1. Offer fluids
Staying hydrated is especially important when your child is sick. Water helps the body fight illness and keeps airways moist and strong.
One way to make sure your child is getting enough water is to have them to drink one serving of water (8 ounces or 0.23 liters) for each year of their life. For example, a one-year-old needs a minimum of one serving of water per day. A two-year-old needs two servings per day.
If they’re refusing their usual milk or not eating much, younger children may need more water. Offer water freely (at least every hour or two), but don’t push them to drink it.
In addition to enough water, you can offer popsicles to increase fluids and soothe a sore throat.
2. Offer honey
Honey is a natural sweetener that can help soothe a sore throat. Honey antibacterial properties and may help fight infection.
Honey isn’t safe for children who are under one year of age because there’s a risk of botulism.
For toddlers over one, you can give a spoonful of honey as often as you like, but be aware of the sugar intake that comes with it.
You can also try mixing the honey in warm water to make it easier for your child to consume the honey. This has the added benefit of helping to hydrate your child, too.
3. Elevate your child’s head when sleeping
Babies under one-and-a-half years old should not sleep with any pillows.
Getting your older toddler to fall asleep with their head on one or more pillows can be difficult, especially if your child is prone to moving around a lot while they’re asleep.
An option other than using pillows in the crib or bed to elevate your toddler’s head, is to try elevating one end of the mattress. You can do this by placing a rolled-up towel under the best hybrid mattress on the end where your child’s head rests.
However, you should ask your pediatrician before attempting this.
4. Add moisture with a humidifier
Adding moisture to the air helps keep your child’s airways from drying out and loosens mucus. This may ease coughing and congestion.
When purchasing a humidifier, choose a cold air humidifier. Cold air humidifiers are safer for children and as effective as warm air humidifiers. If possible, use purified or distilled water to slow down mineral buildup inside the humidifier.
Run a humidifier all night in the room where your toddler sleeps. During the day, run it in whatever room they’ll be spending the most time in.
If you don’t have a humidifier, you can try running a hot shower and blocking the crack under the bathroom door with a towel. Sit in the steamy bathroom to provide your child with some temporary relief.
5. Take a walk in cold air
If it’s cold outside, you can try this folk remedy that uses the power of fresh air and exercise to relieve cough symptoms.
Bundle your child up for a walk in cold weather and aim for just a few minutes outside. You don’t want to exhaust your toddler, but there are many anecdotal stories of this helping coughs and shortening the length of a common cold.
Some parents even try opening the freezer door and standing their toddler in front of it for a few minutes if the child wakes up to a coughing fit in the middle of the night.
6. Apply vapor rub
It’s controversial whether vapor rubs that contain camphor or menthol are beneficial. Caretakers have been rubbing this balm on children’s chest and feet for generations, but one animal study suggested it may actually increase mucus, which can dangerously block tiny toddler airways.
Ask your pediatrician before using any vapor rub. If you do use a vapor rub, applying it to your child’s feet may be safer than on the chest where toddlers might touch it and then get it in their eyes.
Never use vapor rub on babies under two, and never put it on a child’s face or under their nose.
7. Use essential oils
These herbal products are gaining in popularity and some may be effective at easing a cough or muscle aches when applied on the skin or diffused into the air.
But always talk with your doctor before using essential oils. Not all oils are safe for toddlers, and dosage isn’t regulated.
