One of the many ways parents can limit toxins being ingested in their children is to use home remedies as toddler cold medicine. Professionals advise that parents minimize use of over-the-counter medicines for their children unless they are truly needed.

Here are a some natural remedies to use when your children have a sore throat and cough due to a common cold or flu.

For Common Cold and Congestion

(Check with your nutritionist on dosage for a child younger then toddler age)

Avoid mucus producing foods  (Dairy products, red meat, oats and gluten containing grains. Bananas and Soya products)

Ginger Lemon Tea: To Soothe Mucus Membranes

2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice in one cup of hot water. Add 1 teaspoon of juiced ginger. Let steep for 1-2 minutes then strain to remove ginger. Take as needed.

Fresh Ginger: To Help Decongest Sinus Cavities

1/2 teaspoon juiced ginger, given in a spoon with Manuka raw honey. 2 times daily

Propolis Syrup or Lozenges: Anti-viral

Follow directions on the box.

Echinacea Syrup or Tincture: Boosts Immunity

0.5ml 3 times a day until symptoms are better for a maximum of 10 days

Honey Garlic Vinegar Mixture: Anti-viral, Anti-bacterial

1 teaspoon Manuka raw honey with a bit of crushed garlic and apple cider vinegar. 2 times daily

Eucalyptus Oil: To Soothe Mucus Membranes

Put 2-3 drops on your child’s pillow at bedtime, on his t-shirt during the day or in a humidifier.

Salt Water Nasal Spray: To Clear Out The Sinus Passages

Can be purchased from the pharmacy; administer as needed

Topical Vitamin E: For Older Children, To Soften and Heal The Nose’s Mucous Membranes and Blood Vessels

Squeeze the contents of a vitamin E capsule into the nostrils at bedtime.

For Cough

Avoid mucus producing foods (Dairy products, red meat, oats and gluten containing grains, bananas, soya products)

Honey Garlic Vinegar Mixture (as above)

Eucalyptus Oil (as above)

Zinc Lozenges: To Boost Immunity

1/4 tablet for toddler. For an older child follow instructions on the packaging or ask your pharmacist

Vitamin C: To Boost Immunity

Start with 500mg 2 times a day (reduce if child gets diarrhea)

Magnesium: To Ease Tightness in The Chest

Or obtain by consuming more magnesium-rich foods such as almonds or

From supervised supplementation if necessary (consult your nutritionist)

If you do use over counter medicines please try and also use the above suggestions. This will help limit the amount of over counter medicine you will have to give to your child per day until their cold symptoms subside. For example: Save the over the counter medicine for night time to get a good night sleep.

A Baby Lymphatic Massage

The Benefits

A Lymphatic massage stimulates the lymphatic system, which runs through the entire body and is a natural draining system that filters out unwelcome molecules and attacks microbes. During illness a lymphatic massage assists in boosting a child’s immunity and speed up his recovery.

How to Administer

1. Use a natural oil such as almond oil, or vitamin E oil (especially good for children with Eczema)

2. Start at the feet and work up. Use short, firm strokes. It is important to work upwards towards the heart, as this is what drains the lymph nodes.

3. Do twice a day, 20 minutes, working all the way up to the throat. Just before bedtime is highly recommended. If your child has a soar throat he may complain at this time that it hurts him, like a scratchy feeling. Use a more gentle stroke at this time, but try and complete the procedure for maximum benefit.

Giving your baby a lymphatic massage is a simple task with high reward. Many parents continue to administer this massage even after their child is well because of it’s comforting, relaxing effects for parent and child. It is also a great replacement for a bath before before bedtime to help prepare your child for sleep mode.

These home remedies are just as effective, if not more, then the average over the counter cold medicine. In conjunction with a lymphatic massage, make no mistake this combination has a very powerful effect.

The Author:

Michel (AKA The Parent Fairy) has a passion for helping parents get the most out of parenting and kids get the most out from growing up. She extends an invitation for you to receive baby sleep help, on the house! So you and your kids can sleep peacefully at night. http:theparentfairy.blogspot.com

Photo. thepathtraveler