When you have a cough or cold, you might reach for over-the-counter (OTC) drugs to ease your symptoms. But you can’t do that for babies or toddlers. Cough and cold medicines that are safe for grownups can cause serious side effects — even life-threatening ones — in children under age 2.
If your baby or toddler is sniffling or coughing, try these methods. They’re all drug-free and safe for the tiniest of patients:
Try Saline Drops
When your child’s nose is stuffy, they may have trouble breathing, sleeping, and eating. Saline nasal drops can thin the mucus in their nose and shrink swollen airways. Use them two or three times per day; any more often could make their nose sore. Nasal saline gel can be used to calm congestion.
Saline drops may make it easier to remove mucus from your child’s nose. For babies, try a suction bulb or nasal aspirator. If your toddler can blow their nose with your help, give that a try.
Increase Fluids
When your child isn’t feeling well, give more drinks than usual. Extra fluids can thin out their mucus so their nose won’t be as stuffy and they’ll cough up all that gunk more easily.
Most drinks, like water, juice, and milk, are fine. Warm liquids like chicken soup, or apple juice can soothe a sore throat. Be sure they’re warm, not hot, to avoid burns. You can also offer an oral rehydration solution such as Pedialyte, or popsicles.
Babies under 6 months should only drink breast milk or formula, not water or juice. But you may offer more milk than usual for coughs or colds.
Give a Little Honey
It soothes sore throats and eases coughs. It may even work better for children than OTC cough medicines. Give your child 1/2 teaspoon of honey before bedtime. But never give it to a child less than a year old. It can make them very ill.
Use a Humidifier
Moisture in the air makes it easier to breathe, so run a humidifier in your child’s bedroom at night. Cool-mist models are safer than those that produce steam. Follow cleaning instructions on the device to prevent mold.
Lower Fevers
Some colds and coughs come with a slight fever. If your baby or toddler has a fever, follow these steps:
Serve Easy-to-Swallow Foods
Babies and toddlers with scratchy, sore throats often don’t want to eat because it hurts to swallow. Feed them foods that go down more easily.
Toddlers and babies who eat solids may prefer soft, smooth foods. Try ice cream, ice pops, flavored gelatin, pudding, yogurt, or applesauce. If they prefer warmer foods, try chicken broth or freshly made pudding. Babies 6 months and younger should stick with breast milk or baby formula.
SOURCES:
David L. Hill, MD, FAAP, Wilmington, NC; author, Dad to Dad: Parenting Like a Pro.
Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP, Atlanta; co-author, Heading Home With Your Newborn: From Birth to Reality.
American Academy of Pediatrics: “Coughs and colds: Medicines or home remedies?”
FDA: “Giving medication to children.”
Shadkam, M. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, July 2010.
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