Helping kids with coughs and colds: find some relief on our shelves

It’s the sneeziest of seasons, and unfortunately, kids aren’t exempt from the common cold and flu germs going around. Worse yet, over-the-counter cold remedies aren’t safe for kids under age 4, and may not be effective, really, for kids of any age.

So instead of faux grape or cherry syrups in a bottle (and those always tasted nasty anyway, didn’t they?), it’s best to go with old-fashioned tried-and-true remedies to provide relief and help the nastiness pass.

Steam it out!

Moist air helps to loosen up mucus in the nasal passages, and a good humidifier will help your child get a good night’s rest and wake up feeling better. Crane ultrasonic humidifiers moisten the air with a cool fog – instead of boiling the water to make steam, they use a piezoelectric transducer to create a high-frequency mechanical oscillation, producing a fine mist without heating the water. Plus, they come in a variety of adorable designs, including big water drops, cute critters, and even a train, making them extra kid-friendly!

Mop it up

You know how your nose starts to feel after you’ve blown it ten times in one hour? Your kid feels the same way, so a wet wipe may be gentler than a dry tissue (and will do a good job taking care of the crusty mess that little guys and gals tend to accumulate during a cold). Boogie Wipes are moistened with gentle saline, and they smell nice too! Oh, and if you’re crafty: they’re not hard to make on your own.

Suck it up

A bulb syringe is a traditional way to clear a baby’s nose before they learn how to blow their nose, but it’s a delicate operation, which can be uncomfortable even if there’s no irritation (and worse if there is). And once your child figures out that it hurts when that icky syringe goes in her nose, you’re going to have a lot of wiggling and crying to deal with too. Colds are bad enough without having to deal with that!

That’s why we recommend the Nosefrida instead: it’s gentle, it doesn’t go inside your child’s nose so it’s less likely to irritate it, and you have complete control over the suction.

The way in which you control the suction? Well, that’s the tougher selling point: you suck the snot out with your mouth. We know how icky that sounds! However, a filter prevents any snot from actually reaching your mouth, so while it SOUNDS gross, it’s actually not. Plus, you can pop your Nosefrida in the dishwasher afterwards, making cleaning easy.

Got any other tips or favorite devices for relieving cold and flu symptoms in kids? Let us know in the comments!

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