It is very normal for children up to the age of 10 or 12 years to suffer from frequent colds and coughs as they are exposed to a wide range of infections and their immunity system is slowly developing. These cold usually take their time to run their course of 7 to 10 days and anything you do can only reduce the symptoms and ease your child's discomfort, but not get rid of the cold completely. Thought most of the over the counter drugs and medications available to treat colds and coughs have been withdrawn from the market, it is advisable to completely avoid these non-prescription treatments since they may cause harm to your child and lead to other serious problems. Some of these treatments have even been proven to prolong the cough and the high sugar content in the cough syrups available for children is not advisable during a cold and cough.
In order to treat a cold and cough naturally at home, remember to keep you child warm by covering him or her properly and ensuring that your child is wearing adequate clothing during winter. You can also bathe or sponge your baby with warm water, adding a few drops thyme, sage or eucalyptus oil for best results. These essential oils help to open the airways and will allow your child to breathe easier. For infants, a good way to ease the discomfort caused by a cold and cough is to give them a good chest rub using olive oil and essential oils such as eucalyptus, sage, rosemary and peppermint. The eucalyptus helps to ease the cough while rosemary helps to calm the infant and help the child to sleep. After massaging your child's chest with these oils, you can wrap him or her snugly in a warm blanket and take the child out for a walk in the night air. The cool air will help to clear the air passage and allow the child to breathe easier at night and thus sleep peacefully.
Make sure your child is hydrated and is drinking plenty of water and fluids which will keep his system clean and help to increase the body's immunity. For infants, you should try and avoid formula and stick to breast-feeding especially when the child is suffering from a cold. It is also important to remove all smoke and other allergens from the child's atmosphere. Make sure that the child's bed and room is as dust free as possible, dusting the sheets daily. You should also take care not to expose your child to pollution and smoke, so avoid stepping out with your baby or exposing him to the smoke from wood fires or even barbeques and grills. If he or she is suffering from a cold remember, not to smoke around the baby.
answered by M W