15 Effective Home Remedies For Infant Cough And Sore Throat

Cough is one of the very common diseases in infants. Coughing is also a highly contagious disease. As a result, your baby is more likely to get this disease when they accidentally contact with the person who is coughing. This situation makes your child uncomfortable. They become anorexic, sleep deprived, and they often cry. If not treated early, the disease will be very dangerous to the health as well as the development of your children.

Many parents still lack knowledge about the disease, so if you have the same condition as them, this article is for you. In this article, we will provide you with the necessary knowledge about infant cough, as well as home remedies for this condition. These are all very useful information so please do not ignore anything.

What Is Infant Cough?

Under normal physiological conditions, cough is a physiologically reflective body defect. Cough is a reaction of the body to remove secretions or foreign objects to protect the respiratory apparatus. Cough may be just an immediate reflex of the body but it can also be a symptom of many different diseases. Childhood illnesses are the biggest worry for parents. Cough is a very common baby disease. Although the disease is simple, not life-threatening, but it affects the daily activities of children. It is very difficult to cure the disease if it is not treated promptly.

In the United States, it is estimated that about 10% of children take cough medicine every week. Coughing also causes the child to regularly visit the doctor. A study in the United States showed that within 12 months, about 80% of children had to see a doctor at least 5 times, 50% had to see a doctor over 10 times because of prolonged cough.

Coughing has a lot of impact on the baby. This situation makes your child uncomfortable. They become anorexic, sleep deprived, and they often cry. If not treated early, the disease will be very dangerous to the health as well as the development of your children.

Infant cough have the following common types:

• Dry cough: This is a reaction of the windpipe when the temperature changes, usually due to inflammation of the larynx.
• Cough at midnight: usually occurs when children is allergic or has a cold.
• Pertussis: When a child coughs up a passage and then emits a “huff”, then the child may already have pertussis. In this case, you should take your child to the hospital for a check-up and vaccination against whooping cough.
• Cough accompanied by fever: This condition is caused by a cold, pneumonia, acute pharyngitis or bronchitis.

What Are Common Causes Of Infant Cough?

Here are the common causes of this problem:

• Asthma Is The First Cause Of Infant Cough

The reason is that children have sensitive lungs. Any small change in weather can affect the respiratory tract of the children, causing the lungs to shrink or swell, leading to obstructed airways that makes breathing difficult for babies.

• Children With Cough Caused By Bronchitis

When children have fever or sneezing but are not treated promptly and definitely, their airways become infected, causing coughing.

• Children Cough Due To Cold

When the bacteria infect the body through the nose, sinusitis, throat and the main respiratory tract of the lungs, the child will be very prone to cough. In this case, the child may have sputum.

• Children Cough Due To Flu

In this case, the child may have continuous cough, regardless of day and night. Children are also more likely to cry because their bodies are tired. The cause of this condition is due to the flu virus.

• Children Cough Due To Laryngitis

In this case, children often cough and have mild fever at night. This happens because the virus of the larynx causes the lungs and windpipe to become swollen and narrowed. This affects the baby's breathing, causing coughing.

Respiratory syncytial virus can occur at any age, but is common in infants and young children. Symptoms of respiratory syncytial disease are similar to those of colds, but are accompanied by severe coughing and dyspnea. Respiratory syncytial virus usually occurs between mid-November and mid-March, which in many cases can lead to more complicated problems than colds in infants less than one year of age such as bronchitis.

• Children Cough Due To Bronchial Bronchial Pneumonia (Croup Disease)

One of the signs of acute bronchitis is severe cough and the disease usually becomes worse at night. Their throat may sound like whistling as the baby breathes in. Ideally, parents should take their children to the doctor so they can be treated promptly.

• Children Cough Due To Allergies, Asthma And Other Stimulants In The Living Environment

Your baby may be allergic to certain environmental factors such as pet hair or dust. Allergies can cause a stuffy nose or runny nose. Children with asthma also tend to cough more at night. If your child has asthma, he or she may have chest pain, wheezing and difficulty breathing.

If your baby coughs after starting to run, asthma is also a cause of cough. In addition, exposure to colds can cause coughing in children with asthma. Other factors of the environment that can cause coughing episodes include cigarette smoke or air pollution ^[1] [2].

What Are Common Symptoms Of Infant Cough?

Here are the common symptoms of this problem:

• At first, the baby will have mild coughing.
• The incubation period of coughing bacteria is 7-10 days after the child starts to cough more and run more nasal.
• Babies may find it difficult to breathe.
• Children may experience vomiting, runny nose and tearing.

Who Is At High Risk Of This Problem?

Infants older than 6 months are more likely to develop respiratory illnesses, including cough. Infants younger than 6 months of age are less likely to have respiratory illness due to the availability of antibodies which is transfer from the mother to their child. This antibody helps children avoid certain pathogens from the respiratory tract.

However, after 6 months of age, children are more exposed to the external environment, so they are more likely to develop respiratory illness.

When To See A Doctor?

In some cases the child has warning signs, you need to take the child to see a doctor right away:

• Shortness of breath
• Hemoptisi
• Cough suddenly after eating or playing (may be the child has a foreign object in the throat)
• Cough with high fever
• Cough with weight loss
• Cough accompanied by sweating

There, you have discovered some information about infant cough, it is time to find out what the best natural home remedies for infant cough and sore throat are. Take a look at TrueRemedies.com!

Top 15 Effective Home Remedies For Infant Cough And Sore Throat

1. Rice Water

Among home remedies for infant cough, using rice water is one of the most effective. Rice water contains more than 12 vitamins and minerals, including antioxidants, anthocyanins, B vitamins, chlorophyll, iron, lignans, manganese, magnesium, potassium, selenium, vitamin E, and zinc. These vitamins and minerals help to strengthen the immune system of the infant, which in turn helps the infant to eliminate toxins, increase resilience with bacterial infection. Therefore, the use of rice water as a treatment of an infant cough will give high efficiency and absolute safety.

Method 1: Only Rice Water

To implement this method, please follow these steps below:

• Prepare 5-6 tablespoons rice water.
• Boil the rice water in a small fire for 20 minutes.
• Leave 5 minutes to let the rice water cool down.
• Filter the water and let your baby drink.

You can use this method 1 or 2 times a day for the best treatment.

Method 2: Rice Water And Fish Lettuce

To implement this method, please follow these steps below:

• Prepare 20 grams of fish lettuce, 200 ml rice water.
• Rinse fish lettuce cleanly and grind it by the grinder.
• Mix fish lettuce grinded with rice water and leave for 5 minutes.
• Boil the mixture for 5 minutes and leave 2-3 minutes so that the mixture can get warm.

Use the mixture to let your baby drink 2 times a day for the best treatment.

2. Home Remedies For Infant Cough – Honey

This is another must-try home treatment in this list of home remedies for infant cough. Honey contains more than 70 different substances which are the most important substances for the body such as minerals, organic substances, and vitamins. Due to anti-bacterial properties, honey can help to remove the harmful cough-causing bacteria ^[3]. Furthermore, it is loaded with calcium, phosphorus, copper and manganese, and is highly oxidizing which has the effect of detoxifying the body, increasing the resistance of the newborn ^[4]. In particular, honey is very safe and beneficial to the health of the infant. Therefore, using honey is very beneficial for treating coughs in infants ^[5].

Method 1: Only Honey

The way to implement this method is very simple, you only need to let your baby drink a droplets of honey. Use this method once a day will give the best treatment.

Method 2: Honey And Lemon

To implement this method, please follow these steps below:

• Prepare 1-2 lemons, 100ml honey.
• Rinse lemons and let them dry.
• Cut lemons into small pieces, then mix with honey.
• Use the mixture to steam for 20 minutes.

Let the mixture cool down and let your infant use 3-5 times a week for the best effect.

Method 3: Honey And Borecole

To implement this method, please follow these steps below:

• Prepare 200 grams of borecole, 100ml of honey.
• Rinse borecole and grind it by the grinder.
• Add honey to the mixture then mix well.
• Use the mixture to steam for 20 minutes.

Let the mixture cool down and let your infant use 3-5 times a week for the best effect.

Read more: 22 Natural Home Remedies For Postnasal Drip Cough

3. Breast Milk

Regarding home remedies for infant cough, using breast milk seems to be the simplest. Breast milk is the best source of nutrition for the health and overall development of infants and young children. In breast milk, it contains high levels of nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamins group B, iodine, essential fatty acids and DHA. Breast milk also riches in protein and antibody which can help to protect the body of infants from infections, diarrhea. In addition, breast milk increases the body's resistance to newborn infants, enhancing their ability to grow safely and comprehensively. Therefore, the use of breast milk as a treatment of an infant cough will bring great effect.

Method 1: Only Breast Milk

The way to implement this method is very simple, you only need to let your infant drink breast milk and your baby’s immune system will be healthy to defense the infant cough

Method 2: Breast Milk And Honey

To implement this method, please follow these steps below:

• Prepare 300 ml breast milk, 2-3 tablespoons of honey.
• Add honey to breast milk, then steam the mixture.

Leave for 5 minutes to reduce the temperature of the mixture and let your child drink.

4. Home Remedies For Infant Cough – Onion

This sounds strange when it comes to home remedies for infant cough, but it works. Onions are high in antimicrobial agents, providing the body with large amounts of vitamins and essential nutrients. It has anti-inflammatory, sputum consumption, helping the digestive system healthy. Therefore, using onion as a treatment for an infant cough will give the best treatment.

Method 1: Onion And Honey

To implement this method, please follow these steps below:

• Prepare an onion, 2-3 tablespoons of honey.
• Rinse onion and grind it by the grinder.
• Add honey to the onion juice, then steam the mixture.
• Take the juice of the mixture.

Leave for 5 minutes to reduce the temperature of the mixture and let your child drink.

Method 2: Onion And Sugar

To implement this method, please follow these steps below:

• Prepare an onion and 3 teaspoon of sugar.
• Peel the onion and slice it into small pieces.
• Add sugar then steam them with water for 30 minutes.

Let the water cool (still slightly warm), take the onion juice for your baby to drink.

5. Garlic

This is one of the little-known home remedies for infant cough. Garlic has three main active ingredients: allicin, liallyl sulfide and ajoen. In particular, allicin is the most active and most important ingredient because allicin is considered a strong antibiotic that is stronger than penicillin.

Garlic juice diluted 125,000 times has been shown to inhibit many gram negative and gram positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Samonella, V. cholerae, and B. dysenteriae ^[6]. Garlic also inhibits the development of many types of viruses such as chickenpox, poliomyelitis, influenza and some fungal pathogens in the skin or female genitals such as Candida.

However, it should be noted that allicin is easily destroyed at high temperatures, thereby losing its bactericidal effect.

Method 1: Garlic And Water

To implement this method, please follow these steps below:

• Prepare 1-2 grams of garlic.
• Rinse garlic and crush it small.
• Add 400 ml water and mix well.
• Use 1-2 teaspoon of the mixture above as a treatment of an infant cough will give the best effective

Method 2: Garlic And Honey

To implement this method, please follow these steps below:

• Prepare 1-2 grams of garlic, 300 ml honey.
• Rinse garlic and crush it.
• Put garlic and honey in a jar and leave for 5-7 days.

Use 1 teaspoon of the mixture above to mix with 2 teaspoons of water to cure an infant cough will give the best effective

6. Home Remedies For Infant Cough – Water

This remedy is one of little – known home remedies for infant cough. Water is a very important substance for the human body. Water is rich in minerals and electrolytes. It helps the recovery process and the development of the body's resistance to disease. Therefore, the use of water as a remedy of infant cough will result in high efficiency. The way to implement this remedy is very simple, you only need to let your baby drink some water or milk instead.

7. Mild Herb Tea

Mild herbal tea can be a quick cough medicine for an infant cough. Herbal tea supplies nutrients to the body. A little warm herb tea will help the infant to reduce sputum, then reduce a cough effectively. They way to implement this remedy is very simple, you only need to let your baby drink 1-2 teaspoons of mild herb tea such as chrysanthemum tea and mint tea. It is considered one of the best natural home remedies for infant cough.

8. Home Remedies For Infant Cough – White Rose

This is reckoned one of the best home remedies for infant cough. Roses contain compounds that help improve metabolism in the body, helping to remove toxins. The rose petal contains antioxidants and antimicrobial compounds. Rose essential oil is known for its ability to reduce inflammation, soothe the throat. Therefore, the use of roses as a treatment of infant cough will give the best effect ^[7].

To implement this remedy, please follow these steps below:

• Prepare 5-10 white rose petals, a little sugar, a little water.
• Wash the rose petals, then mix with water and sugar.
• Steam the mixture above and let it cool. Store it in the refrigerator.
• Use the mixture to let your baby drink a spoon in a day for best effect.

Apply this remedy until the problem of your baby is treated completely.

9. Ginger

The next one in this of home remedies for infant cough is using ginger. Ginger is rich in anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant ingredients such as gingerols, beta-carotene, capsaicin, caffeic acid, curcumin, and salicylate. Ginger is rich in vitamin C, magnesium and other minerals that help protect the overall health. Ginger is anti-inflammatory, which can reduce sputum in the throat of children. Therefore, the use of ginger as a treatment of an infant cough will give the best effect ^[8] [9].

To implement this remedy, please follow these steps below:

• Prepare 3gr of ginger and boiled water.
• Cut ginger into small pieces.
• Add ginger to boiled water and leave for 5 minutes.

Use the mixture above to let your baby drink 1-2 teaspoon in a day for the best effective.Note that you should let your children drink this ginger tea in the morning. This kind of tea should not be drunk in the evening as it may make your children difficult to digest foods,and they may be sleepless.

10. Home Remedies For Infant Cough – Radish

Radish provides a lot of nutrients for the body. This bulb contains 92% water.According to scientific studies, radish contains a lot of nutrients such as protein, sugar, fat, minerals, B vitamins, vitamin C and a lot of good amino acids for the body.In addition, radish contain antioxidants and antimicrobials. Thus, it helps to reduce sputum in the throat of your baby.

To implement this remedy, please follow these steps below:

• Prepare 5 grams of radish, a cup of water
• Cut the radish into small pieces and then boil white radish with water in a small fire
• Leave this water3-5 minutes to reduce heat and let your baby drink it.

Apply this remedy until the problem of your baby is treated completely. Radishes are rich in vitamin C but carrots contain enzymes that break down this vitamin. Therefore, using two foods at the same time will destroy the vitamin C content of the beets. So before or after applying this remedy, you should not let your baby consume carrots.According to many studies, cetate levels in fruits such as pears, apples and grapes will react with radish's catechin acids. This can cause goiter, severe hypothyroidism. Therefore, you also should not let your baby eat radish with these fruits.

11. Ajwain Potli

Carom and ajwain seeds possess antibacterial and antiviral properties. To make use of this ingredient, you need to take these steps:

• Dry roast ajwain on the pan or tava.
• Then, put the ajwain in a clean cotton cloth before making a potli of it.
• Rub it over the chest, back, palm and under feet of your baby

You can also place the potli close to the nose of your baby of in his crib so that it could inhale ajwain smell. This remedy is really helpful for infant cough.

Note:

• Warrant that the potli is not too hot and test it by putting it on your wrist.
• Let your baby wear a single clothing layer prior to rubbing potli on his/her body.
• Avoid rubbing it on the naked chest of your baby

12. Mustard Oil

This essential oil has anti-viral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties, not to mention a warming effect that helps with the congestion. In fact, mustard oil has some benefits if used as a topical application. It is great for massages, keeps the body warm, reduces the cold and cough, is good for controlling asthma, and acts as an insect repellent. Furthermore, it can open up the sweat pores, and used for treating different types of skin infections. You can make use of mustard oil combined with carom seeds and garlic to create a good solution for infant cough.

What you have to do is:

• Heat ¼ cup of mustard oil
• Crush 1-2 garlic cloves lightly before chopping them up
• Add them to the mustard oil and wait till it turns brown before removing it from the heat
• Add a pinch of carom seeds (ajwain) while heating the oil for better results (optional) but do not let it turn black
• Use this solution to massage the chest and soles of the feet of your baby.

Note: In spite of its benefits, mustard oil also comes with some side effects if used improperly.

• It may result in irritations and inflammations in lungs and gastrointestinal tract if consumed in high quantities.
• Sometimes, it may damage the skin due to the irritated nature. If used in a long time, it may trigger water loss via skin because of the opening sweat pores.
• For some people, it might cause allergic reactions, such as redness, hives, itchiness, cracked skin, and trouble breathing, etc.
• Women during pregnancy and breast-feeding should avoid using this oil.

13. Eucalyptus Oil

Among home remedies for infant cough, this oil is volatile and can thin the mucus, thereby giving respite to the respiratory tract. Furthermore, it possesses the ability to combat a special kind of bacteria, which often results in cough and cold ^[10].

What you need to do is:

• Prepare for steaming as usual but add several drops of eucalyptus oil into
• Do not make your sweetie inhale this steam for over 15 minutes because the effect may get negated and causes possible harms.

Note: If you use mini sauna then use 2-3 drops, and 6-8 drops for a bathroom.

14. Chamomile

Using mild chamomile tea can provide you a home treatment when it comes to home remedies for infant cough. This type of tea can ease sore throat as well as related distress in infants and babies. But, just babies over 6 months can use this method.

• Boil up a chamomile tea bag in about 2 cups of water
• Let it cool down till it becomes tepid
• Give several teaspoons of this tea to your baby 3-4 times per day

15. Carrot Juice

The juice extracted from fresh carrots can bring to you a good solution in regard to home remedies for infant cough. What you have to do is to dilute carrot juice with boiled cooled water at the room temperature. Nonetheless, remember that this remedy is just applied for babies of 6 months and above.

Note: Make sure that your baby is not allergic to carrots.

The above-mentioned home remedies for infant cough and sore throat are claimed to be able to reduce the symptoms of heavy or prolonged periods. Choose some of them and alternate them in your treating to see how effective they are. If you have any contributing ideas about our article of “Top 15 Effective Home Remedies For Infant Cough And Sore Throat” introduced in Home Remedies Category, do not hesitate to drop your words below this post. We will answer as soon as we could.

• Respiratory
• Throat