Children tend to catch common colds and cough quite often. Treating minor infections like the common cold in babies can sometimes turn out to be a little tricky. Many doctors advise mothers to avoid using antibiotics on babies and toddlers unless it is indispensable. In fact, it is hugely unwise to administer antibiotics on babies unnecessarily as these might cause side effects, though, at times, it might come to be inevitable.
But, did you know that you can control infections in babies through simple Ayurvedic home remedies? With these simple tricks, you can cure minor ailments in babies and prevent them from getting worse.
Remember that it is vital to know the child’s condition and how severe it is before deciding to rely on home remedies. If your child has developed a fever or a cold that worsens by the day, it is crucial to take him/her to the doctor at once. Do not rely on home remedies for treating severe infections or conditions.
Here are some really easy and highly effective home remedies for cough and cold in babies and toddlers.
List of Ayurvedic Home Remedies for Cough and Cold in Babies
Turmeric
Turmeric rarely needs to be introduced when it comes to home remedies. The spice is known all over for its benefits in curing infections. A pinch of it can be dissolved in warm water and slowly fed to babies older than 8-months. It is also a good idea to rub a mix of warm water and turmeric onto the chest of the sick baby to cure common cold and cough. In addition, dissolving milk with a small amount of turmeric and giving it to your kids at night can be the perfect cure for aching throat and a runny nose.
Honey
Some kids are known to like the taste of honey so much that they jump up with joy by the mere mention of it. Besides the taste, honey also is known to have medicinal properties for curing common cold and cough, especially in children. One of the suggested home remedies for toddlers pertains to mixing half-teaspoon of honey with lukewarm milk and feeding it slowly is known to bring relief from cough. Honey has the tendency to thin the mucus to loosen the cough and that is the main reason why it has become a preferred home remedy.
Tulsi
Tulsi has been used for a long time ago for curing common colds and coughs. Heat a bowl of water with freshly plucked and washed Tulsi leaves and let your child inhale the fumes. Be careful not to overdo this. Babies require less than fifty percent of the fumes than we inhale to be cured of a cold. Do not let your child go too near to the fumes to avoid hazards.
You can alternatively give your child a cup of water boiled with tulsi leaves if he/she is above one year of age..
Warm Mustard oil
For ages, mustard oil has been used to soothe colds, cough, and other respiratory ailments. It is even known to work well for kids. For relief from cough, mix mustard oil with garlic to be followed by gentle massage on the baby’s chest, back, and neck area. Also covering the baby’s palm and feet with the oil is known to offer quick relief. Besides this, mixing mustard oil into hot water and inhaling the steam is a known remedy for cough. But remain conscious of not exposing young kids to a lot of steam as it can cause health complications.
Panam Kalkandam or Palm Candy
Palm Candy or “Kalkandam” as it is known in Malayalam is known to be highly beneficial for reducing mucus during cough and is effective for preventing common cold. One of the more popular remedies for curing cough involves mixing turmeric, palm candy into warm milk, and feeding it slowly to a young child. Another popular remedy for dry cough involves roasting anise seed and adding it into a cup of boiling water sweetened with palm candy. Strain the water and add a spoon of ghee before giving it little by little to the young child.
Apart from using these tips, it’s vital to provide your baby with much breast milk to strengthen his/her immunity. Immunity boosting foods like lemon can also be slowly added to your little one’s diet. It is always important to remember not to overdo anything on babies.
Also, it is highly advisable to consult with an Ayurvedic doctor before using these remedies on your child. Ayurvalley exists to help people to lead a healthy and happy life.
What makes us the best Ayurvedic Hospital in Kerala is our dedication to our patients and visitors. Visit our website to learn more about our services.
