Natural remedies for coughs and colds etc that are suitable for children?

Question

At this time of year my daughter always takes such a bad cough and cold, but I hate giving her medication every four hours (ie paracetamol and cough medicine), so I was just wondering if there was anything more natural that I could use. Her temperature is always very high and she coughs so bad that she makes herself sick, I have been to the doctors in the past and all they offer me is more paracetamol, more cough bottle and anti-biotics if it goes on too long. Thanks in advance for any help.

Answer 1

Vit C is a great antiviral. Take 2-3 times daily - spread out since Vit C is a water soluble vitamin and your body will excrete excess. They make children's chewables which will be an appropriate dosage.

Mullein tea is great for respiratory anything. You can find it at your health food store or online at http://www.iherb.com (not affiliated, just like their service) Steep tea for 5-8 minutes. We used it to calm my daughter's cough when she contracted whooping cough (and yes, she was vaccinated, which is why we no longer vaccinate). Sounds like your daughter gets a very bad cough, this will help, and the kids like the taste, especially with honey added. Honey is very good for colds.

Other good teas - Lemon, chamomile, peppermint.

Don't forget to add honey to your tea. Honey is a great anti EVERYTHING. Very beneficial. My daughter actually took just a tsp of honey straight last time she started to get a cold. She didn't complain about the cold again.

Garlic is also good. We make it into a butter (1 tbsp melted butter - 1 clove or more garlic crushed into butter) We spread it on bread and grill it (don't toast, butter might ignite) or we put it on our favorite pasta. Some just pop a garlic clove, but we like the flavor :-)

Steam always helps clear things out and relieve congestion.

Lots of liquids. We also add 1 tsp of vinegar to apple juice. Vinegar (apple cider not white) is a great natural way to help your body deal with illness. It is okay in other juices, but tastes best in apple we think.

If she gets quite congested and are concerned about infection, get some Grapefruit Seed Extract (also available at your health food store or iHerb) Make sure you get grapeFRUIT not grape seed extract. Put 10 drops in 6 oz of water and gargle for soar throat or swallow for other concerns. If you think ear or sinus infection, you can use it as diluted drops. My son-in-law was seen by an ER doc and told he had an ear infection. He declined the antibiotic prescription and used the GSE drops instead. We use it for throat infections also.

If the congestion is making you very uncomfortable, get some Robitussin PE (PE only, other formulations have too much in them you don't need). It and aspirin are the only OTC meds we do. It will help with the congestion by thinning the mucus so it can drain and keep out of your lungs also.

Finally, NO refined sugars. They are immune system suppressants and will counteract any good you are trying to do. If giving her juices make the 100% and watch out for high fructose corn syrup.

Answer 2

I so understand. They just keep giving more and more medication.

I actually heard somewhere that cough medicines don't actually work.

I boil some coca cola infused with a few slices of ginger for my 7 year old child. (This is not to be drunk like a regular soft drink.)

With the coughing I find that letting her suck on a Soothers(depending on how old the child is) or any boiled sweet works. It doesn't cure, but it does help prevent the irritation that makes the child cough. I understand how heart breaking it is to see your child with so much discomfort.

Please note though that if the coughing persists then you should take her to the doctor in case there may be another cause for her cough, i.e. a chest infection which would need some sort of antibiotic to be pescribed by the doctor.

I hope your daughter gets better soon.

Answer 3

For coughs and colds, I always find a slice of lemon and spoon of honey in a cup filled with hot water will soothe the throat, and the steam helps to clear the nose. The vitamin C in the lemon is also helpful, and the acidity of the lemon can help with the phlegm.

Don't rule out using the medicine the Doctor recommends - paracetamol is pretty much unbeatable for reducing temperatures, and is a great pain reliever.

In the long run try to include more pre-biotic food in your daughters diet, and in winter perhaps give her a pro-biotic supplement too. Promoting 'good' bacteria will help to reinforce her immune system, and if maintained should make her more resistant to the various bugs going around. This website has more info about pro-biotic and pre-biotic foods.

Answer 4

In regards to the coughing, a recent study from Pennsylvania State University showed that honey was more effective in relieving a cough & sore throat than standard cough medicines.

The best kind of honey it the thick set stuff - not the clear honey - as it has more beneficial ingredients. For my kids I take one, large heaped teaspoon of honey and dissolve it in half a cup of hot water (not boiling as this will damage the honey). Check the temperature; add a little cold water if too hot and then get them to sip the drink slowly.

This really does seem to reduce the coughing and sore throat considerably. I use the same technique for myself but add some freshly chopped ginger.

Answer 5

Tea with honey. I've give either green tea with honey or strawberry kiwi flavored Aloe Vera juice that I buy from the website at the bottom. They actually like the Aloe better because it sooths the throat and helps kill the cold faster. I even began taking it myself once i saw the results. but the best tasting aloe juice I ever had a friend told me about and now I buy it from this site:
www.tkshopintl.us
As far as i know this is the only place to get it that taste this good. They gave it a lot of praise so check it out for yourself.

Answer 6

My 5 yo grandson has frequent coughs/colds, picks everything up at daycare but then at this age most do get frequent colds.
Our DR suggests Childrens liquid Motrin for the discomfort, when a temp is present, otherwise we use Vicks vaporub sparingly to accomodate easier breathing, congestion & lollipops to suck on of which the sugar cuts the phleghm & relieves the cough.
Rest & Frequent liguids also do help.
Needs to take it's course.

Answer 7

Most colds and flu´s start in the ear. Thats where the immune system cannot get to the bugs so they just grow until entering the body making us sick.

90% will be cured putting 3 drops of food grade peroxide in each ear and leave it till it stops sizzling.
If the cough is really bad try breathing water damp with oregano and or taking tea will help. heat water till boiling point add 2 drops of essential oil of oregano and breathe it in.

If the cold or flu is already in the body I would highly recommend mms.

"Miracle mineral supplement"

http://www.thestonedages.com/mms/htm/indexenglish.htm

I cured several flu´s and diverse other bugs with MMS, read the testimonials

http://www.thestonedages.com/mms/htm/testimonials.htm.

Its safe, cheap and easily prepared at home.

take care

Answer 8

Organic honey has been shown to soothe some cough/cold symptoms. But if your daughter is running a fever, you really need to stick to the doctor's regimen of paracetamol.

Answer 9

NUTRITION NUTRITION NUTRITION. If she were to build her immunity with a good diet and nutritional whole food supplement she would not get the colds.

I haven't had a cold for years because of a nutritional supplement I take. And a friend of mine even stopped taking her kids for vaccinations for the flu because they haven't been sick for the past 3 years after starting Juice Plus+

· It is important to maintain a good diet so you don't compromise your health. Damage done because of lack of nutrition is not worth a nice body. Some diet damage cannot be fixed.
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· When you deprive your brain, the brain will take other body cells to convert to the elements that it needs. And the cells it takes are BRAIN cells. OOPS. I don't want to lose brain cells to have thin legs. But I would like to have both.

Also, a quick weight loss is usually a water loss and that loss will come back ASAP. You cannot loose FAT more than 2 to 3 pounds a week. Any more than that and you are loosing water and muscle mass (not good)

MAKE A LIFE CHANGE TO A HEALTHY LIFE STYLE.

1) fruits and veggies, all you want, organic, raw, vine-ripe if possible. Steamed is OK, sautéed is OK even canned or frozen is OK, but lots of them.
2) limited or no meat.linked to many disease
3) nothing fried, bad oils, sautee with olive oils
4) no FAST FOOD- is junk, no nutrition, empty calories
5) NO PROCESSED FOOD. if you can't pronounce it don't eat it.
6) nothing white, salt, sugar, mayo, milk, (or at least in moderation.
7) NO DAIRY-dairy is great for baby cows, your body does not even digest it properly. check out www.notmilk.com
8) EXERCISE- and be sure to refresh your body with water and fresh fruit
9) Good supplement would be Omega 3, and Juice Plus+
http://www.juiceplus.com/nsa/pages/Home....
10) NO CARBONATED DRINKS, or at least limited. They actually dissolve the calcium in your bones.
.

AND DON'T GO NUTS, MODERATION. but eat the nuts for the omega 3s

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Answer 10

Honey and hot orange juice.

Couple of Knorr chicken cubes, onion, handfull of rice and lemon juice and olive oil - made into a soup (Actually a quick version of avgolimeni soup)

For a reasonable nights sleep (for all concerned) : 1 level teaspoon of sugar with just enough brandy to soak the sugar.