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14 Home Remedies for Cold and Flu in Babies & Kids
Cold and flu are infections caused by viruses. Children under the age of 6 cannot be given over-the-counter cold and flu medication, which is why alternate medication in the form of home remedies should be used to alleviate cold and flu symptoms in babies and children. Before we start with the list of home remedies, you are advised not to try all of these remedies at once or simultaneously, and you should take care that your child does not turn out allergic to any ingredient. Consult with your paediatrician before trying these remedies, and remember to keep the baby’s age in mind before trying any of these remedies out.
Video: 8 Home Remedies for Cold and Flu in Babies & Kids
https://youtu.be/zanqD5nAG0M
The remedies listed in this article work on children with the following symptoms:
Mildly running nose
Mild cough
Sore throat
Stuffy or blocked nose
Loss or decrease in appetite
Restlessness
Fever
To treat cold in babies, it is important that parents try to first comfort them so that they feel better. Fever causes dehydration, and the baby might not always feel thirsty or comfortable drinking. However, it is essential that you encourage him to consume more fluids.
Here are some signs of dehydration in babies who are under 3 months:
Crying without shedding tears
Chapped lips
Sunken soft spots on the skin
Decreased in the activity level of the baby
Frequent urination (3 to 4 times in 24 hours)
If you are breastfeeding, you should try to feed the baby more frequently than you usually do. The baby may not be keen to feed due to the sickness, so you may want to breastfeed him in several short sessions. This is to ensure that your baby has enough fluid intake. If your doctor advises you, you may give your baby oral rehydration solution (pedialyte).
For older children, there are more options for hydration. Give your child fresh fruit juice, soup, etc. For a baby above the age of 12 months, you can feed him 2-5 ml of honey a couple times a day. This will help loosen his cough. Also make sure that your baby gets adequate rest for proper recovery.
Home Remedies
These home remedies for a toddler’s cold are safe, gentle and effective in helping the baby feel better. Here they are:
1. Breast Milk
Breast milk contains antibodies which make the body immune to all kinds of germs and viruses, including the cold and flu virus. Along with this, breast milk also provides hydration. This is one of the best natural remedies for flu in infants.
What You Can Do
Breast milk can be fed to babies that are under 6 months, and will not require any other medication.
Precautions
Avoid drinking caffeine as it can affect the baby’s sleep.
2. Garlic and Ajwain Pouch
Garlic and ajwain are powerful cures for a cough and cold as they contain anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. This mixture is one of the best herbal remedies for cold in children.
What You Can Do
Take 2 garlic cloves and 1 spoon of ajwain and dry roast them. Once cooled, put them in a muslin cloth and tie it tight. Place this pouch near the baby’s cot so that the oils and smells provide comfort to the baby. This pouch should help clear any blockage the baby might have owing to a cold.
Precautions
The pouch should not be kept too close to the baby as it may prove to be a choking hazard. Alternatively, you can rub this pouch on the soles of the baby’s feet to achieve results.
3. Panikoora
It relieves babies from cold and cough as it helps expel sputum from the infant’s air pipe.
What You Can Do
Panikoora is a perennial plant which is found in the southern part of India. It has aromatic leaves that you can heat and shrivel on a stove top. Once shrivelled and cooled off, you can place them on the baby’s forehead. The leaves lose moisture and dry up, making it ready to absorb moisture from the baby’s body and helping get rid of a cold and cough.
Precautions
There are no known side effects of using the Panikoora plant.
4. Mustard Oil Infused With Garlic and Carom Seeds
Mustard oil, garlic and ajwain have anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. They have a soothing effect on the baby as they ease congestion.
What You Can Do
Heat 1/4th cup of mustard oil and add 2 cloves of crushed garlic and carom seeds to it. Once they turn brown, take it off the stove. Massage this oil on the baby’s chest and under his feet.
Precautions
You should be cautious not to allow the baby to consume the oil as it may cause stomach problems.
5. Kesar Tilak
This paste will help absorb the water from the baby’s forehead and provide relief.
What You Can Do
Make a saffron paste and apply it on the soles of your baby’s feet and on the forehead as a tilak.
Precautions
Though kesar is safe for consumption, some infants have adverse reactions such as nausea, allergic reactions and headaches. Make sure your child is not allergic and avoid getting it in your baby’s mouth when applying.
6. Dry Roasted Turmeric Rub
Turmeric can help in relieving cold symptoms as it has anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties.
What You Can Do
A dry turmeric stick in charred on a stove and then a paste is made. This paste, when applied on the bridge of the baby’s nose, can provide relief.
Precautions
Avoid smearing the turmeric paste inside the baby’s nose as it may cause suffocation.
7. Carrot Juice
Carrots contain essential nutrients and vitamins that help boost the immune system. This is one of the best home remedies for toddler cold.
What You Can Do
Fresh carrot juice diluted with room temperature water can be given to babies aged 6 months and above.
Precautions
Ensure that your baby is not allergic to carrots.
8. Mustard Oil Infused With Rock Salt
The warmth that mustard oil provides helps in relieving congestion of the throat.
What You Can Do
Warm some mustard oil and mix a spoon of rock salt to it. Massage this oil gently on the baby’s chest and back and cover with a cotton cloth to provide warmth.
Precautions
Make sure that the oil is not too hot.
9. Saline Drops
Nasal or saline drops are a quick and safe option to provide your baby some relief from congestion.
What You Can Do
One can use a dropper to administer the saline drops.
Precautions
In case the baby’s nose is filled with snot, you can use a nasal suction bulb to remove the congestion.
10. Use a Humidifier
This will help draw help relief from a cough and cold by moistening dry air.
What You Can Do
A humidifier can be used in the baby’s room while he is asleep.
Precautions
Humidifiers need to be cleaned regularly, or they begin to house mold and bacteria which can affect your child’s health.
11. Create a Steam Room
Creating a steam room will loosen the mucus and will relieve the baby from congestion.
What You Can Do
Run some hot water in the bathroom and make your baby sit inside for about 15 minutes.
Precautions
Make sure your baby is adequately hydrated before and after the steam room treatment as he will lose a lot of fluids.
12. Lemon Water Mixed With Honey
Lemons are rich in Vitamin C that is effective in fighting off a cold.
What You Can Do
Squeeze some lemon juice in a glass of warm water. Add honey for taste.
Precautions
Having too much of this concoction will give your child a tummy ache.
13. Gargling
Gargling with salt water can provide relief from cold as it helps in breaking down the mucus and reducing swelling.
What You Can Do
Make the baby gargle a few times during the day especially when the baby has a sore throat.
Precautions
You should be careful about the temperature of the water being used for gargling. Test it yourself before letting the baby use it.
14. Raise Your Baby’s Head
Your baby’s body is repairing itself at night when he asleep, which is why a deep, uninterrupted sleep is important for the infection to subside. Raising your baby’s head will prevent the mucous to go back into his system and allow him to breathe easily.
What You Can Do
Simply take a towel and fold it. Put this towel under your child’s pillow so as to elevate his head. You can do so with another soft pillow.
Precautions
Make sure that the height of the pillow is optimum as your child may end up having neck trouble if the pillow is too elevated.
General Precautions
Avoid trying any home remedy which involves the consumption of any oil/herb or medicine for babies below 6 months of age.
Ensure that the baby gets 18 hours of sleep, and toddlers or kids a minimum of 8 hours of sleep when they have a cold and cough.
Do not use honey for children who are less than 1 year old. This could lead to a disorder called infant botulism.
Kids should be encouraged to use a handkerchief and wash their hands to avoid infection.
Ensure that your child is not allergic to any ingredient you will be using in your home remedy.
Breastfeed as much as you can. Breast milk has a lot of antibodies that build immunity.
Do not forcefully give food to your baby. Loss of appetite is common during colds and flu.
Your baby’s clothing during a cold and flu should be in accordance with the weather. Keep your baby warm by clothing him in layers.
Keep your child away from daycare or school when he is unwell, especially if he has a fever.
Use only boiled and cooled or distilled water to prevent any other infections in the baby.
Try the recipes on yourself before using them on the baby.
Wash your and your baby’s hands frequently during this time to avoid infections. 80% of infections are spread through touch.
Keep your house clean so no one else falls ill. It is a good idea to disinfect objects that are used frequently.
Try to feed the baby warm fluids that will help in flushing out the mucus, hydrate the baby and bring him relief.
When to Call a Doctor?
When using home remedies you must also observe your child for the following symptoms:
Runny nose and cough with thick, greenish and yellowish secretion
Sore throat and difficulty swallowing
Inflamed tonsils
Increased respiratory rate
Fever greater than 101 or 104 degrees for more than two consecutive days
Has high fever (100.4 degrees or higher) and is less than 3 months old
Has a fever that does not subside after taking acetaminophen or ibuprofen
Extremely drowsy or fatigued
Refuses to eat or drink
Has issues with breathing or is wheezing
All the above symptoms are indicative of something other than common cold and would require immediate medical attention.
The above-mentioned remedies will help provide your little one relief from cold. You could take a trial-and-error approach where you can observe which treatment your baby responds to the best. Once your child recovers from the cold and flu, it is necessary that you go into prevention mode.
Also Read:
Foods to Eat & Avoid during Cold and Cough for Babies, Toddlers and Kids
Safe Home Remedies for Cough in Children Read more
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Give Her Wings and Let Her Fly, She is Your Bundle of Joy
Daughters are wonderful. A daughter plays the role of a sister, wife, and mother. And she deserves respect and love! We must take care of our girls properly, we know that, but still, there are some people in our society who don't understand the importance of a girl and treat her like a burden. In some families, a girl child always feels neglected (not in all families though). To show love and respect to your daughters, these are some things that you can do -
Treat her as an equal - In many Indian families, people still treat boys as a prince, but it is not good at all. Whether it's a boy or a girl, give equal opportunities to them. A girl child is always forced to learn household things, but a boy is not asked the same. But both of them can learn it as it will be beneficial.
Give her proper education - Education is the birthright of every child. Proper education will develop skills and moral values in every child. In rural areas, people engage their daughters in household work and do not send them to schools. But people should not do that, they should send their daughters to school too. We should let our girls fly!
Encourage her to dream - We should encourage our daughters to dream and fly high. If you have a daughter, try to know about her ambition. Enlighten her and let her know how she can achieve her dream.
Teach her about self-protection - As a girl child, she must be aware of the problems that may arise in her path. So teach her about self-protection, sexual education, etc. By giving her adequate knowledge about this will help her to cross the hurdles of life, if they may arise.
Make her believe that marriage is just a phase of her life - In a girl's life, her wedding is a turning point. Make your daughter known that marriage will be a phase of her life and not the full stop. Encourage her to be independent and be hopeful in life.
A girl can be wrong but she won't be wrong always. In many families, people curse their girl child if something goes wrong. But people should understand that she won't be always wrong. Our society is changing, no doubt, but still the feelings and mentality towards a 'girl-child' has not changed completely. We are in the 20th century and it's time that people who don't treat girls with respect should change their mentality.
Disclaimer: The views, opinions and positions (including content in any form) expressed within this post are those of the author alone. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The responsibility for intellectual property rights of this content rests with the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with him/her.
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Travelling With An Eight Month Old Baby - What to Keep in Mind
The craziest thing that I have heard till date was not to travel with a baby, and wait till he is grown up. I have never understood this concept - don’t you think your baby needs outdoor exposure too? In reality, all you need is to work on a proper management system. Trust me, this can make you a pro at travelling and you will not think twice while planning for your trips as well. My daughter is eight months old right now and I am going to share with you all my recent experience. I had travelled by car and covered a 7-hour long journey and a stay for 3 days. Here's listing out some points below which might be helpful to carry out your travelling phase -
Properly journal your whole trip.Your head should be sorted in terms of what,where,when,how and why. You should be more practical rather than of having a “Jo bhi hoga dekhlehngy” attitude.
If you breastfeed your baby, you've got an advantage here as, for small journeys, this will be enough to satisfy your baby.
A travel-size compact rice cooker is a necessity if you are staying in a hotel or have a long journey to cook food for your bub.
You can make small containers for each food article, depending on the duration of your stay. For example-you can carry dal, rice, suji, biscuits, etc.
Make a small pouch for every medicine you find important for your baby. If possible, consult with your doctor in advance to make your trip more comfortable.
Plan on visiting everywhere according to your baby's sleep and food timings. He will become cranky and spoil the whole scenario if things don’t work his way.
Never introduce a new food item to baby while travelling,as you never know whether it can cause an allergic reaction.
You can keep baby’s favourite toys to keep him engaged. Also bring some new toys along to not let boredom strike him.
Be careful while travelling in summers as cars, hotels, malls, etc. are completely air conditioned and maybe other areas you are visiting aren’t; so there might be chances of summer cold.
Pack everything essential for your baby’s daily needs but don’t overdo it. Everything should be compact and travel-size.
Disclaimer: The views, opinions and positions (including content in any form) expressed within this post are those of the author alone. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The responsibility for intellectual property rights of this content rests with the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with him/her. Read more
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Failed IUI - Possible Reasons, Symptoms and Solutions
A fairly low cost and inexpensive infertility treatment are Intrauterine Insemination which does not require much expertise and also the procedure sounds very logical. Patients, therefore have a high expectation of its successful outcome. Doctors avoid telling the patients that the success rate is only 10 to 15 percent. Failure in this method occurs when the sperm are functionally incompetent and many other reasons cater to its low success rate. It is not just tried once but multiple times to get the desired outcome. The only symptom indicating the failure of IUI is getting the menstrual periods or it might lead to abortion. If there happens to be any chromosomal abnormality then severe cramping can be a symptom that there will be pregnancy loss. One should move to some other treatment after failure of the IUI treatment. Though a little complicated, the IVF treatment which is slightly more costly follows next. It is suggested that you should go through the emotional toll of failure only thrice and then you must move to the next option.
Why IUI Treatment Might Fail
The IUI treatment is primarily preferred by couples who face problems in conceiving due to some reason. Without causing much discomfort or pain this treatment does not require much technical expertise. As it is less invasive and cost-effective it is preferred by many couples as the first line of treatment. The causes of IUI failure are varied. Given below are some major reasons why it ends in dejection among patients.
1. Problem in Ovulation
If the patient has any mild ovulation problem then the pregnancy gets terminated.
2. Progesterone Deficiency
Initially, progesterone is necessary to support pregnancy and so, deficiency of progesterone can lead to IUI failure.
3. Timing of Ovulation
The timing of the process has to be perfect. During the stay of the egg for 12 to 24 hours in the fallopian tube, if it is not fertilized by the sperm then it disintegrates.
4. Improper Endometrial Lining
If the egg that is fertilized is not able to embed itself in the cavity, then the IUI process fails because of improper endometrial lining.
5. Inferior Quality Sperm
No egg can be fertilized by poor quality sperm and so the process becomes unsuccessful.
6. Poor Quality of Eggs
If the chromosomal quality of eggs is poor then it will be unable to divide after fertilization.
7. Increased Age
Increased age of the mother spoils the quality of eggs and so the IUI procedure fails.
Are There Any IUI Failure Symptoms
IUI treatment is opted when a couple face problems like low sperm count, ejaculation problem, decreased sperm motility, hostile cervical mucus or any other unexplained infertility issues. The failure of IUI does not show any specific symptoms to indicate its failure. However, if there happens to be any vaginal discharge, cramping or severe discomfort then you must consult the doctor immediately. The failure will either lead to the starting of the menstrual cycle or else culminate in an abortion. Spontaneous abortion happens if there is any chromosomal abnormality. The Health care professional should be consulted when any complication is observed.
How Many IUI Treatments One Should Try?
The prospect of a successful pregnancy is exciting. If you are below 40 years of age and are struggling due to infertility, it is recommended that you should try IUI for three cycles and then move on to the next option. Even if you try for cycles 4 to 6, it has been generally observed that the success rate drops further. Women above 40 should go for only one cycle only and then opt for the next. Seek the guidance of the health professional who will be the best person to judge the situation and advice accordingly.
What Should You Do After IUI Failure?
In cases where the IUI treatment fails,
Seek out the next line of action. If the patient has a history of three to four failed IUI cycles then it is obvious that the process is not suitable.
If the patient is above 35 years of age, then the IUI cycles do not produce a favourable result. The couple then should choose to go for IVF treatment.
If the ovarian reserve is very low it will lead to difficulties in becoming pregnant.
Intrauterine Insemination failure is quite a common thing. It is very well understood that the patient invests time, money and emotional energy and has high expectations which end up in frustration when the pregnancy does not follow through. Many patients fall in a dilemma and think after failed IUI now what? If the first IUI failed, you should persevere and go for the second cycle because the second cycle might stimulate ovulation when the first cycle failed. IUI failed twice should also not give up hope and try for the third cycle as the number of insemination cycles depends on the prognosis. Couples have tried up to nine cycles of IUI and the success rate each time becomes lesser. Natural pregnancy after failed IUI is very difficult. Therefore the next option which is a little expensive and invasive is IVF after failed IUI.
IUI comes as a great source of hope and relief for those mothers who face problems in conceiving. Though many mothers have been blessed by the use of technology, some are not able to conceive even after trying many cycles of it. The IVF treatment is the next option which is far more expensive and invasive. Even this does not guarantee success but in most cases the first trial ensures pregnancy and if not, then one can go for several more rounds for absolute success.
A silver ray of hope begins with the first cycle of IUI treatment. Anticipation, excitement, and trepidation are mixed feelings which captivate the patients.
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IUI Success Tips to Increase Chances of Pregnancy
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A. It depends on moms and babys health I feel and suggest It's better to check with your doctor and follow their advise. That would be one of the best and safest option for your baby as of now. Take care.
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A. Constipation in Babies less than 1 year is very common and more in formula fed babies and also when initially the semi solid food has been started after 6 months .
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Q. Hello, I'm a hypothyroidism patients consumes 25mg tab,
can I take apple cider vinegar?
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A. I don’t think so ACv is going to be a problem but it would be better that you check with your doctor because Apple cider vinegar has couple of side-effects also also which a lot of people are not aware about so do not take it without your doctors advice and consent
Anitha S has added a new answer
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A. if you want you may go by taking all the necessary things for baby but see through that your baby doesn't feel any discomfort
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Q. #asktheexperts plz suggest me medicine for toothache
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A. A proper assessment is required here so regarding this it is vmore favourable to contact your local doctor and accordingly he will guide in a proper manner.
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