My little guy officially has his first cold. Poor thing, he's all stuffy and can't breathe. It started last Thursday night; towards the morning he seemed a little congested. But then, he was fine all the following day. That night, however, he woke up all night long, maybe every half hour, and I could tell that he just couldn't breathe. It was an exhausting night, so I spent the next day trying to naturally combat the common cold (he has no fever). Another night followed of barely sleeping (on my part, he slept but need to be rocked back to sleep every time he woke from not being able to breathe). After that, the congestion has begun to slow and I continue to monitor him for a cough.
It's hard when your little one gets like this, because there's nothing you can do to just make it go away. Cough and cold medicines are unsafe for children under two years of age, and the American Academy of Pediatricians strongly advises against the use of these over-the-counter medicines for this age group due to the possibility of severe or life-threatening side effects. However, there are many holistic and natural remedies out there for fighting the common cold and are safe for young babies. Now, if your child has a high fever or is under three months of age, a trip to the doctor is essential. But, if it's just your run of the mill cold, there are a few things you can do to hopefully shorten the duration and severity of the virus.
It's hard when your little one gets like this, because there's nothing you can do to just make it go away. Cough and cold medicines are unsafe for children under two years of age, and the American Academy of Pediatricians strongly advises against the use of these over-the-counter medicines for this age group due to the possibility of severe or life-threatening side effects. However, there are many holistic and natural remedies out there for fighting the common cold and are safe for young babies. Now, if your child has a high fever or is under three months of age, a trip to the doctor is essential. But, if it's just your run of the mill cold, there are a few things you can do to hopefully shorten the duration and severity of the virus.
Here's the natural and safe remedies we are working with:
Wild Oregano Oil. This oil, procured from oregano that grows wild, has both antibiotic and antiviral properties. And the great thing, from an antibiotic standpoint, is that the body does not develop a resistance. Also, you don't have to worry about overdosing. Wild Oregano Oil contains carvacrol, a natural active ingredient that works against a host of different health problems. It has been scientifically studied, and researchers have found that it can help with strep and other infections. It has antibiotic, antiviral, and antifungal properties. You can buy Wild Oregano Oil
online or at Whole Foods. It has no side effects, except that it is spicy if not diluted so can be rough on your stomach. To combat that, I dilute it (50/50 with olive oil) and take it after I have eaten. For babies, never put it undiluted on their skin and it's too strong for ingestion. Instead, rub some 50/50 mixture on the bottom of their feet. Wild Oregano Oil works best when taken throughout the day. The first day of symptoms I applied it to my son every two hours. As the symptoms recede, I do it two to three times a day. I will continue until all the symptoms are gone. This way, as long as the mucus is being produced, I can hope to help him fight off any infections in his nose or chest that mucus can cause.
NOTE: You will find many websites that do not recommend Wild Oregano Oil for breastfeeding or pregnant women, and some for children. Most people who use it and many sites (including the book The Cure is in the Cupboard by Dr. Cass Ingram) say that it is okay for children, mostly as long as it is diluted and only put on the soles of the feet. With pregnancy, most supplements are not recommended and I am not certain whether or not it is or is not safe. With breastfeeding, I have found that it is not recommended as it may possibly reduce milk supply, although there is no research to substantiate that. So, be cautious when using it yourself if you are breastfeeding or pregnant. According to Oreganol's FAQ's use of the oil (not pills or anything else) is ok for breastfeeding up to 5-10 drops a day, pregnancy (ONLY after the first trimester) 1-2 drops a day, and for children 2-3 drops administered and diluted on the bottom of the feet for no more than ten days in a row.
Hydrogen Peroxide. I discovered this remedy from Natural Baby and Childcare
written by Dr. Lauren Feder, MD. In the thirties, a doctor believed that viruses entered the body through the ear canal and could be combatted there. Later researchers found positive effects of this remedy on shortening the duration of a cold, but it's been largely ignored by the medical community and not well substantiated. We now know that the virus enters through the nasal passages, but the sinuses and ear canal are linked. I used this when my son got sick, and my husband did not. I fought it off and he didn't. For adults, put four drops hydrogen peroxide in one ear, let it sit for a few minutes with your head turned to keep it from pouring out. Then, turn your head and let it drip out. Do the other side. For babies, put three or four drops in each ear. It will drain out naturally. Use this remedy in the first 12-24 hours when symptoms appear a few times during the day. It has no side effects and, even if it doesn't kill your cold, can help with earwax buildup. For me, this was worth a shot.
Breastfeed Frequently. If you are breastfeeding, this is one of the best things you can do for baby. Human milk does not increase mucus and so you don't have to worry about reducing feeding. Instead, your milk contains antibodies that can help baby fight the cold. Plus, baby may take less when its hard to breathe while drinking, so breastfeed more frequently.
Humidifier with Vapor. At night we use a steam humidifier/vaporizer. In all my researching, I found that menthol can cause babies to have more breathing problems, whereas the use of eucalyptus oil seems less problematic, so we poured eucalyptus oil into the liquid inhalant part of the vaporizer to help open up his airway. It helped us too.
Vapor Rub. While Vicks Vapor Rub contains menthol and shouldn't be used on babies, they do make a baby rub that only uses Eucalptus which we used and rubbed on his chest. I also dabbed a little on his nose, but you want to be really careful that they cannot ingest it. There are other companies that make more natural vapor rubs for babies which I will look for next time (we had to get something fast as we were unprepared, and so CVS it was).
Bulb Syringe. Because a baby can't blow his nose, a bulb syringe to suction out the mucus works extremely well. My son screams when we do this, but he does breathe a whole lot easier afterwards. Just be careful not to do it too often, otherwise you risk inflaming the nasal passages and creating more mucus. I try to do it only before he is going to nap or sleep at night, otherwise I let it run out naturally and just gently wipe the mucus away. You can also try saline drops in the nose, but my son was already so upset about the syringe, we decided not to push it. The same applies there too; too much saline can end up drying out the nose causing more mucus production. When it comes to noses, less is more, for all of us.
Hopefully these remedies will help your little one the way they did mine. Please remember, I am not a doctor. See a doctor if there is a high fever, or the cold/cough is persistent for more than two weeks, or if there are signs of ear pain. Good luck to your little one...and please feel free to share any remedies you have with me!
online or at Whole Foods. It has no side effects, except that it is spicy if not diluted so can be rough on your stomach. To combat that, I dilute it (50/50 with olive oil) and take it after I have eaten. For babies, never put it undiluted on their skin and it's too strong for ingestion. Instead, rub some 50/50 mixture on the bottom of their feet. Wild Oregano Oil works best when taken throughout the day. The first day of symptoms I applied it to my son every two hours. As the symptoms recede, I do it two to three times a day. I will continue until all the symptoms are gone. This way, as long as the mucus is being produced, I can hope to help him fight off any infections in his nose or chest that mucus can cause.NOTE: You will find many websites that do not recommend Wild Oregano Oil for breastfeeding or pregnant women, and some for children. Most people who use it and many sites (including the book The Cure is in the Cupboard by Dr. Cass Ingram) say that it is okay for children, mostly as long as it is diluted and only put on the soles of the feet. With pregnancy, most supplements are not recommended and I am not certain whether or not it is or is not safe. With breastfeeding, I have found that it is not recommended as it may possibly reduce milk supply, although there is no research to substantiate that. So, be cautious when using it yourself if you are breastfeeding or pregnant. According to Oreganol's FAQ's use of the oil (not pills or anything else) is ok for breastfeeding up to 5-10 drops a day, pregnancy (ONLY after the first trimester) 1-2 drops a day, and for children 2-3 drops administered and diluted on the bottom of the feet for no more than ten days in a row.
Hydrogen Peroxide. I discovered this remedy from Natural Baby and Childcare
written by Dr. Lauren Feder, MD. In the thirties, a doctor believed that viruses entered the body through the ear canal and could be combatted there. Later researchers found positive effects of this remedy on shortening the duration of a cold, but it's been largely ignored by the medical community and not well substantiated. We now know that the virus enters through the nasal passages, but the sinuses and ear canal are linked. I used this when my son got sick, and my husband did not. I fought it off and he didn't. For adults, put four drops hydrogen peroxide in one ear, let it sit for a few minutes with your head turned to keep it from pouring out. Then, turn your head and let it drip out. Do the other side. For babies, put three or four drops in each ear. It will drain out naturally. Use this remedy in the first 12-24 hours when symptoms appear a few times during the day. It has no side effects and, even if it doesn't kill your cold, can help with earwax buildup. For me, this was worth a shot.Breastfeed Frequently. If you are breastfeeding, this is one of the best things you can do for baby. Human milk does not increase mucus and so you don't have to worry about reducing feeding. Instead, your milk contains antibodies that can help baby fight the cold. Plus, baby may take less when its hard to breathe while drinking, so breastfeed more frequently.
Humidifier with Vapor. At night we use a steam humidifier/vaporizer. In all my researching, I found that menthol can cause babies to have more breathing problems, whereas the use of eucalyptus oil seems less problematic, so we poured eucalyptus oil into the liquid inhalant part of the vaporizer to help open up his airway. It helped us too.
Vapor Rub. While Vicks Vapor Rub contains menthol and shouldn't be used on babies, they do make a baby rub that only uses Eucalptus which we used and rubbed on his chest. I also dabbed a little on his nose, but you want to be really careful that they cannot ingest it. There are other companies that make more natural vapor rubs for babies which I will look for next time (we had to get something fast as we were unprepared, and so CVS it was).
Bulb Syringe. Because a baby can't blow his nose, a bulb syringe to suction out the mucus works extremely well. My son screams when we do this, but he does breathe a whole lot easier afterwards. Just be careful not to do it too often, otherwise you risk inflaming the nasal passages and creating more mucus. I try to do it only before he is going to nap or sleep at night, otherwise I let it run out naturally and just gently wipe the mucus away. You can also try saline drops in the nose, but my son was already so upset about the syringe, we decided not to push it. The same applies there too; too much saline can end up drying out the nose causing more mucus production. When it comes to noses, less is more, for all of us.
Hopefully these remedies will help your little one the way they did mine. Please remember, I am not a doctor. See a doctor if there is a high fever, or the cold/cough is persistent for more than two weeks, or if there are signs of ear pain. Good luck to your little one...and please feel free to share any remedies you have with me!
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