When a child coughs, it is first of all necessary to understand what type of cough it is. There are two types: fatty cough and dry cough.. The first allows the mucus present in the respiratory tree to be naturally expelled. These last cluttering the bronchi, it is better not to try to avoid it. Often exhausting, a dry cough is an irritating cough that can quickly turn out to be painful. There are also other coughs such as asthma-related coughs that require specific treatment.

Whatever, before self-medication and giving your child syrups and other suppositories, it is better to seek the advice of your pharmacist. This health professional will be perfectly able to advise you and direct you to the most suitable remedies. He can also give you advice to calm your child’s cough, among which he will surely mention the following:

Straighten up your child

The coughing fit often occurs at night in children due to lying down. Therefore, it is advisable to straighten the child by sliding a pillow under his mattress for example. The sitting or semi-sitting position will relieve it quickly.

Make him inhale steam

Sometimes a child will start to make a hoarse cough (like barking) in the middle of the night. Steam inhalations will relieve it effectively and put an end to this awesome cough. One of the easiest ways is to put yourself in the bathroom with him, the door closed and run a very hot water bath, the room will then fill with steam.. If you have a pressure cooker, you can also turn it on and once it whistles, remove the cap so that it releases the steam. However, be sure to keep it away from your child so that he does not get burned.

Give water regularly

If your child has a dry cough, it means their throat is sore. Moistening your mouth and nose to relieve it is an adequate gesture.. Have him drink small amounts of water on a regular basis. Also rinse his nose with saline pods or an aerosol.

Offer honey

Honey is a natural product with multiple virtues and is known to relieve sore throats. One to two teaspoons will calm the irritation caused by the cough. Preferably choose it organic and make sure your child brushes their teeth half an hour later: cavities love honey!

Peel an onion

It is probably the most fashionable grandmother’s remedy today because it is so effective. Peeling an onion and placing it under his bed will relieve your child’s nighttime cough. If the smell bothers you, you can dice the onion and squeeze it to get juice which you then mix with a teaspoon of honey. Give your child this homemade syrup twice a day. 

Perrine Deurot-Bien

Read also: How to treat a persistent cough in a natural way?