Children seem to go from playing cheerfully to suddenly not feeling well. Perhaps they complain of an upset stomach or start sneezing all day long. Before you know it their little noses are all stuffed up, and you know they have a cold.

What should you do to help alleviate the symptoms of a cold? First of all, make sure it is a cold they have. Colds don’t come on suddenly like the flu, and if it’s just sneezing and stuffiness, mild aching and a very light fever, then it’s a good bet that your little one has a cold.

Symptoms won’t last long, but you want to know what the best cold remedies for kids are. Don’t immediately run for the medicine bottle as there are other things you can do.

  • Sleep. This is the best way to stay healthy. Make sure your children have a set bedtime every night, especially on school nights. Sleeping helps them to heal when they’re sick. Be sure that there aren’t too many bed covers either; don’t overload your little one with blankets. Overheating can cause temps to rise.
  • Eat good foods. Eating healthy is another great natural way to keep colds away. Foods rich in vitamins and minerals, such as chicken soup, have anti-inflammatory effects. The steam from hot soup gets into your child’s nasal passages and helps to alleviate breathing and loosen congestion.
  • Use a humidifier. Keeping a humidifier running in each child’s room will keep the air circulating. At the first signs of a cold, you should turn on the humidifier every time they sleep. The cool-mist will go a long way in alleviating runny noses and stuffed up nasal passages. Just keep your humidifier clean after each use.
  • Make a cup of lemon-honey tea. This is a cold remedy that never gets old. Honey is a natural immune-booster and a few teaspoons in a warm cup of tea does wonders to soothe sore throats and just give your child an extra boost at the start of a day. Be aware to NEVER give honey to children under the age one as they are too young for honey.
  • Try saline nasal spray. You may be leery of giving your child a nasal spray because they can be addictive.  This is not the case for saline nasal spray. It’s all natural and can be very soothing to the nasal passages.
  • Use medication only when necessary. If you have to use medication, you may be wondering how to give medicine to a child. Since many kids don’t like medicine, it helps to make it a game. Give the choices as to when and where they can take their medicine, sing a special song after giving the medicine, and explain why it’s a good thing for them.

As with any health concern, if you have questions or need some additional information, do not hesitate to contact your Pediatrix doctor.