Natural Ways to Overcome Coughs and Colds in Children

"When your little one has a cough and runny nose, don't panic immediately. Come on, try to deal with coughs and colds in children naturally"

Fever, runny nose, and cough in children generally occur as a result of influenza. Because it is caused by a virus, this disease usually only requires treatment to relieve the symptoms.

Children are more susceptible to coughs and colds due to the flu. Referring to CDC data, at least 30% of flu cases occur in children under 5 years of age.

Even though it looks trivial, flu symptoms such as coughs and runny nose can make your little one uncomfortable, and can even cause further complications. According to WHO, in the world there are 15 million children under the age of 5 who are hospitalized due to influenza each year.

Fortunately, most children will recover from a cold in about 7 days. Treatment at home is usually used as the main treatment to relieve symptoms. Come on, see tips for dealing with colds and coughs in children naturally in the following review!

1. Make sure your little one has enough rest

When you have the flu, your little one needs to take a break from various activities. He should not attend class, play, or do other activities that consume a lot of energy. Instead, let the child rest and sleep more at home.

Adequate rest helps boost the immune system in fighting infection. The stronger the immune system, of course, the faster the body recovers from illness.

2. Position the Child's Head Higher While Sleeping

Adequate sleep is the key to supporting a child's recovery from the flu . Unfortunately, cold and cough symptoms often get worse when your little one is asleep.

When your little one lies down, mucus flows down the back of the throat. This condition makes the throat itchy and triggers a persistent cough.

To prevent these disturbances, you can elevate your little one's head with a pillow. This sleeping position prevents the accumulation of mucus in the back of the throat.

3. Give your little one Enough Water

An effective natural way to treat colds and coughs in children is to encourage your little one to drink more. Warm water is the best choice.

The goal, to help thin the mucus in the respiratory tract. That way, your little one can be free from a stuffy nose and itchy throat.

4. Give Honey

Giving tea or lemon water mixed with honey can relieve sore throat. In addition, this natural method can also reduce coughing at night and improve sleep quality.

However, you need to remind that honey can only be given to children over 1 year old.

5. Use Aromatherapy

Without medication, natural ways to deal with coughs and colds in children can also use aromatherapy.

Based on a study in the Flavor and Fragrance Journal , various essential oils can be used as aromatherapy to relieve flu symptoms. Here are some types of essential oils that are often used in aromatherapy to treat coughs and colds:

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus is the Latin name for eucalyptus. This plant has long been used as aromatherapy to relieve nasal congestion and loosen phlegm.

Based on research on Pharmaceuticals , eucalyptus contains high 1,8-cineole. The active ingredient is an expectorant which can thin phlegm.

Clove oil or clove oil is also often used as aromatherapy for colds and coughs. According to research published in the journal Molecules , clove oil contains the active ingredient eugenol which has antiviral activity.

So, in most cases of colds and coughs experienced by children, they are caused by viral infections of the respiratory tract.

Mint Oil

Then, aromatherapy for coughs and colds is also often made from mint oil or peppermint oil (levomenthol).

A study in the Flavor and Fragrance Journal states that peppermint essential oil can be used as a treatment for coughs and colds. Just like other kinds of aromatherapy, this essential oil also has a distinctive fragrance followed by a cold sensation.

Juniper Berry Oil

When your little one is sick, it's very natural for him to look weak and have a sore throat because he keeps coughing. The active ingredients in juniper berry oil can help relieve fatigue, respiratory infections and sore throats.

Lavender Oil

Research in the journal Molecules shows that lavender essential oil has the potential to boost the immune system. You need to understand that colds and coughs are very vulnerable to attacking children because their immune systems are not yet fully formed.

With these properties, the use of aromatherapy can boost the immune system so that your little one can recover faster from infection.

Rosemary Oil

Finally, the addition of rosemary oil to other types of aromatherapy is important. The reason is, this material can be calming. This effect can help your little one sleep better.

The combination of various kinds of essential oils will help relieve children's cough symptoms more quickly.

Aromatherapy that is safe for your little one is Purekids Inhalant Decongestant Oil . This aromatherapy can help relieve coughs and colds in children naturally without risks and side effects.

Purekids Inhalant Decongestant Oil can be a safe additional therapy for treating colds and coughs in children because it does not cause side effects. It's easy to use, just drip aromatherapy into a container filled with warm water, and ask your little one to inhale the steam.

Apart from helping relieve coughs and colds, giving Purekids Inhalant Decongestant Oil can also prevent your little one from getting sick during the pandemic season and make him more relaxed so he doesn't get cranky easily.

Those are various natural ways to deal with coughs and colds in children that Mama and Papa can do. If the condition doesn't improve, don't hesitate to have your little one checked by a doctor.