If the baby keeps coughing, parents are not only very concerned, but also look for ways and means to make it easier for the child. After the obligatory visit to the pediatrician, you can try the following home remedies.
Unfortunately, wintertime is always cold season. While we adults can put up with coughs and runny noses quite well, such a cold is exhausting for babies. Especially when the little ones are plagued by coughs.
Depending on the age of the baby, it is advisable to consult a doctor if you have a cough. This applies if the child is less than three months old and is coughing, if the baby has a fever in addition to coughing, or if the child seems generally listless and listless. If the cough causes breathing problems, do not hesitate and call an ambulance.
Also read: RS virus: These symptoms indicate a severe course
‘Barking cough’ that is dry and makes ‘roaring’ sounds can be a sign of pseudo-croup or croup. It occurs mainly at night and can lead to breathing problems in the child. It can also occur during the day and cause wheezing and hoarseness. With such symptoms you should always go to a pediatrician.
If the cough is a symptom of a ‘simple’ infection, home remedies can help to improve the cough and allow the baby to sleep better at night.
Causes and benefits of (cold) cough in babies
Coughs caused by colds are very often caused by viruses in young and old, which first attack the upper respiratory tract and lead to a blocked nose there. During the course of the common cold, the viruses can also infect the lower respiratory tract. There the mucous membranes react to the intruders and want to get rid of them again, we cough.
At the onset of a cold, the cough in babies and adults is dry. In this phase, doctors speak of an acute cough. It can be over in just a few days.
However, once the viruses have made themselves comfortable in the bronchi, the mucous membranes react by producing mucus. The cough changes and becomes wetter. This productive cough ensures that the germs can be coughed up together with mucus. In babies, this type of cough often sounds rattling.
Also read: Is the baby nose closed? These tips & home remedies will help!
Home remedies for cough in babies
Since a cough is one of the body’s defense mechanisms against foreign objects, it is not advisable to suppress it. Instead, you can support the body to get rid of the cause of the cough. So what home remedies can improve coughs in babies?
drink a lot
Coughing causes a dry throat and dry mucous membranes in babies and adults alike. In order for the latter to be able to produce the important mucus in sufficient quantity to transport the virus away, increasing the amount of fluids can help. Breastfed babies should be latched more frequently when they cough, older babies should drink more (warm) water or unsweetened tea.
humid air
The urge to cough can be particularly disruptive at night. Increasing the humidity in the bedroom can help your baby sleep better and cough less at night. To do this, you can hang a towel moistened with warm water near the baby. This protects the mucous membranes from drying out and can reduce the urge to cough.
Reading tips: 8 tips to help children sleep better when they have a cold
Onion juice for babies from 6 months
You can easily make your own expectorant, which also has an antibacterial effect, with onions and sugar. Simply dice an onion, put it in a mason jar and sprinkle with three tablespoons of sugar. Set aside for at least 3 to 6 hours, waiting for the sugar to dissolve and combine with the onion’s juice. Pass the mixture through a sieve. You can give your coughing baby a teaspoon of the juice several times a day. It’s not a classic drug, so you can’t overdose on it.
Danger, who wants to mix the onion juice with honey! Honey is not suitable for babies under the age of one because it is a raw natural product.
Ultimate home remedy: chest wraps for babies cough
Onion breast wrap for babies from 6 months
Onion juice can also help as a compress against a baby’s cough. Roughly chop an onion and put it on a cloth diaper. Fold this to fit around your baby’s chest. Using a rolling pin, roll over the onions with a little pressure to squeeze out the juice. Ideally, the wrap is made warm (not hot) and then placed on the child’s chest for about 20 minutes. It can also be tied with a scarf or larger cloth.
Thyme chest compress against coughs in babies
In addition to onion, thyme is also suitable for a baby’s chest wrap to relieve cough and improve symptoms. The essential oils of the plant have an antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic effect on the bronchi. For a thyme wrap, simply pour around 500 ml of hot water over 2 teaspoons of thyme herb and leave to steep for 10 minutes. Put the mixture on a cloth diaper. Only wrap it around the child’s chest when the cloth is no longer hot, but if possible still comfortably warm. Wrap another towel around it, cover the child well and leave the wrap on for 30-60 minutes (if it stays warm and the child is comfortable).
When does a baby’s cough stop?
A simple cold cough in babies should subside after a few days to a maximum of two weeks. If there are other symptoms such as fever, fatigue or shortness of breath, a pediatrician should always be consulted.
Other warning signs of a cough in babies that need immediate medical attention include:
- shortness of breath
- bluish lips
- pinched skin on front of neck when inhaling (indicating difficulty breathing)
- sudden strong coughing fit (suggests swallowing a foreign object)
- distinct sounds when breathing in and out
If a baby’s cough lasts longer than two weeks, i.e. there were no breaks in coughing, a doctor should also be consulted promptly.
Also read: Frequent colds in children: how often is normal?
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Important note: The content of this article is for information only and does not replace a diagnosis by a pediatrician. If you have any uncertainties, urgent questions or complaints, you should contact your paediatrician. The medical on-call service can be reached via the nationwide number 116117.