Does your little one have a cough? Don't worry! Let's learn about things you can do at home (Cough Remedies for Babies)

For a mother or father, even a minor illness in a child feels like a big burden. Especially when you wake up in the middle of the night to the sound of your little one coughing, the fear you feel is indescribable. "Oh, is my baby in trouble?" you think. When we have a cough, we can go to the pharmacy and buy medicine to cure it. But for small babies, especially children under the age of two, it is not good to do that at all. These medicines that we use are very harmful to the body of small children, and sometimes they can have side effects that can be life-threatening. So what do you do? Don't worry, there are many safe things you can do at home without medication. Let's talk about it.

Why are cough medicines from pharmacies not good for young children?

This is a question that many parents ask. Simply put, the ingredients in over-the-counter (OTC) cough/cold medicines made for adults are not tolerated by young children's immature systems. These can include:

• Increased heart rate
• Having fits
• Excessively slow breathing
• Sometimes even death occurs.

For these reasons, the world's leading pediatricians have completely banned giving these medications to children under the age of 2. Therefore, never buy a medicine from a pharmacy and give it to a young child without your doctor's recommendation .

These are simple things you can do at home without fear.

Okay, so what can we do to reduce our little one's cough and phlegm without giving them medicine? Here's a look.

Let's use Saline Drops

When a baby's nose is blocked and filled with mucus, it can be difficult for them to breathe, drink milk, or sleep. The best solution for this is saline drops. You can get these from pharmacies. This works by thinning out the thick mucus inside the nose and opening up the swollen airways. Put one or two drops in each nostril two or three times a day. Putting more than that can hurt the inside of the nose.

After applying saline, you need to remove the mucus from your nose.

• For small babies: You can use a `suction bulb` or a `nasal aspirator` for this.
• If your child is a little older: Practice blowing their nose with your help to clear the mucus.

Give plenty of fluids to drink

It is very important to give your child more fluids than usual when he is sick. When fluids enter the body, they thin the mucus. This reduces nasal congestion and makes it easier for the mucus in the chest to be expelled.

You can give anything, such as water, fresh fruit juice (e.g., orange juice), or milk. If your throat hurts, give warmMake some chicken soup (but not too hot). It will help with a sore throat. You can also give a soothing solution like Pedialyte if your doctor recommends it.

A little honey... but be especially aware of this.

Honey is a great natural remedy for sore throats, coughs, and sore throats. Some studies have found that giving a little honey is more effective than over-the-counter cough medicines for nighttime coughs in young children.

But there is something to be very careful about here.

Therefore, only give half a teaspoon of pure honey before bed at night to a child over one year old .

Add moisture to the room (Humidifier)

When the air is moist, it becomes easier to breathe. So, keep a humidifier running at night in the baby's room. Cool-mist humidifiers are safer for young children than steam humidifiers. There is less risk of burns from hot water/steam. Also, don't forget to clean the device regularly according to the instructions. Otherwise, mold can build up inside it, which can add to the air and make the baby even sicker.

What to do if you have a fever?

Sometimes, a cold and cough can be accompanied by a slight fever. If your baby has a fever, the steps you should take will vary depending on their age.

Give foods that are easy to swallow

When they have a sore throat or cough, they may find it difficult to swallow, so give them soft, easy-to-swallow foods.

If your baby is eating solid foods, you can offer things like yogurt, pudding, jelly, ice cream, applesauce, etc. If he likes hot foods, give him something like chicken soup or freshly made pudding. Remember, babies under 6 months should only be given breast milk or formula.