As a new mother, each cough and sneeze your baby has is frightening. When my daughter had her first cold I went into panic mode, I called off work and read everything about treating colds in young children I could.
Typically, I avoided going to the doctor unless it was urgent. I find that most doctors don’t offer much information on holistic remedies and you’ll end up paying a ton of money just to be told to use Tylenol and plenty of fluids. The healthcare system ladies and gentlemen! At the time, I also didn’t want my young baby pumped full of drugs to treat her common cold.. I quickly got over that as she got older and PTO time got fewer and far between.
Now, as a mother of 2 (one of which is in preschool), I have gained a relationship with quite a few methods of treating a cold at various stages. Honestly, I feel like I became a pro when my then 2 year old started attending a glorified daycare they called a preschool. This was her first introduction to a classroom environment and being around other children daily, so her immune system was in shock. She was sick every other week for months. I’m not even exaggerating. At times it felt like I was paying them $170 a week just to get the child sick! This caused me to try a lot of things which I still use. I also learned, after changing schools and her not getting sick, that the facility was not being as germ cautious as possible. But that’s a blog for another time.
Preventing colds in your school age toddler
A lot of times the best way to fight off a cold and it’s symptoms is to try to keep things clean and to keep their immune system as strong as possible. Many daycares and preschools recommend having your child wash their hands before and after they enter the classroom. This system actually works when it is enforced but a lot of times it is not. If you can on your own keep your child’s hands clean, especially when returning home for the day you’re heading in the right direction.
In addition to keeping their hands washed I would recommend taking some sort of daily vitamin or immune booster.
Good Immune Boosters for kids & infants
– Elderberry – This is a super food that helps boost the immune system in a natural way. I can and probably will write a whole post dedicated to this supplement alone! It really works with speeding up the recovery from colds and even preventing getting sick. When one of my daughters start to show symptoms I dose them both daily and it really helps keep the sickness in check.
– Probiotics – Probiotics are great for adults and kids for many reasons but boosting the immune system is a stand out benefit. I wrote a whole post on how taking probiotics daily has greatly helped me, make sure you check it out. After I saw these benefits I started buying them for my youngest and I have not been disappointed.
– Daily Gummy Vitamins – This is a great, easy way to cut down on the colds you school age children catch, as well as making sure they are getting all the nutrition they need. I have a very picky eater, so giving her vitamins gives me peace of mind that her health is okay even if she is only eating apple sauce and chicken nuggets all day.
– Emergen-C – I use this a lot when I am sick so I give my daughter the kids version when she has a bad cold. I add it to her juice with a little water and she loves it!
Treating Infant and Toddler Cold Symptoms
Unfortunately, no matter how diligent you think you are about washing their hands and dosing them with supplements, your child can still get sick. It’s just part of life. But knowing how to treat those common cold symptoms can make everyone’s life a bit easier and hopefully shorten the length of those tiny colds.
What to do for fevers…
– Cool bath – A quick bath with cool to room temp water can work wonders for a fever. They water shouldn’t be too cold because they can not only make your child freak out but cause them to shiver and their body to work harder to warm back up. I’ve used this many times when my daughters temp got really high.
– Tylenol – In additional to the cool bath I like to use Tylenol to help reduce fevers and the general discomfort that comes with sickness. We get dosing instructions from our pediatrician when using this for our infants but it is generally safe and effective when used properly.
What to do for bad congestion…
– Diffuser – As you’ll know from experience, it is very difficult to sleep when you can barely breathe. When my girls get really congested I pull out my secret weapons! I started doing this years ago and it really helps. I put a few drops of eucalyptus & peppermint essential oils with a dash of lavender to help them breathe easier and sleep well when they are sick. Essential oils and aromatherapy have so many awesome uses but this might be my favorite.
– Humidifier – Humidifiers really help with congestion at night by adding moisture to the air and making it easier to breathe. I like to add in the essential oils, especially eucalyptus, as a double team to fight stuffiness.
– Baby Vicks – Although I don’t find that this works any better than essential oils, baby vick’s is still something I use when things are really bad or if I run out of oil. I apply it on their chest and feet. I know the foot thing is something like an old wives tale but I do it anyway!
What to do for a runny nose …
After the congestion looses and drains you have to keep those ones clean and dry to help the cold move out faster and to prevent the germs from spreading. This is my least favorite part of tony colds. Not because it’s gross (it is) but because you really have to stay on top of it in order to keep your house from being covered in snot.
-NoseFrida + Boogie wipes – The NoseFrida is a game changer! Sure it might look weird but this is the best tool to use when it comes to cleaning your child’s nose. I use this in conjunction with boogie wipes. These are small, saline water wipes that you can get at the store. I thought it would just be a waste of money but it really isn’t. The saline in them helps to loosen snot for better drainage and it helps you keep their faces from being caked up with boogers. This is a luxury though. Traditional tissue can also do the job
My Favorite cold medicines
Over the pat 3 years I’ve grown attached to a few brands of cold medicine. I namely use Zarabees, Hyland’s and Tylenol when treating their symptoms with over the counter stuff. I really love Zarabees because they make natural cold products for children ranging from infant to toddler. Hyland’s makes really great daytime and nighttime cough medicine, which have always been effective for my oldest daughter. And of course Tylenol is a must have. I have also used honey for my olde daughter’s cough, cough drop suckers and Zarabee’s melatonin to help her sleep when she is sick. The last three have varying effectiveness and aren’t safe for all ages so do your research.
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Web MD
https://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/features/comfort-sick-baby#2
Eucalyptus
http://www.naturallivingideas.com/benefits-uses-of-eucalyptus-oil/
Pepermint
https://www.bulkapothecary.com/blog/essential-oil-benefits/using-peppermint-oil-to-treat-the-common-cold/
