It always breaks parents' hearts to hear their babies cough, especially those stubborn, phlegmy coughs that keep them up at night.
There are a dozen cough medicines available in drug stores that claim to be safe and effective, but experts are now of the opinion that, kids under 6 shouldn't use over-the-counter cold and cough medicine because of potentially dangerous side effects.
Many mummies these days are opting for simple and safe home remedies instead. Singapore mum Dorcas recently shared the magic cure she stumbled upon, for her baby's cough. Read on!
Singapore mum's home remedies for baby cough and chest congestion
Mummy Dorcas tells, "I believe a lot of mummies are struggling when our babies are suffering from common illness like cough and flu. My baby had been suffered from flu and cough with a lot of phlegm for more than a week."
"I fed her Zyrtec and used Illadin and Sterimar everyday to cure her sickness but there was no improvement at all even after 1 week. I was really worried that she might eventually end up having bronchitis if the cough persisted for too long. I tried applying essential oils too, without success."
And that's when Hope walked in, in the form of a colleague.
Dorcas recalls, "One day, I was telling my colleague that my gal was coughing badly with phlegm, without any sign of recovery. That's when he shared a home remedy that was really effective for babies' cough - steam apple, onion, garlic (AGO)!"
"I decided to give it a try. After the first day of feeding her the essence of steamed AGO, she had recovered by 80%! 2 days later she was almost fully cured."
Dorcas recommends that all mummies give this remedy a try. Meanwhile, here's her magic recipe:
1. Take one apple (she used red apple), one big red onion and 4-5 small pieces of garlic
2. Steam for 20 minutes
3. Pour out the water and feed. She tells us that she just gave the steamed juice extracted out from the AGO, and did not mash or puree the mixture.
4. She also recommends giving this AGO remedy to the baby just once a day.
Dorcas also tells us that the AGO remedy tasted rather sweet, and her baby didn't create a fuss when she was fed it.
We also ask her if other mummies felt the same way after trying out the remedy, Dorcas informs us, "Yes, a lot mummies are trying it out. Some say it works! Some say it doesn't maybe because their baby only drank a few sips and stopped. Many are planning to try out."
Well mummies, do let us know if Dorcas' magic AGO remedy for cough works for your baby!
Please do remember however, that every child is different; if you have any concerns, do consult your paediatrician before trying out home remedies.
Meanwhile, here are some things to remember when children have cough:
- Offer plenty of warm liquids: Warm liquids can thin mucus, and ease congestion.
- Honey is magic: Studies have shown that, honey is effective in soothing congestion and sore throat in toddlers.
Avoid giving honey to children younger than 1 year old as it could cause infant botulism, a potentially fatal kind of food poisoning.
- More Vitamin C foods: Feed your child foods high in vitamin C, like kiwi, grapefruit, papaya, bell peppers or sweet potatoes. If solid foods are too irritating for your little one's throat, try juices or a fruit smoothie.
- Avoid these foods: Experts recommend eliminating refined sugar and dairy from your child's diet when he’s congested as they could increase mucus production and compound congestion.
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