5 Best At-Home Treatments for Cough and Congestion

by Dr. Emily Lesnak

Wow! It never ceases to amaze me how the fall and winter seasons bring in SO many many children with respiratory illnesses. While this is very common for this time of year, I know it can also be very challenging to handle as a parent. So, I wanted to share my favorite at-home therapies for breaking up the mucus and making kids feel more comfortable (also works for adults too!).  

1. Humidifier

Dry air makes mucus more difficult to blow out or cough up.  Use a humidifier in the area where you or your child sleeps.  My favorite humidifiers are the ones that are easiest to clean, check these out.  

2. Steam

Similar to humidifiers, steam helps to make mucus easier to blow out.  You can get the shower running to make the bathroom nice and steamy and then can play in the bathroom with your child or have them take a bath.

3. Nasal saline with suction

Salt attracts water into the airways which helps to thin mucus.  You can purchase saline at any pharmacy in the form of drops or saline sprays.  The best time to use nasal suctioning is after administration of the saline spray.

4. Nebulized saline

Investing in an at home nebulizer is another nice tool to use during cold and flu season.  A nebulizer helps to turn liquid medicine into a fine mist which gets into the lungs a little more efficiently compared to a humidifier.  Medications, like albuterol, can be nebulized, but you can also use saline in your nebulizer as another tool to help break up mucus.  We call this “superhero mist” in our house!  Here is my favorite nebulizer.  

5. Onion Cough Syrup

Ingredients:

Onion, thinly sliced

Honey* or granulated sugar

Layer honey or granulated sugar and thinly sliced onion in a glass jar and cover for 24-48 hours.  You can strain the syrup or just leave it be. Refrigerate after opening.  

Recipe notes: some think that granulated sugar works better in creating a syrup, but I like the health benefits and cough support that honey brings.  

*Honey is only safe for those 12 months of age and older.

I hope these tips will help you and your family deal with cough and congestion this season with more ease!  If you have ongoing or more concerning symptoms, please make sure you schedule an acute visit with our team.

Happy winter!

Dr. Lesnak