Your Short and Quick Guide On Taking Care Of Your Kid's Cough

Symptoms of cold in a toddler can be alarming. If your kid has sudden loud coughing it is suggested to seek medical care immediately. Chances are he/she might develop fever, and might face difficulty in breathing. Sometimes, kids keep playing even when they are coughing. They don't seem to notice it; however, a persistent cough (3+ weeks) could be a sign of a serious illness.  For toddlers with a dry cough, you can also try home remedies, for example, use cough syrup for kids.

That said, there are a lot of preventive measures that could help you to eliminate environmental irritants. Along with using cough syrup for kids, use these methods to help your toddler feel safe and comfortable once again.

 Let’s take a look at some tips, tricks, and top-consideration to take! 

1. Clean Environment: First and foremost, one of the biggest reasons behind ill-health is environmental irritants. Some of the most common irritants include dust and smoke. They can cause irritation, cough etc.

In case your home environment contains these elements, chances are these tips would come handy. 

• Keep your kids’ room neat and clean 
• Avoid pets to enter your toddler’s bedroom
• Keep an air purifier running
• Avoid using harsh cleaning chemicals
• Avoid smoking in the house

2. Chicken Soup: One of the oldest home remedies for dry cough includes soup typically made with chicken, carrot, onion etc. Chicken soup is also called as comfort food and works well against coughs. The soup reduces inflammation in the throat and helps you feel better.   

3. Cough Syrup for kids: For kids of age 5+, there are cough syrups available both on online stores as well as local shops. You can ask your family doctor for a recommendation on cough syrup before buying one! 

4. Honey: For kids of age 4, avoid giving cough syrups. Instead, try giving your toddler a spoon of honey at bedtime. Honey is a natural healer and has almost the same effect as cough syrup on little ones. Drinking honey is a way to soothe a sore throat. It is low-cost and easily available. 

5. Rub an Ointment: If your kid feels congested and has trouble sleeping, rub some menthol ointment on the chest area. The strong scent of menthol helps you feel less congested. You can also rub it on the feet, and then cover them with thick socks.  

6. Drink a lot of fluids: Drinking water, milk, juice etc. will help to thin out mucus. As a result, the coughing stops and you can breathe easily once again.  

 What does Cough tell you about Your Health?

Coughing, especially chronic coughing is one of the most common problems in childhood. The reason could range from dust to viral infection and other rare disorders. In toddlers, coughing can be a sign of an underlying disease.

Believe it or not! Passive smoking is one of the leading contributors to chronic cough in kids. 

What is chronic coughing? 

A daily cough for 3+ weeks is defined as a chronic cough. Also, chronic cough is common in asthmatic children. Due to chronic cough, kids can develop serious lung condition; moreover it can be troublesome and can obstruct kids to lead a normal lifestyle

Seeking professional help

In case all of the aforementioned remedies fail, see a pediatrician for a remedy. When your kid’s cough sounds like a bark, followed by a squeak, chances are he/she might have developed a croup. Pediatrician advice is necessary in this case for the best treatment. 

Conclusion

Keep track of your toddler’s coughing. You can get cough syrup for kids and use it as part of home remedy. Yet, if the cough continues, immediately seek professional attention.