Coughing can be quite exhausting for children (and parents). Coughing in children can easily be treated with numerous tried and tested household remedies. Inhalations, warm compresses or teas help to alleviate children’s annoying coughs.
The 8 best home remedies for coughing in children
Honey – the home remedy for coughing
Honey is a natural cough suppressant that calms the bronchi and throat. However, it is only suitable for children 12 months and older.
Whether pure, on bread, as onion or radish syrup or stirred into the tea: Honey soothes the cough irritation and its antibacterial effect works reliably against coughs. Honey is also an ideal antitussive to irritating coughing at night.
Among all types of honey, New Zealand Manuka honey is said to have a special healing effect.
Onion – a classic that no kitchen should be without
If a household remedy should not be missing in any household during the cold season, it is the onion. The onion contains many anti-inflammatory substances, flavonoids, which have an anti-inflammatory effect and provide reliable protection against pathogens.
The most popular and most digestible is the onion cough syrup as an alternative to the cough syrup from the pharmacy: chop the onion, pour into a glass, add honey (or raw cane sugar for children under 12 months) and leave in the fridge overnight. Take 1 teaspoon several times a day.
But the onion can be used in a different way:
- But it also helps with colds to chop the onion and simply hang it next to the bed as an onion bag. This also frees the nose.
- Onion socks, which have a reflective effect on various areas of the body and promote blood circulation, also support colds.
radish honey syrup
Often the onion juice is too hot for children – then there is a digestible alternative: radish honey syrup, which is just as easily produced:
Simply hollow out a black winter radish and fill up with honey. Allow to stand for 8-12 hours and drink the juice several times a day. This cough syrup calms the bronchi and relieves strong cough irritation.
Teas with cough herbs
A herb has grown against many complaints – including coughs. Fennel, thyme, sage, aniseed, but also lavender or elderberry reliably help to loosen stuck mucus and calm the cough.
Simply prepare a tea from the dried herbs and drink it in sips. If your child does not like the tea, it can be sweetened with a little honey. Let the tea cool down a little so that the active substances of the honey are not destroyed by the heat.
A little lemon can be added to the tea for a fruity note.
Popular tea blends for coughs
Thyme anise tea: Pour boiling water over 3 teaspoons of anise with 3 teaspoons of thyme for about five minutes. Then add honey and lemon and drink lukewarm.
Sage-Thyme Tea: Mix sage with thyme, peppermint and ribwort in equal parts, pour boiling water over it, let it steep for ten minutes and drink it sip by sip.
Lime blossom tea: Mix the lime blossoms with the elder blossoms in equal parts, pour boiling water over the lime blossoms, leave to brew for ten minutes and drink a cup several times a day.
Irritant herbs: thyme herb, marshmallow root, ribwort herb, fennel fruit, Iceland moss and liquorice root
Mucolytic herbs: primrose blossoms, royal candleweed, aniseed fruits, quendel herb
Inhalations against coughing in children
Our grandparents already swore by inhalations with warm water and salt – inhaling is a well-known household remedy from grandma’s box of tricks against coughing.
Whether classic with pot and towel over the head (suitable for older children because of the risk of scalding) or as a steam cavity under the table or with an electric inhaler: Inhaling moistens the mucous membranes and has an anti-inflammatory effect. Inhaling several times a day for about 3-5 minutes helps to cough up stuck mucus and calms irritable cough.
- Those who inhale with hot water and salt can also add additives such as lavender or marjoram. Essential oils are not yet suitable, especially for small children, because they can lead to shortness of breath. Please consult your doctor when using essential oils.
- A steam bath is ideal if your baby has a cough: Simply close doors and windows and let hot water run for a few minutes. The steam supports the mucus solution and also frees the nose.
- If the cough is particularly tight, inhalation with an electric inhaler is suitable, with the child sitting on a bouncing ball. The movement allows the air to go even deeper into the lungs.
compresses for coughs
Reliable household remedies for cough problems are compresses. A distinction is made between warm and cold compresses, which both support reliably and without side effects. Warm compresses are only suitable if your child does not have a fever.
- Potato compresses: compresses with potato have antispasmodic and antitussive effects. Cook unpeeled potatoes, allow to cool so that your child does not burn itself. Then spread the warm potato crushed on a gauze bandage and cover the child’s chest. Leave on for about 60-90 minutes.
- Curd cheese wrap: Curd cheese has a cooling and anti-inflammatory effect on the mucous membranes. For the wrap, simply spread the curd on a gauze bandage and wrap around the chest area. Then let a towel work over it and overnight. You can also fix it with a tight shirt.
- Oil stain: Heat oil lightly in a pan, spread on a gauze bandage, check temperature and place on chest. Fix with a tight T-shirt and leave to work overnight.
Foot bath to strengthen the immune system
A foot bath stimulates circulation and strengthens the immune system. It not only helps with coughs, but also with colds of all kinds and hypothermia.
Put your feet in 37.5 degrees hot water and slowly add hot water until the temperature reaches a maximum of 40 degrees. Dried herbs such as thyme, sage or chamomile can be added to the foot bath. Leave feet in water for about 10 minutes, then dry well and put on thick, warm socks. Especially pleasant after cold walks or before going to bed.