Kristie McNealy, MD

The changes in recommendations regarding the use of over the counter cold remedies in young children over the past few years have made knowing what is safe to give your kids more confusing than ever.  This is especially true if you’re like me, and certain medications that were fine when your oldest was a toddler are now labeled as off limits for your younger kids.   With that in mind thought I’d revisit some cold and flu prevention tips, and some safe and natural remedies for cold and flu season.

As they say, and ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so what can you do to stay healthy?

• Wash your hands frequently
• Avoid touching your mouth or nose.
• Use a waterless hand sanitizer when soap and water isn’t available
• Stay in good health by eating well, drinking plenty of water, getting some exercise and plenty of rest.
• Avoid contact with people who are sick and avoid crowds if possible

For everyone looking to ease their children’s cough and cold suffering (or their own) without using over-the-counter medications, here are three natural remedies to keep in mind:

• Honey – A study published in December of 2007’s Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine compared using honey, or traditional over-the-counter cough medicine versus doing nothing at all. Parents were asked about their child’s cough symptoms both before and after treatment, and while all the kids got better, honey was consistently rated the most effective. Of course, due to the dangers of botulism, honey should still only be given to children over 1 year of age. If you’re looking for a convvenient way to give honey to your kids, Honey Don’t Cough offers single serve packets of honey for children’s cough relief.
• Salt Water Rinse – Researchers in Europe showed that a saline nose wash made from Atlantic Ocean seawater eased cold symptoms faster and slowed cough and cold symptoms from returning when compared to standard nasal decongestants in kids ages 6 to 10.
• Elderberry – An elderberry extract known as Sambucus has been shown in small studies to reduce the duration of symptoms in influenza A.  It is a sweet berry flavored syrup that tastes good and is easily tolerated by kids.

Saline drops and a bulb syringe can relieve nasal congestion in infants and toddlers. In addition to cold and flu symptoms, cold weather and dry indoor air mixed with nose blowing can cause nosebleeds to be a problem this time of year. To help avoid nosebleeds, a saline spray in the nostrils a couple of times a day can help keep the delicate tissue inside the nose moisturized.

If you or your child becomes sick, drinking plenty of fluids and getting plenty of rest won’t hurt either. But, in the meantime, wash your hands frequently and avoid sharing drinks, plates and utensils to keep from picking up or spreading germs.

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• Natural Cough & Cold Remedies Work for Kids
• Natural Cough & Cold Remedies that Work for Kids
• Swine Flu Symptoms and Prevention: What to Do