How To Ease Your Child’s Dry Cough During the Holidays

The holidays are exciting times, but because they land during the winter months, it also means there is an increased risk of illness. If your child experiences a dry cough during this time, you may be concerned. You want him or her to feel better quickly and not miss spending time with family and friends. Fortunately, a dry cough is generally more of a nuisance than a serious health issue, and you can usually ease it with a natural dry cough medicine or other remedy.

What a Dry Cough Means

A dry cough differs from a wet one in that it does not produce mucus. There are many potential causes of a dry cough: Allergies, asthma, acid reflux, postnasal drip, upper respiratory infection, and viral infection. If your child is sick with the common cold or other respiratory infection, the illness itself often clears up in seven to 10 days. However, it is common for a dry cough to stick around for longer, sometimes even weeks, even when all other symptoms are gone.

A dry cough is generally not serious, but it can affect your child’s life. It can especially affect sleep, as it tends to get worse later in the day. Fortunately, there is homeopathic medicine for cough and congestion and other natural fixes. 

Serve Your Child Warm Liquids

One of the issues with a dry cough is that it irritates the throat. One of the best ways to soothe this irritation is to keep the throat moisturized. Warm liquids are especially effective, as they soothe, hydrate, and keep your child warm during cold months. Some good options include:

• Clear broths
• Soups
• Decaffeinated tea, such as peppermint, chamomile, and ginger
• Warm water with honey

Honey is perfect for adding to water or tea, as it has anti-inflammatory properties and further soothes the throat. However, you should not give honey to a baby 12 months or younger. Other options to increase moisture are humidifiers and a steamy bath.

Elevate Your Child’s Head During Sleep

Nighttime can be especially challenging if your child has a dry cough. Although you could use a cough suppressant for kids, this is not ideal if your child wants to sleep. Plus, some of the over-the-counter suppressants contain unwanted and artificial ingredients.

Laying down tends to increase coughing because it is easier for irritants to reach the throat, which usually triggers a cough. Elevating your child’s head often helps to ease the cough. Simply add another pillow or two to change the position of the head and throat. This is especially effective if the cough is caused by acid reflux or postnasal drip, but it is beneficial for all coughs.

Having a cough is never fun, and a dry cough is especially annoying. If your child suffers from coughing, do not let it ruin the holidays. Seek out natural and homeopathic remedies to ease the cough and shorten its duration. Just a few simple things can make a big difference and relieve symptoms so your child can enjoy all the festivities.