It’s imperative we visit few Cough Remedies for babies. Toddlers and adults in 2023. Here’s what you need to know. When it comes to treating coughs and colds, home remedies may work better than medicines.

(OTC) Oral over the counter, cough and cold medicines can cause serious harm to young children. The risks of using these medicines is more than any help the medicines might have in reducing cold symptoms.

• Under age 4: Over-the-counter cough and cold medicine is not recommended for babies and young children.
• From ages 4 to 6 years: Cough medicine should be used only if recommended by your child’s doctor.
• After age 6: Cough medicines are safe to use. Just be sure to follow the instructions on the package about the right amount of medication to give.
• Adult: cough medicine is safe and recommended to use. You just have to be sure to adhere to the instructions in the package about the right amount of medication to give.

Luckily, you can easily treat coughs and colds in young children without these cough and cold medicines.

Misuse or unintentional use of the prescription cough medication benzonatate prompted a recent increase in calls to poison control. If you suspect a benzonate overdose, call 911 immediately. For non-emergency questions, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222.

Home remedies for cold symptoms

A good home remedy is safe, does not cost a lot, and can help you and your child feel better. They are also found in almost every home.

Here is how you can treat your symptoms and that of your child with home remedies:

For a child runny nose:

• Suction (with something like a bulb syringe) to pull out the liquid out of your child’s nose or ask your child to blow their nose. When your child’s nose runs like a faucet, it’s getting rid of viruses.
• Breastfeeding is still recommended for infants with common colds. If it is difficult for your baby to feed at the breast, expressing breastmilk into a cup or bottle may be an option.

Use salt water (saline) nose spray or drops to loosen up dried mucus. Then you can ask your child to blow their nose or by sucking the liquid from the nose with a bulb syringe. If you do not have nose spray or drops, warm water will work fine.

Put 2 to 3 drops in the opening of each nose (nostril). Do this one side at a time. Then suck out the liquid or have your child blow their nose.

You can buy saline nose drops and sprays in a pharmacy without a prescription, or you can make your own saline solution (see below).

Do nasal washes whenever your child can’t breathe through the nose. For infants who bottle-feed or breastfeed, use nose drops before feedings. Teens can just splash warm water into their nose. Keep doing the nasal washes until what comes out of the nose is clear.

For adult runny nose:

• Over-the-counter saline (saltwater) drops can be gently squirted into your nostrils to loosen the mucus in your nose. The liquid and mucus can then be suctioned out of your nose with a rubber syringe, or bulb.
• Other home remedies you can try include:
• Essential oils.
• Drinking hot teas.
• Facial steam.
• Hot shower.
• Neti pot.
• Spicy foods.

How to make your own saline nasal rinse: Add ½ teaspoon of non-iodized salt and ¼ teaspoon of baking soda to 1 cup (8 oz) of warm water. Stir to dissolve the salt and baking soda. You should use sterile, distilled or previously boiled water for nasal washes.

These treatment is also recommended for a runny nose due to an allergy?

• Stay indoors when the pollen count is high, usually in the early morning and on windy days.
• Keep windows closed during allergy season, and use air conditioning whenever possible.
• Wear a dust mask if working outdoors. Change clothing and take a shower right away after coming indoors.
• Avoid contact with cats and dogs if you are sensitive to animal dander.

Also, there are many safe and effective over-the-counter medications available to help control allergy symptoms, such as nasal steroid sprays and oral antihistamines. If the symptoms are severe, your healthcare provider may recommend prescription medications, or refer you to an allergist for testing and targeted therapy.

For sticky, stubborn mucus on kids:

• Use a wet cotton swab to get rid of sticky mucus around the nose.

For sticky, stubborn mucus on adult:

Running a humidifier or cool-mist vaporizer in your home or office is a simple and effective way to reduce nasal congestion, says Stringer. Breathing in humid air helps soothe irritated nasal tissues, lessens sinus inflammation, and thins mucus (which helps it drain).

Warm-mist and cool-mist machines are equally effective for raising the humidity level and easing congestion. For safety, however, always use cool-mist vaporizers for children, notes the Mayo Clinic. Hot water or steam from a warm-mist humidifier can burn a child if they get too close or if the machine gets knocked over and water spills out.

Whatever type of unit you choose, be sure to change the water daily and clean the unit according to the manufacturer’s instructions to prevent the growth of bacteria and mold.

For coughing on kids:

• Do not give infants under 1 year honey; it will not help with symptoms and can cause a sickness called infant botulism.
• For children 1 year and older: Consider using honey, 2 to 5 mL, as needed. The honey thins the mucus and loosens the cough. (If you do not have honey, you can try corn syrup.) Research has shown that honey is better than store-bought cough syrups at reducing how often coughing happens and how bad coughing is at night.
• For children 2 years and older: You can rub a thick layer of a mentholated rub on the skin over the chest and neck (over the throat). As with all medicines, follow directions closely and put it up and away, out of your child’s reach, once you are done using it.

Other ways to ease your child’s cold symptoms.

Offer plenty of fluids

Try to make sure your child is staying hydrated. When there is enough water in the body, the mucus the body makes becomes thinner, making it easier to cough and blow the nose.

Humidity (amount of water in the air)

If the air in your home is dry, use a humidifier. Moist air keeps mucus in the nose from drying up and makes the airway less dry. Running a warm shower for a while can also help the air be less dry. Sometimes, it can be helpful for your child to sit in the bathroom and breathe the warm mist from the shower.

For coughing on adults:

• Take Honey

A teaspoon or two of honey may cut mucus production. Honey also kills germs. But remember, it can cause botulism, a rare form of food poisoning, in babies. Never give it to any child younger than 1.

• Take Hot Drinks

Hot drinks won’t ease a stuffy head, but they can soothe a cough much better than room temperature drinks. Sip on hot tea or water if you’re seeking relief.

• Use Ginger

Research shows certain purified compounds inside ginger root can relax the muscles that tighten your airways. You can eat ginger raw, or you can mix ground ginger root with honey and stir into hot tea.

• Drink Water

Drinking lots of water not only soothes the scratch of a cough and keeps you hydrated, but it also thins the mucus in your throat. You’re less likely to need to clear things out with a cough.

• Inhale Steam

Breathing in steam may help with coughing because it calms and moisturizes your airways. You can also add essential oils like peppermint to the water for extra comfort.

• Neti Pot

One of the most common reasons for cough is upper airway inflammation. Saline irrigation, or washing out your nasal passages with a saltwater rinse, can keep inflammation down by flushing out irritants and clearing away mucus. You can use a special bulb or a container called a neti pot.

• Elderberry

You can take elderberry extract as a supplement in capsules or a syrup. It may not ease your cough right away, but studies show it can make it go away sooner.

• Menthol

Menthol, a compound naturally found in peppermint, opens your airways to help you breathe more easily. That means it can also keep coughs at bay. You can find menthol in rubs you spread across your chest, cough drops, and even peppermint tea.

• Gargle Saltwater

A saltwater gargle is usually a sore throat remedy, but it’s worth trying for coughs, too. The extra moisture can thin mucus and help wash out things that irritate your throat, much like a saline rinse does for the nose. Mix 1/4 to 1/2 of salt into 8 ounces of warm water, tip your head back, gargle, and then spit the mixture out.

• Humidifier

Though keeping the air moist can help ward off a dry cough, take extra care with humidifiers. Dust mites are the No. 1 allergen and grow best when conditions are too moist. Mold can also grow inside humidifiers if you don’t keep them clean. Both can make coughs worse instead of better.

• Herbs

Experts have found that mixing herbs like ivy leaf, marshmallow root, thyme, and aniseed into a syrup can cut the number of days you’ll deal with your cough.

• Cough Drops

Sucking on a cough drop — or even just a hard candy — may wet your throat enough that it puts a short-term damper on cough. Your best bet is cough drops with airway-opening menthol.

Treatment is not always needed

If cold symptoms are not bothering your child, they likely don’t need medicine or home remedies. Many children with a cough or a stuffy nose are happy, play normally and sleep well.

Only treat symptoms if they make your child uncomfortable, have trouble sleeping, or the cough is really bothersome (such as a hacking cough).

Because fevers help your child’s body fight infections, only treat a fever if it slows your child down or causes discomfort. This doesn’t usually happen until your child’s temperature reaches 102°F (39°C) or higher. If needed, acetaminophen or ibuprofen can be safely used to treat fever or pain.

Remember

Talk with your pediatrician if you have any concerns about your child’s cough and cold symptoms.