Dry cough (toddler)

Dry cough is a common accompanying symptom at the beginning and end of a cold or flu (influenza). Young children have a hard time falling asleep and are agitated. According to statistics, children suffer from a "banal" cold 7 to 10 times a year.

The following article describes four different home remedies that help against dry cough in toddlers.

Home remedies for dry cough in young children

If the dry cough is caused by a cold or flu (influenza), it usually takes up to 2 weeks for the cough, along with the other symptoms, to heal on its own. In exceptional cases, a dry cough may persist for up to 3 weeks after a cold. The reason for this is the tissue damage in the area of ​​the upper respiratory tract caused by the infection. Treating a flu or influenza is difficult because colds (in most cases) and influenza are viral. Therefore, the focus of treatment is often on relieving symptomatic symptoms until the body can cope with the disease on its own. Both classic medicines and home remedies are available for treating a cold or influenza. These can be used separately or in combination.

In order to survive a cold or influenza quickly, as pleasantly as possible and without complications, general measures must also be taken. These general measures include adequate drinking and adequate sleep. However, the infant’s personal contact should also be reduced. Colds and flu are transmitted via aerosols (droplets in the air) and hand contact. Reducing contact with other people therefore reduces the likelihood of a new infection and a second infection with bacteria (bacterial secondary infection). During the winter months, the air in the rooms is often very dry and the mucous membranes in the throat of the toddler lose their moisture in the room air. To prevent this, damp towels can be hung in the room or placed on the radiator. Frequent ventilation helps to remove the virus particles from the rooms. At the same time, care should be taken to ensure that the toddler is not exposed to cold drafts or strong cold-warm fluctuations. Honey milk, onion syrup, thyme tea and a full bath with thyme infusion or thyme oil help against dry cough in toddlers. [1]

Honey milk for dry cough

• 1 cup of milk
• 1 tsp honey
• optional: 1 knife tip of butter

The milk is heated in a small saucepan and the honey is dissolved in it. If butter is in the house, a pinch of butter can also be dissolved in the honey milk. The honey milk is poured into a cup and given to the sick toddler to drink immediately before going to bed. Honey milk is particularly recommended for dry, irritable cough. It soothes the pharynx mucous membrane and has a warmth that promotes sleep. The child can finally sleep in peace. [2]

Onion syrup for dry cough

• 1 large onion / 2 small onions
• sugar
• 1 empty, clean jam jar

The onion (s) are peeled, diced and poured into the clean jam jar. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of sugar over the onions and close the jar. Then it is shaken thoroughly to distribute the sugar between the onions. Now the mixture remains for about 2 hours. From this point on, a sweet onion syrup begins to form. 1-2 tablespoons can be given several times a day.

It is important to ensure that children do not get the onion syrup in their eyes. The onion syrup dissolves viscous mucus from the bronchi to the nose. The toddler can then cough up the mucus better and the nose also becomes freer. [3]

Thyme tea for dry cough

• Thyme herb (Thymi herba)
• 250 ml of boiling water
• scree
• honey

2 teaspoons of the thyme herb are poured with 250 ml of boiling water and left to steep for 10 minutes. Then the thyme herb is separated with a sieve and the tea is sweetened with honey if necessary. Depending on the age of the toddler, the child can drink ¼ l of the tea several times a day.
Thyme tea helps loosen stuck mucus and has an antispasmodic effect. [4]

Full bath with thyme infusion or thyme oil against dry cough

• 50 g thyme herba (thyme herb) / thyme oil
• 1 liter of boiling water
• 1 sieve
• Bath thermometer

Pour 1 liter of boiling water over the thyme herb and let it steep for 20 minutes. The thyme herb is then removed using a sieve and the thyme infusion is added to the 37 ° C bath water. For children who are over one year old (above infancy), the thyme infusion can be replaced with thyme oil. The temperature must be checked regularly during the bath. If the water is too hot, there is a risk of scalding. If the temperature gets too low, it weakens the effect of the full bath. Therefore, hot water can be added at the foot end to prevent cooling. The bathing time is about 10 minutes. The child is then quickly dried off, a pajamas put on and the little patient put to bed.

Allergic skin reactions are possible. The full bath with thyme infusion helps to loosen stuck mucus and has an antispasmodic effect. The warmth of the bath causes tiredness in the sick child and the moisture in the air and the essential oils of the thyme support the mucus solution. The nights are calmer. [5]

To be noted

Cough can be a symptom of a number of different diseases. In most cases, dry cough is an accompanying symptom of a flu infection or flu (influenza). However, it should never be forgotten that diseases such as allergies, foreign bodies in the bronchi, asthma, pneumonia, TB, lung malformations, lung tumors and heart defects also cause cough as a symptom.

In general, a cough that persists for more than 2 weeks or occurs repeatedly must be clarified by a doctor. If the following accompanying symptoms appear within this time, medical help must be sought immediately:

• with high fever
• for coughing and shortness of breath (rapid, hard breathing and drawing in of the skin in the region of the neck and between the ribs)
• with audible breathing noises
• if your lips or face turns blue
• in the case of impaired consciousness – go to the hospital with the emergency doctor! [6]

Treatment options for cough

1. Michael Reiss: Specialist knowledge in ENT medicine – Differentiated diagnostics and therapy, Springer Medizin Verlag, 2009, p. 399.
2. Thomas Hoek, Dagmar Suda: Safe home remedies for my child, Springer-Verlag, 2002, pp. 104-105.
3. Hoek (2002): p. 154.
4. Hoek (2002): p. 141.
5. Hoek (2002): pp. 145, 146.
6. Hoek (2002): pp. 21, 22.

–>Important NOTE

The information provided on Erkaeltet.info as well as comments and contributions to the discussion cannot and must not be used to make independent diagnoses and / or to independently select and use or discontinue medicinal products, other health products or treatment methods. Many symptoms and ailments can occur with various diseases. A doctor must always be consulted for a reliable diagnosis and treatment. The content provided on Erkaeltet.info has been carefully compiled and is checked for correctness and updated at regular intervals. However, the findings in medicine are subject to constant change. We therefore do not guarantee the completeness, correctness, accuracy and timeliness of all content on the website.

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