supposed to be a good alternative to modern medicine.
I am truly glad I came across your post. Thanks so much for sharing. What works for kids can work for us too. As someone struggling with drug allergies, I am always looking for natural alternatives to medications.
Hi Charu, that’s a nice list of home remedies for common cold and cough. I think you are right when you mention that OTC is not a very feasible option and the simple explanation would be that we need to strengthen the immune system and not just the symptoms. At the tender age, it’s much more advisable to go in for holistic healing of the illness/ disease.
Growing up, my dad never let my sister and me use any of the allopathic medicines. So,I grew up in a home with a father who was a doctorate in home remedies. After five years staying in a hostel, now, I actually go for the allopathic medicines mostly. Your post made me a little nostalgic of my childhood days 🙂
My first act before heading to a doc is gharelu nuskhe. These are surely gonna help in seasonal cold and cough. However, if the cold persists it’s time to call the doc. But mostly these remedies help.
I swear by Mustard Oil Mix with Garlic and Ajwain, my kids winters get better because of this. Turmeric rub I was unaware about.
Excellent remedies shared… After knowing the side effects of antibiotics and allopathic medicines that doctiors prescribe, i try to go natural and give home remedies to my kids as far as possible…
This is a very useful post for me. My son tends to suffer from cold & cough quite often. I am surely going to use these home remedies for him. Thanks.
Easy methods with immediate results. I trust home remedies more than an allopathic medicines. Turmeric and steam are my most effective ones from your list.
I didn’t know about turmeric rub, will try this. With the onset of rains, battling cold and cough with the little one is so challenging.
Tulsi, turmeric, honey and ginger work all the time. The is a handy useful list for every mother in the hour of need! Keep providing useful stuff!
I always prefer home remedies, lovely post and thanks for the share.
Have tried and tested all the listed remedies.
Will add one more to list – When you have a sore throat, you can chew on Liquorice Root known as jesthimadh or mulethi sticks for speedy relief. Also add a pinch of salt to the water you drink it helps
That’s a very informative post. Really helpful for parents like e who believe in home remedies. I wrote something similar. You might want to read it https://beingathinkaholic.com/best-indian-home-remedies-for-cold-and-cough-in-babies/
Useful post , I also do some of these , especially steam and try to avoid medicine .
The fear of catching cold nd cough is real for mums, I rub axe oil on their feet and cover them with socks, #millennialscribbler
Homemade Nuskes are the best especially for kids as they are super sensitive. I wanted some handy useful post to share with one of my friend in Pune who has a small baby girl 🙂 This post covered it all! Yaay 🙂
#MyFriendAlexa #vigorousreads
I have no kids but yes these are important points for all mommies.
Nicely covered;)
Helpful post Charu. Our kitchen is full with medical remedy or solutions yet we do pills popping.
I am so glad to see 3-4 tips that we use are listed here.
I use most of these recipes at home and believe me, my Son hardly gets cold even after drenching in rain for more than an hour. This is a wonderful post and must read for all the parents.
My son often catches cold and cough and our first thing is to place garlic and ajwain pouch, followed by turmeric milk. However, rubbing turmeric on chest was new to me.
Very helpful and informative post regarding cough and cold which is so common in kids.Yes I do prefer home remedies first and Mustard oil mix,garlic and ajwain remedy ki like “Rambaan” in cough and cold, I use to add one more thing in this mix and i.e.Asfoetida and its really works faster.
Thanks for sharing some lovely home remedies. I swear by ginger and honey. I had heard about a few remedies but wasn’t aware of so many home remedies.
That’s a wonderful list you have there Charu. Even we resort to home remedies apart from the prescribed medication. Thanks for sharing this. #MyFriendAlexa #CloudandSunshineReads
I have known of some of these home remedies – but not all of them…turmeric is always a winner!!
This post was such a blast from the past, I remember my grandmother used to do these little household remedies. I barely went to the doctor as a kid, grand mom knew how to take care of everything.
I used to give them garlic and ajwain potli ..happy that you shared so easy and home remedies!!
home remedies really work wonders. It would be lovely to know the science behind how they work though.
Some great tips. our Indian kitchen ingredients are indeed superfoods. #MyFriendAlexa #ShubhraReads
Oh wow! Home remedies for cold and cough is what we used but nowadays they are considered old hat. I wish every parent would follow these home remedies rather than dispensing medication. #wordsmithkaurreads #BlogChatter #MyFriendAlexa
Some of these work wonders on adults as well. I should know. I’ve tried most of them. But thanks for introducing me to some new ones like #1 and #6. This was a really informative post. Thanks for sharing, Charu Ji. 🙂
I prefer Turmeric Milk. It is effective and tasty too. 😀
Kesar is also good for relieving cold. May be you can research and add. I give Kesar milk or Kesar haldi (turmeric) milk. Kesar with turmeric rub on forehead , soles and chest is also good . #damurureads
I have always stood by turmeric milk, the golden milk as it is called. Its very effective, I also give ginger and honey syrup to kids, works wonders.
Some of the remedies my mom told me. But some of them are really new to me. Thanks for this awesome post.
woow these are some easy and wonderful remedies!
I always believe that home remedies are the best instead of popping pills – especially for kids and senior citizens. Thank you for writing such an informative post. Keep writing such interesting posts. #MyFriendAlexa #DiaryOfAnInsaneWriter
This is no doubt a great post, very well researched and very helpful for moms out there.
such a helpful post for we moms sure will mark this post thank you sharing the wonderful tips….
This is a very useful and related post. Kids are so prone to infections and at last homemade recipes learned from ancestors only work.
When kids get sick it is difficult for parents to deal with. It would be so good if the pain can be exchanged. But your post has great solution!
It was a very useful post and have definitely been using honey and ginger as well as turmeric milk since my childhood days.
The ginger and honey, I have been using and it’s quite effective but it is difficult to make them have it. But the turmeric rub is a new one. Got to try it
Perfect. How ajwain, ginger, mustard oil and honey are every mom’s favorite. Vegetable or lentil soups with lil black pepper also give relief.
#Myfriendalexa #Blogchatter #momlearningwithbaby
Such a topical and useful post. Bookmarking this one. Thank you!
These are some really great and effective ways to treat cough and cold. No need to visit the docs. We also follow some of these tips in our home.
Change in seasons makes my younger one fall in the clutches of cold and cough. These remedies have always helped me to provide her relief. Thanks for sharing.
#readbypreetispanorama for #MyFriendAlexa
Superb. Loved the post. Thanks for sharing the remedies. I know few of them but this list is handy. I’ll save this for sure.
Home remedies are the best.You have penned down everything so nicely. Will try all this for my daughter in need.Thanks a lot #myfriendalexa #manseereads
I cant remember one season that my mother did not have tulsi-ginger kadha in the fridge ready for our milk & tea .. These are really effective remedies !
Must informative post for all the mom’s, I too use this for my kids whenever they are suffering from cold & cough and this really works.
Going to share this with all my friends and family
Thank you so much for sharing these. I also resot to home remedies before checking with the doctor
#tmmreads #myfriendalexa
“ghar k nukse” and natural remedies are best. not just for kids but even for adults. Its better we go back to nature for a healthy life.
Brilliant post. Very helpful and I am sure a lot of parents will be benefitted from it. Thanks for sharing this knowledge.
Good luck,
Surbhi #surreads
https://prettymummasays.com
Traditional and indian home remedies are always best , not only kids but also adults use these home remedies for cough and cold
This is such a helpful post for all mothers I always trust home remedies as cough and cold comes often. Pawan home remedy that always works for my daughter is that make powder I gave a pinch twice a day and works like magic.
I have used most of the tips here, thanks for sharing this. It’s gonna be beneficial for many parents 🙂
During the monsoon and the change of weather children are prone to viral and cough & cold. Nice home remedies. They are great with zero side effects. nice informative post.
#ContemplationOfaJoker #Jokerophilia #MyFriendAlexa
I usually retort to home remedies and homeopathy first. Only in severity, I give OTC or antibiotic. Few home remedies were new for me, though. A very useful post for parents.
Very useful information Charu . Turmeric milk works great for cold and cough even for elders. Thanks for sharing these home remedies
Oh I didnt know about this garlic, ajwain sooothing potli thing.. will surely try it out for my son.
Very, very helpful. Some of these tips we use even now – for us and not just for the kids. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
i just wrote some points last weekend and i should have read this before so that i could have get some more pints to share -;
Great Points from which few i always use for my girl. #MyFriendAlexa #momandmaithili #Blogchatter
Honey and Ginger works the best and steam too.
Cold and cough can really be tough on kids. Thanks for sharing these fantastic natural remedies. I too believes in avoiding medicines.
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