It's cold season! That means runny noses, coughs, and even fevers are common. Fortunately, there are many things you can do at home to help your kid feel better. Below, we'll guide you through home care for colds and upper respiratory illnesses and advise when you should call to schedule an appointment.

Treating the viral symptoms of colds

Colds are essentially viral upper respiratory infections. Antibiotics are not helpful, and the only treatment is symptom management. Your child may have a cough, congestion, runny nose, low-grade fever, and fatigue. While it may be distressing to see your child cough or feel sick, there are things you can do at home to improve their symptoms and keep them comfortable.

Humidified air

Use a humidifier in your child's bedroom at night or in the room they spend the most time in during the day. Humidified air is less irritating to breathe in because of the moisture. The cold, dry air of winter exacerbates coughing.

TIP: Clean your humidifier per the manufacturer's recommendations to prevent mold or bacteria growth.

Warm mist

Run a hot shower and sit in the bathroom with your child for 20 minutes with the door closed. Breathing in the warm steam from a hot shower has a similar effect to humidified air and can help alleviate coughing.

Honey

For children 1 year or older, honey can thin secretions and loosen a cough.

If you want to give honey to a child over 1 year of age, you can try:

½ teaspoon of honey for ages 1 to 5 years old
1 teaspoon of honey for ages 6 to 11 years old
2 teaspoons of honey for ages 12 and up

You can also dissolve the honey in a few ounces of warm water for "homemade cough medicine."

Additionally, clear fluids, like water, apple juice, or clear grape juice, are helpful for thinning mucus. Make sure your child stays well-hydrated as much as possible.

Nasal spray

For nasal stuffiness, try saline nasal spray or drops to open up nasal passageways. You can buy it over the counter. Use 1-2 drops of saline in each nostril to loosen up any dried boogers. For babies 6 months and younger, you can use a bulb suction to clear the airway, especially before feeds.

More about coughs and colds

Coughing is one way for the body to clear a cold. A minor cough is a cough that doesn't interrupt sleep, affect eating, or impair breathing.

Over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medications usually contain cough suppressants. Cough suppressants can increase the build-up of mucus in the chest for younger kids. We do not recommend OTC cough medicine for children under age 6.

Symptoms of viral illnesses can last up to 3 weeks. Your child is most contagious for the first 2-3 days but is technically contagious the entire time symptoms are present. Cold season can seem like it never ends—once recovered from a virus, it’s possible to get another one.

Quick cold prevention tips

Wash your hands
Wear a mask
Avoid sick contacts
Stay home if sick
Do an at-home COVID test if you have cold signs and symptoms

Age considerations

Watch out for ear infections, especially in children 2 years and under. Your child may display ear tugging or be extra fussy. The ears, nose, and throat are closely connected, so their ears become more susceptible when a child has a cold. Call your doctor if you think your child has an ear infection.

Kids with inhalers

Kids who use inhalers, like albuterol or pulmicort, may need to use them more frequently when sick to help with shortness of breath or cough. It's important to keep an extra eye out for any wheezing, increased use of inhalers (for example, needing albuterol more than every 4 hours), or other respiratory distress symptoms. If your child needs to use their inhaler more than every 4 hours or is having increased difficulty breathing, it's time to call your doctor.

When to call your pediatrician

Try some—or all—of these home remedies to help your child feel better this cold season. However, for all children, be sure to call your doctor if your child is having trouble breathing, having retractions (ribs sucking in or pulling with each breath), nasal flaring, breathing faster than normal, wheezing, or having stridor (a harsh, high-pitched sound when breathing in, coming from the area of the voice box).

Resources:

This article was written by Katie Taibl, BSN, RN, CPN. Katie has over nine years of experience working in pediatrics, with a background in travel nursing and clinical writing. As Roslindale Pediatric Associates' Patient Outreach Educator, she writes articles on relevant pediatric health topics to help RPA patients and their families access user-friendly health content.