Kristie McNealy, MD

With all of the recent concern over the possibility that over-the-counter cough and cold remedies are dangerous, or at the very least ineffective for young children, many parents are looking for other remedies this cold and flu season. The problem lies in knowing what remedies might actually work, and which ones to avoid.  For everyone looking to ease their children’s cough and cold suffering (or their own) without using over-the-counter medications, here are two natural remedies that have been proven to work:

• Honey – A study published in December’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.

• 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.

So, if you find yourself or your kids suffering with cold symptoms this winter, it might be worth giving one or both of these remedies a try.

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