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Tis the season for sniffles, coughs, fevers and flus. If you or your littles have a touch of the creeping crud, try some of these remedies to help them feel better. From honey pops to tame fiery throats to a simple vapor bath to help stuffy noses, colds and coughs don’t stand a chance! Please keep in mind that while I’m not a doctor, these treatments have helped Red and I feel better faster and alleviate his symptoms.
At the first sign of a runny nose, I start using Boogie Wipes. At first, I didn’t want to buy them because I thought they were no different from a baby wipe. And I was WRONG. These softer, grippier, saline filled wipes are tough on boogies and soft on noses. The saline continues to clear nasal passages.
If boogers and snot are a problem, Nosefrida them away! This very cool, really strange tool lets you extract all the goo with none of the gross. Really awesome for little kids that can’t blow their noses.
At night before bed, there are several things I do to help Red sleep better. After a warm bath with bubbles from Vapor Bath, he starts to breath better. Next, I add some saline spray to each nostril to prep for overnight, as well as layering some Vicks Rub under his socks. This allows the vapors to be present, but it’s not touchable or too strong around his nasal passages. I give Red a dose of Dye Free Children’s Acetaminophen if he’s had a fever or other aches, and lastly, I set up a Germ Free, No Filter Humidifier in his room to run overnight. It’s magical for breathing!
Red is old enough for a small pillow in his bed to keep his head elevated (to avoid drainage collecting and giving him a sore throat, but if your little can’t yet have anything like that, put a hardcover book under one end of the mattress to give it some lift and create a gentle angle for sleep.
If your child’s boogers ever turn green, it’s time for a visit to the doctor! That can indicate a sinus infection or something else. Our pediatrician’s office has a nurse’s line, too, that provides free advice, solutions and helps to decide if it’s time to come in. Occasionally, a cold has turned into bronchiolitis, and a nebulizer treatment is prescribed for coughs and to get the infection under control.
Need some more help? Try an air purifier to clean your child’s room air continuously and kill off those germs. Pedialyte pops are a great way to get fluid back into your kids if they are having trouble keeping down food, and a tasteless probiotic like culturelle can calm down irritable tummies and bowels when diarrhea strikes.
A treat like natural honey suckers can be easy to digest and a more homeopathic remedy to soothe fiery or sore throats. Lastly (or first, if you sense a fever is your main culprit!!), grab a digital thermometer that’s accurate. You’ll get what you pay for in most cases, and I would recommend a forehead scanning thermometer. Those that are no-touch or behind the ear (in my experience) have absolutely rotten results with no consistency. Not what I need when my kid doesn’t feel well!
What makes your kids feel better when they are sick?
Four babies…and every one I say I’ll try a nose frieda..and never do. I need to get one!
Thanks! It was fun to stick them in there, and my mom loved it 🙂
Thanks, chica! I hope you are going well. I finally got all the “big” shopping done, but there’s tons and tons left to do!!
Green mucous does NOT indicate a bacterial infection– not at all! And young children cannot get sinus infections as their sinuses are not yet developed. Additionally, honey is not safe for children under a year.
That is true, but I disagree with your sinus statement. Red had a few sinus infections before he was three years old, which we treated with his pediatrician’s help. And while green boogies may not indicated a bacterial infection, I simply mentioned that it may be time to visit a doctor, that is all – each child can present different symptoms for illness, none of which are fun! I completely agree that honey should not be given to a child under a year, but I included them because they have helped my child as a toddler and preschooler feel a little better. I hope y’all stay well!
My son is a year and a half and he has had 3 sinus infections so far, so I’m sorry but I have to disagree with you on that. About the mucus also, green means GO to the doctor. Better safe than sorry anyways.
Your mucus can also change color when you’re sick. Green mucus is a sign that your body’s immune system is at work. The color comes from a type of infection-fighting white blood cell.
Interesting article, guys! Baby catching cold is quite a common problem every mother experiences. If taken care in the early stages, there is no risk associated. But the main problem here is to identify when you need medical help and do it.