Cures for Colds and Coughs

While my son was in the midst of a nasty stomach-and-respiratory virus the week before last, we left the doctor’s office empty-handed except for this piece of advice: Keep him hydrated.

Naturally, 7-year-olds with a fever, cough and queasy stomach are not inclined to go along with anything adults say, and my son’s immediate reaction was to say he wasn’t thirsty. OK, I thought. We’ll see. But when round after round of coughing racked his little body, I finally hit upon the idea of a drinking game.

“Every time you cough, you have to take a drink,” I said. “I don’t care what it is – 7-Up, juice, water, smoothie, whatever – but you have to drink it every time, day or night.”

He grudgingly agreed to a 7-Up, and we started the game. Little did I know that our experiment would last almost a week. Poor little guy!  But the cough that the nurse said might have lingered for three to five weeks is almost gone after 10 days. (I knew he was on the road back to health when he casually suggested that his cough seemed worse and, instead of the usual repertoire, I could substitute root beer.)

Pediatricians tend to have favorite pieces of advice when it comes to kids and colds. One friend told me that her doctor had his favorite homemade chicken soup recipe printed on faux prescription pads and handed it out when patients came in with cold symptoms.

There is scientific evidence that chicken soup can help colds – a researcher tested his wife’s home remedy for the heck of it, and he discovered that soup (not broth, but soup) does actually reduce the inflammation caused by cold viruses. He’s not sure why but thinks it may be something to do with the interaction of the vitamins and minerals.

The warmth of soup helps too. Any warm liquids or spoonfuls of honey (in kids over age 1) have also been shown to be effective in calming coughs. This may explain the longstanding popularity of hot toddies – traditionally made with tea, honey, and whiskey. For kids, I recommend chamomile tea and honey. Both my boys are perfectly willing to drink it when they’re sick (sans booze, of course!)

Since my 4-year-old is too young for most over-the-counter cold or cough medications, we try to keep humidity up in his room and offer him plenty of baths and showers when he’s sick, because the steam relaxes the airways and helps with coughing. However, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases says that steam isn’t effective against nasal congestion.

It should be noted that the Food and Drug Administration cautions against OTC medications for children younger than 6 because there is a shortage of scientific literature on their effectiveness in kids – be sure to ask your doctor for guidance on this.

Several moms in my neighborhood swear by the cough remedy of rubbing Vicks on young children’s feet and covering the goo with socks. Growing up, my mom put Vicks on our necks and wrapped us in scarves or old socks when we had sore throats or coughs, so I do tend to buy into this cure too. According to the urban legend researchers at Snopes.com, these treatments are not backed up by research – and some healthcare providers worry about using camphor on kids – but on the other hand, they’re not disproven, either.

If you wind up catching your kid’s virus, you can try all of the above to relieve symptoms. The upside of being older is that there are more medicines available to you without a prescription; one dad informed me that his cure-all is Nyquil and sleep. My sister-in-law and grandma both suggest saline sinus rinses. “Kids – and some adults – may find it repulsive, but it’s very helpful to clean out the sinuses,” my sister-in-law wrote. “And it’s chemical/medication free.”

Finally, a friend who has suggested I try Juice Plus+ (a supplement made from fruit and vegetable juice concentrates) might be on to something. A German study found that after just two months, people who took the supplement got over their colds more quickly and needed less medication.

By Amy De La Hunt, Health Blogger for SmartParenting