Is there any home remedies for a cold?

Question

My son is 5mo old and got a little cold. His daddy has had one for the last week and he finally got it yesterday. As to my understanding there is really nothing you can do. I know to contact his doctor but this is something I'm not freaking out about. Just wanted to ask any experienced moms if there is anything they did that helped or any home remedies.

I have used nasal saline drops for his nose and the bulb. Also using a humidifier at night, plus we have elevated his mattress so he is not laying flat......

Thanks for any advise!

Or maybe I'm doing everything right?

Should I wait on taking him out? There is a moms group that I do events with and was wondering how long after his cold can I take him out because I'm worried about other kids and people he would be around.

Answer 1

Sounds like you doing absolutely everything right that you possibly can, hope hes soon better

Answer 2

The only other thing I would suggest is getting an inexpensive vaporizer (like a Vick's vaporizer) and some peppermint or spearmint oil from your local health food store. These have an effect similar to eucalyptus oil without the strong odor to keep baby awake; simply put about three drops in the little 'well' (for lack of a better word) in front of the steam vent before you turn it on. The oil will evaporate into the air, helping baby to breath easier. As he gets older, you can mix spearmint and eucalyptus (no more than 6 drops total/night) for a stronger effect that isn't so strong-smelling.

Unfortunately, there's not much you can do about the cold. But it's good for your baby's immune system to fight it off, so all you can do is alleviate the symptoms a bit.

There is no reason to exclude your son from his normal activities if he isn't in distress. You'll have to keep up with the nose-wiping and whatnot, but it's not fair to him or to you to quarantine yourselves because of a cold. If he's not fussy or cranky, I wouldn't worry about taking him out.

Answer 3

PLEASE try these 3 remedies...EVERY time I feel run-down or get that tickly feeling in my throat I take these 3 things and it NEVER turns into a full-blown cold.

1) Olive Leaf Extract by "Herb Pharm"....it's in liquid form, and has no side effects...it immediately goes to work to kill any viruses in you...and it's all natural.

2) "JarrowDophilus", by "Jarrow Formulas"...it will keep the healthy "flora" in your body in perfect balance which keeps your immune system strong.

3) "Emergen-C" Vitamin C packets by "Alacer"

All three can be purchased at "Whole Foods Market", possibly "Trader Joe's", or call your local health food store to inquire about these 3 products.

EVERY friend and family member who has taken this advice, hardly ever gets sick.

For your throat: "Peaceful Mountain--Throat Rescue"
You will NEVER find a more powerful throat spray which is all-natural....soothing, fast acting, and kills bad bacteria on contact.

Cayenne Pepper in capsules (or sprinkled on soup) helps greatly with congestion AND is also an immune systen booster too....and drink lots of organic green tea to help your energy levels.

You'll see!! :) Get well soon!

Answer 4

The old standard's rest, plenty of fluids and some chicken soup w/pepper. A cold is a virus and there is no cure. If the nose is red and irritated you might find some Carmex to apply.

Answer 5

It really sounds like your motherly instincts have kicked in--you are doing everything just right. Watch for a fever and give Tylenol if needed. Keep trying to give him formula and watch for signs of dehydration and give Pedialyte if needed.

Answer 6

Warm baths, extra fluids and lots of TLC. Do keep taking his temp, if he gets a fever I would take him into the Dr.

Answer 7

SWEAT BATHs help the body to rid itself of toxins that cause illness. Since you do not want to put the baby in really hot water, use a warm bath and using a wash cloth gently wash his body down with some natural soap (like Dr. Bonner's Peppermint soap) to make certain the pores are open. You can add a small amount of lavender oil or tea tree oil to the bath to stimulate the circulation and draw the blood to the extremeties.

DEEP COUGH WITH CHEST CONGESTION: Warm some garlic oil to a comfortable temperature. Lie the child on her back and massage the oil into the lymph nodes on her back, chest, and under her arms, paying close attention to the area around her rib cage. Then turn child on her stomach and rub her back with it. Do this as often as desired during the day, but especially before bedtime. (I have only had to do this 2 nights in a row to get results).

Prepare this simple garlic oil to keep on hand for future use.
Garlic Infused Olive Oil
1 bottle olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
Drop garlic slices into olive oil and close tightly. Let bottle sit in a dark place for 2-3 days. Strain out all of the garlic and store the bottle at room temperature. You can refrigerate it, but it will solidify. Just set it on the counter and it will begin to return to its liquid state.
OR-To make it quicker. You can bake the garlic in oil in the oven and it will only take an hour. It will probably smell better, too.
1 ½ cup garlic cloves
2 ½ cups extra virgin olive oil
Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Add whole, peeled garlic cloves to casserole dish and immerse in olive oil. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until garlic is golden in color and oil is bubbling. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Gently scoop out the roasted garlic cloves. Strain oil into a separate container.
(You can eat the garlic cloves-spread them on toast.)
USES for Garlic Oil:
THRUSH: Dip finger in garlic oil and swab baby's mouth with it, or use a dropper to put a drop on baby's tongue. Do not rinse immediately. Baby may not like the taste, but this will work. Do this as often as desired. (I have two girls under 3-this works!)
EAR INFECTION:Warm some oil to a comfortable temperature (at least room temperature) and put a couple of drops into an infected ear. Also massage some oil into the skin around the ear and on the neck. This allows the oil to absorb into the lymph nodes. If you use cold oil it will cause more pain. Do this as often as desired.
EAR ACHE: Same as above OR you can peel a clove of garlic and stick it into the opening of the ear-just like you would a hearing aid. (This is more feasible for adults than children.) The pain should deminish within the hour (or soon thereafter). (personal testimony of a friend who tried this)
SORE THROAT: Put a couple of drops of garlic oil onto the back of the throat. Then massage oil onto the outside of throat area. It may take a while (20-40 minutes) to feel results, but it beats taking medication. You can even teach a child to do this.
**You can also treat staph and strep infections with garlic! It is a powerful natural antibiotic.

P.S. For adults, at onset of a cold take 2 Cayenne capsules and 1000mg of Vitamin C by mouth and take a sweat bath (put a couple tablespoons of powdered ginger or a handful of rosemary or mint leaves in a mesh bag and add it to bath water). Then get under the cover with some hot soup and hot chocolate and keep sweating. This will purify your body of toxins. That is what is causing the cold.
Continue taking the Cayenne capsules (every 3-4 hours) and Vitamin C (every hour) until symptoms cease.