12 Effective Cough Remedies for Kids at Night

Coughing is a common problem among children, and it is especially troublesome if it disturbs a child’s sleep. Coughing could either be the result of low immunity in kids or any infection, as children are always interested in foods from vendors and supermarkets that may expose them to a plethora of infection-causing pathogens. Therefore, mothers are always on the lookout for cough remedies for kids at night to cure a cough without having to run to the doctor. Fortunately, these pesky issues have been resolved at home with staple kitchen resources as home remedies for centuries. So, if you are looking for home remedies for dry cough at night for kids, here is a list of tried and tested effective home remedies for cough in kids. Before we get to the remedies, let’s take a look at some common causes of cough in kids.

Common Causes of Cough in Children

Your child could get a cough due to any of the reasons mentioned below (1) (2) –

1. Infection – Viral infections like colds and flu can lead to cough in children.
2. Acid Reflux – One of the symptoms of acid reflux is coughing. Look for other symptoms to confirm if it is acid reflux.
3. Asthma – Asthma can be tough to diagnose because symptoms vary from child to child. But a wheezing cough, which may get worse at night, is one of many asthma symptoms. The other symptom may be a cough that appears with increased physical activity or during play.
4. Allergies or Sinusitis – Certain allergies to the sinus can cause a lingering cough.
5. Whooping Cough – It is characterised by recurrent cough, followed by an inhale that has a “whooping” sound.

For cases like whooping cough, asthma, and infections, you should consult a paediatrician and follow his/her instructions. You may try home remedies, such as the ones we will discuss below, to provide your child with some relief, but only if the paediatrician approves of them.

Night Time Cough Remedies for Children

Cold weather can essentially be one of the major reasons for a cough and cold among children. It could be due to food allergy, dust allergy, or some underlying health conditions like bronchitis or infection in the throat or lungs. If children cough all night long, it can disrupt their sleep. As a result, it can drain them out and make them feel tired during the daytime. If your toddler is coughing at night, the following home remedies for toddler cough at night will be of great help.

1. Eucalyptus Oil

If your child is younger than 2 years of age, pour a few drops of eucalyptus oil on her pillow and bedrolls. This will open her nostrils and provide instant relief. You can also pour a few drops on your child’s clothing. Remember that if your child is younger than 2 years old, don’t massage the eucalyptus oil, rub or salve on her throat, chest or nose. Also, do not give eucalyptus cough drops to children under 6 (3).

2. Warm Soup

As per the American Academy of Pediatrics, you can give your child a bowl of warm vegetable or chicken soup, which will relieve a cough or sore throat (4).

3. Throat Lozenges

It is seen that Zinc Lozenges taken once every 2-3 hours can cure a cough and cold. As per the NIH, zinc lozenges relieve the irritation caused by throat inflammation and reduce the common cold duration if you start taking it within 24 hours of getting a cold and cough for less than 2 weeks, thereby curing the cough resulting from infection (5).

In India, children are also given rock candy (mishri) to suck in order to cure throat irritation, which causes a cough. It is said that anything that stimulates saliva like lozenges or rock candy, and keeps the throat moist provides relief to a sore throat or throat irritation.

4. Turmeric Milk

Turmeric has antibacterial properties. In a glass of warm milk, mix ½ a teaspoon of turmeric and ask your child to drink it. Small children may not be able to drink a whole glass of turmeric milk, so start by giving them just a few spoons of the mixture initially.

5. Turmeric and Honey Mixture

Turmeric has antibacterial properties, and honey soothes the throat, thereby giving relief from a cough, especially a dry cough in toddlers at night (5). Home remedies like these are easily accessible to everyone as they are made of kitchen essentials. Honey should be used only if your kid is over a year old as it could risk them of infant botulism which is life-threatening for infants below one year old (6).

6. Inhaling Smoke of Burnt Turmeric Root

Burning turmeric root and inhaling the smoke (also known as Dhoom Paan in Ayurveda) is a good and effective remedy to cure a cough. You can do so by putting a few turmeric leaves in burning charcoal. Then, put some turmeric on top of the leaves and let it burn. Inhale the smoke that emits out of it.

7. Ginger and Honey

The antihistamine property of ginger helps in treating allergies like allergic rhinitis, and is one of the most common causes of a cough (7). It helps in curing persistent coughs, too. The juice of crushed ginger, when mixed with honey, soothes an inflamed throat and cures cough.

8. Elevated Head

In some cases, children cough during the night because the mucus dribbles down from the back of the nose into the throat, causing persistent coughing throughout the night. Therefore, propping her head up with a few pillows will reduce the trickling down of the mucus, causing less coughing at night.

9. Massage

Heat mustard oil and add some roughly crushed garlic into it. Let it cool. Massage it all over your child’s body, especially on the throat, chest, back, palms of the hands, and below the feet. Mustard oil keeps the body warm, and the garlic, having antimicrobial properties, can ward off infections. However, do not put too much pressure on your baby’s chest and back. It should be done gently.

10. Tulsi and Honey

Tulsi increases immunity and prevents all types of infections. The tulsi leaves have expectorant properties which thin the mucus and cure chest congestion (8). It also acts on the nerves that cause coughing. Honey, on the other hand, has an antibacterial and antiviral property, which soothes the throat by preventing infection. Thus, when the juice of tulsi leaves mixed with honey is given to a child, it relieves the child from coughing.

11. Gargling

Apart from these, you can also try several other options to relieve your child’s cough, like gargling. In a glass of warm water, dissolve a pinch of salt. Make your child gargle with the water. Gargling with warm salt water thrice a day can reduce throat inflammation, thereby relieving a sore throat. Even gargling with warm water mixed with salt and turmeric can cure throat infection because turmeric and salt are said to have antibacterial properties.

12. Humidifier

Another great way of preventing coughs during winter is to place a cool mist humidifier in your child’s room. It will add moisture to the dry winter air inside the room and prevent coughing. Remember to clean the humidifier often so that it does not get mouldy inside. Remember not to use a warm mist humidifier as it can swell up the nasal passage and worsen breathing issues as per the FDA (9).

FAQs

1. Is honey safe for kids?

Yes, pasteurised honey is safe for children above 1 year old. Children below one year old should not at all costs be given honey in any form as it could risk them of botulism (7).

2. When can I give medicines to my child?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises against using over-the-counter cough and cold medicines for kids under 2 years old because they could have serious side effects that could be dangerous (9). Therefore, instead of buying any OTC medicine, consult a paediatrician who can provide customised guidance on your child’s health and suggest age-appropriate medicines.

3. Can I give cough drops to my child?

Cough drops should only be given t children above 6 years as they carry a risk of choking for young children under 6 (10).

Coughing is not a serious problem. However, it should never be left untreated. Trying out home remedies to cure a cough is common in every Indian household. However, if a cough persists even after trying out all the home remedies, it is advisable to consult a doctor.

References/Resources:

1. Cough in Children; American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology; https://www.aaaai.org/tools-for-the-public/conditions-library/allergies/cough-in-children

2. Worrall. G; Acute cough in children; Can Fam Physician; PubMed Central; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3056681/; March 2011

3. Eucalyptus; Mount Sinai; https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/eucalyptus

4. Can I give my 5-year-old over-the-counter cough medicine?; American Academy of Pediatrics; https://www.healthychildren.org/English/tips-tools/ask-the-pediatrician/Pages/Can-I-give-my-5-year-old-cough-medicine.aspx

5. The Common Cold and Complementary Health Approaches: What the Science Says; NCCIH; https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/providers/digest/the-common-cold-and-complementary-health-approaches-science

6. Botulism; Mayo Clinic; https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/botulism/symptoms-causes/syc-20370262

7. Yamprasert. R, et al.; Ginger extract versus Loratadine in the treatment of allergic rhinitis: a randomized controlled trial; BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies; ResearchGate; https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340798116_Ginger_extract_versus_Loratadine_in_the_treatment_of_allergic_rhinitis_a_randomized_controlled_trial; April 2020

8. Jamshidi. N, Cohen. M. M;  The Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Tulsi in Humans: A Systematic Review of the Literature; Evid Based Complement Alternat Med.; PubMed Central; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5376420/; 2017

9. Should You Give Kids Medicine for Coughs and Colds?; FDA; https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/should-you-give-kids-medicine-coughs-and-colds

10. Coughs: Meds or Home Remedies?; Seattle Children’s; https://www.seattlechildrens.org/conditions/a-z/coughs-meds-or-home-remedies/

Also Read:

Natural Remedies for Head Lice in Kids
Effective Ear Pain Home Remedies for Children
Effective Home Remedies for Vomiting Child
Foods to Avoid and Eat during Cold and Cough in Kids

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