Home Remedies for Cough and

Cold in babies and Toddlers

1. Camphor
Heat coconut oil and add little powdered camphor in it. After it has cooled,
pour 4 to 5 drops to your palm and apply it evenly over the chest of your
little one. Please take care to use very little camphor as it may irritate the
baby skin.
2. Eucalyptus oil
Allow the baby to inhale the eucalyptus oil.The oil can be also be sprinkled
in the baby beddings.
3. Turmeric
For infants, take a dried turmeric piece and burn it in a candle or diya
flame, allow the infant to inhale the smoke from the burning turmeric for
a minute. The smoke arising from the burning turmeric will be like a
thread only, so no fear of smoke inhalation!!!
For kids above 2 years, a little turmeric can be added to milk and given.
4. Wedge for sleeping
If your little one has mucus and has a hard time sleeping, build a wedge
out of pillows and keep the child sleeping at an angle. The gravity helps to
drain the mucus from the nose.
5. Garlic
Peel the skin of 2 garlic pods and allow them to steep in 50 ml of hot
water for 10 minutes. Let it cool, feed 2 sips of the garlic water to your
little one every 2 to 3 hours. This can be done for kids above 4 year.
6. Ginger
Ginger thins out the mucus and so is very helpful for treating blocked
nose. Grate a small piece of ginger and add it to hot water and allow it to
cool for about 10 min. This can be given to children above 2 years.
7. Chicken soup
Clear chicken soup can be given from 8 Month onwards.
8. Tulsi/Basil leaves
Tulsi leaves have great medicinal properties, they can be either added to
water or milk. Allow them to soak in water for more than a hour and feed
the water in sips to kids above 2 years.
9. Honey

For Babies above 1 year, a half a teaspoon of honey can be added to the
milk and given twice a day.
10. Ajwain
Roast Ajwain on low flame in a pan, wrap it in a kerchief to make a potli
and allow the kid to inhale it or hold it near the nose of infants.
11. Saline drops
Saline drops does wonders to blocked nose, pour 2 to 3 drops in each
nostril with the head of the baby tilted down to facilitate the easy flow of
the saline into the nose.
12. Ladies finger/Okra
The mucilaginous nature of okra have a probiotic effect on the babys
body and help to remove mucous and reduce the inflammation and throat
irritation.
Slice a okra into small pieces and add to a cup of boiling water and allow
to steep for 10 minutes, let it cool. The water can be given in sips to the
baby. This can be given to babies above 1 year.
13. Chamomile
A diluted mild tea prepared from chamomile can be given to kids above 2
years, it acts as a soothing agent for the throat.
14. Lemon
Lemon is rich in Vitamin C and helps in developing immunity. For babies
above 1 year, mix lemon juice with honey and lots of water.
15. Cinnamon
Cinnamon has an antioxidant effect and acts as an effective antibacterial
and antifungal agent. This can be given kids older than 1 years of age.
Mix 1 teaspoon of honey with 1/4 spoon of cinnamon, feed this mixture
every 4 hours throughout the day when the first signs and symptoms of
cold surface.
16. Mustard Oil
Mix 5 to 10 teaspoon of mustard oil with crushed garlic and ajwain seeds
and tadka. After it is cooled, strain the mixture and store in a bottle.
When needed, warm a little and apply on the childs chest, forehead and
throat.
17. Vicks Vaporub for babies

It is one of the best home remedy to relieve cough. Rub on the childs feet
and leave the socks on, it can also be applied on chest and throat.
18. Humidifier
When affected by cold and cough, children are usually bothered by dry air.
A warm mist humidifier can be kept in the room to make them
comfortable.
19. Steam Inhalation
Never let the child do steam inhalation as done for adults. Fill the buckets
or bathtub in the bathroom with piping hot water, hold the baby in the
arms for 10 minutes in the steamy bathroom to thin out the phlegm.
20. Ghee
For dry cough, heat 2 tablespoon of ghee and add 2 to 3 pepper in it,
grind it and give a little of it throughout the day. This can be given for
children above 1 year.
Hope all these tried and tested natural home remedies for babies and
toddlers was useful
If your little one has the following symptoms please consult a pediatrician
immediately
1. Running nose with thick greenish or yellowish secretion.
2. Severe cough with expectoration (Yellowish or greenish discharge)
3. High grade fever.
4. Difficulty to swallow with inflamed tonsils.
5. Difficulty in breathing.
6. Increased respiratory rate.