12 Effective Home Remedies for Cold & Cough in Toddlers

One of the scariest moments as a parent is when your toddler is in discomfort and cannot convey their feelings. Rest assured, as per NHS, it is common for a child to experience a cold or cough around 8 times or more in a single year (1). However, when your toddler falls ill, you can resort to simple, doctor-approved remedies to eliminate the infection or whatever is causing the discomfort. Thankfully, there are several tried and tested home remedies for cold and cough in toddlers that have practically made life easier for parents and children. No need to panic or immediately rush to the hospital in case of a minor flu or cold. It is always wise to try home remedies as the first line of treatment for a simple cold or cough for your little one of any age instead of rushing for medications first (2). If their condition still persists, consulting a paediatrician is recommended.

Home Remedies for Cold and Cough in Toddlers

American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that over-the-counter (OTC) cold and cough medicines are not recommended for babies and young children under the age of 4 years (3) (4). There are many Indian home remedies for cold in toddlers to ensure that a baby’s cold is taken care of. Here are some common home remedies you can try to feed your kid and help them get better:

1. Ajwain Potli and Garlic

Carom seeds (ajwain), as well as garlic, are historically known for having strong anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. When combined together, they can be very powerful and help relieve cold and congestion in your little one. They are very simple to mix together and will work effectively when administered to a coughing child. To make the potli (pouch), you will need some carom seeds, some garlic, and a muslin cloth. Begin by roasting 2 cloves of garlic along with 1 tablespoon of ajwain on a small tawa or pan. Allow it to cool for a bit before making the pouch. It must be noted that the pouch needs to be tight in order to be used properly.

Once you’ve created the pouch, you can place it in the place where your toddler is asleep. The heat and fumes emanating from the pouch, which has the garlic and ajwain smoke, will help relieve any blocked nasal passages and provide a lot of relief from congestion.

2. Palm Sugar or Tal Mishri

Another one of the popular home remedies for cough in 2-year-olds is palm sugar, otherwise known as tal mishri. Palm sugar is easily available in a lot of stores and can be purchased as-is. Other ingredients you will need include tulsi and ginger.

Boil some water and add the palm sugar to it in addition to the tulsi. You can add the same in ginger tea, as well, to give to your kid.  Another way to administer this to your child is to take equal amounts of black pepper, almonds and palm sugar candy and mix them together. You can then heat warm it and feed the same to your toddlers and kids during winter. This can also be mixed with milk and fed to your kid.

3. Ajwain Water With Jaggery

A simple recipe, all you need to do is boil a cup of water along with a pinch of ajwain and around a teaspoon of jaggery. Strain it and feed a teaspoon of it to your toddler. It can also be given in plain water boiled with ajwain seed, which is a good remedy for cough in kids. Give this water at regular intervals to keep him hydrated.

4. Warm Mustard Oil and Rock Salt Massage

Warm a bit of mustard oil and add some rock salt to it. A teaspoon of salt is what is recommended. Once the mixture is warm enough to apply to the baby’s body, you can slowly massage his chest, back, and feet with this. It is suggested that you also cover the same with a cotton cloth so that it can provide the required warmth for the baby to feel fine.

5. White Onion Juice

One of the other more popular recipes in the North of India is a white onion. It is generally available in April and May. To help your toddler, slice an onion and keep it in a bowl. Add some drinking water to it, sieve it and offer a teaspoon to your toddler a day.  This will clear the nasal passage and relieve him of any cold, additional congestion, or cough.

6. Lemon Juice With Honey

While kids generally do not like medicinal drinks, there’s no way they’ll reject a tasty concoction containing honey. In a cup, you can mix a little lemon juice and honey. Then, add warm water to the same and give it to your baby to have a tasty remedy. Honey is a powerful antibacterial potion. Besides being delicious, it has a high viscosity, which helps provide a protective barrier in preventing infection (5). It is just an old wives’ tale; in a study, it was concluded that honey given to babies before bed helps promote better sleep and less nocturnal cough (6) (7).

7. Clove and Honey Mix

One of the best things to feed babies with a lot of phlegm build-up is some cloves and honey. It is a great expectorant and is also beneficial in reducing and even preventing cough. To feed, just dry roast around 5 cloves and grind them well till they’re cooled. Then, add honey to the same and give it to the baby before he sleeps.

8. Ghee and Black Pepper

A tablespoon of ghee and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper powder make for one of the best remedies to help toddlers get rid of cold and congestion. Mix the two, and feed during the cold winter months. The taste is a bonus as well!

9. Kesar Milk

Saffron milk is a great home remedy to help kids get rid of colds and coughs. Add a few strands of saffron to a cup of boiled milk before letting it cool. Strain the saffron and feed it before your child sleeps to treat cold and cough. You can also mix a few strands of saffron in one or two tsp of milk and apply the same on the forehead for instant relief from cold.

10. Lemon, Honey, and Cinnamon

Mix some lemon juice, honey, and a bit of cinnamon powder in a cup and heat it a bit. Then, feed your toddler the same mix and watch as it helps clear his sinuses and prevent the cold from spreading.

11. Salt Crush and Ginger

Another one of the popular home remedies for cold and cough in toddlers is the salt crush and ginger mix. To make the same, cut ginger into small, thin pieces. Then, add some salt to the same and offer it to your baby. This mixture should be able to get rid of colds, coughs, and sore throats in a baby.

12. Peppercorn and Jaggery Mix

A great expectorant is a mixture of jaggery and peppercorns. Mix around 1 ½ tablespoon of powdered jaggery with 3 or 4 powdered peppercorns. Store the mixture in an air-tight container and let your kid have a pinch whenever they feel the onset of a cold or a cough.

When to Consult a Doctor?

Though these remedies are helpful in relieving cold and cough in toddlers, there may be many instances when these may not be enough for your baby. It is essential to know when to consult a doctor so you can get your little one timely help. Consult a doctor if your baby:

1. Is not nursing, eating, drinking enough fluids to stay healthy or unable to sleep a while
2. He cries uncontrollably without any apparent reason, or you are unable to soothe him
3. Is having difficulty breathing, such as breathing rapidly, wheezing, or shallow breathing
4. Chokes or is unable to swallow anything
5. Is listless or unconscious
6. Sleeps more than usual and seems very lethargic
7. Has a high fever
8. Has acute ear pain (pulls ears or rubs ears)
9. Has a cough or cold that lasts more than a week
10. Falls ill frequently, without any trigger

FAQs

1. How do I treat my toddler’s cough and cold naturally?

First of all, make sure you give your little toddler plenty of fluids, including water and warm soups, to drink to replenish the electrolytes lost. Secondly, you can keep a clean and sanitised humidifier in their room so that air in the house remains moist and soothes their sore throat.

2. What foods should I avoid giving my toddler with a cold and cough?

You must definitely avoid giving citrus foods, spicy snacks, sweets, cold foods like ice creams and coolers, and greasy and fried food (8).

3. For how long does a cold and cough last in toddlers? Should I be worried?

Viral flu (viral cold and cough) can last for up to a week or more. Cough and cold caused by asthma or any allergy can be last for several weeks if not treated appropriately and early. If the cold and cough persists even after 3 weeks, you must not delay in contacting a paediatrician (4).

There are many effective home remedies to ensure that your toddler does not suffer when he falls ill. Try these toddler cough remedies when the slightest sign of cold appears, and it will vanish in no time! In the meantime, make sure your little buttercup drinks plenty of fluids to ease the sore throat and keep the body hydrated (9).

References/Resources:

1. Colds, coughs and ear infections in children; NHS; https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/health/colds-coughs-and-ear-infections-in-children/

2. Clarke. K. E. N; 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

3. Coughs and Colds: Medicines or Home Remedies?; American Academy of Pediatrics; https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/chest-lungs/Pages/Coughs-and-Colds-Medicines-or-Home-Remedies.aspx

4. Coughing; Nemours KidHealth; https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/childs-cough.html

5. Mandal. M. D, Mandal. S; Honey: its medicinal property and antibacterial activity; Asian Pac J Trop Biomed.; PubMed Central; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3609166/; April 2011

6. Ashkin. E, Mounsey. A; PURLs: a spoonful of honey helps a coughing child sleep; The Journal of Family Practice; PubMed Central; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3601686/; March 2013

7. Cohen. H. A, Rozen. J, Kristal. H, et al.; Effect of honey on nocturnal cough and sleep quality: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study; Pediatrics; PubMed; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22869830/; September 2012

8. Ellis. E; Feeding Children When They Are Sick; Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; https://www.eatright.org/health/wellness/healthful-habits/feeding-children-when-they-are-sick; January 2021

9. Coughs and colds in children; HealthDirect; https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/coughs-and-colds-in-children

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