Kids Gear for Monsoon
Invest in some kid gear for the Monsoon so they stay away from getting drenched. Colourful umbrellas or fancy raincoats, the options are limitless.
Avoid rainwater
Make sure that kids are not drenched in water for long. Being wet for a long time may give rise to virus attack when body temperature goes down.
Drink enough water(Boiled)
While keeping kids away from getting drenched in the rainwater is imperative, insuring that they drink plenty of water during the rainy season is equally important.
Give your kids boiled water during the rainy season to
avoid any kind of diseases catching them in its grip. Warm
water is even better.
Stay away from stagnant water
Keep kids away from puddles of water or stagnant water. If you have polluted water or stagnant water around your house or community, get it cleared on an urgent basis.
Home cooked food
As digestive system is said to be weak in monsoon, it is preferable to provide light homemade food. Soups and cooked meals will keep them healthy.
Healthy meals
Give your kids healthy meals in Monsoon. Include almonds and nuts, curd and other meals that builds up immunity of your kid.
Maintain hygiene
Just stopping your kids play in the rainwater is not enough. Ask your kids to wash their hands before and after meals to avoid any fungal infection or Monsoon ailments.
After a few days of speculation about their exact arrival date, the monsoons are finally here. Now for the next three months, India will receive about 90 percent of its share of rainfall.
And that's good news.
But the bad news is that like always, monsoons will also bring along some illnesses. And as a parent you would need to be extra cautious, especially if your kids love the rainy season.
Due to the moist, wet and humid climate skin infections and viral fever are the most common illnesses among children. But there are a few more that can make this weather 'not so worried', if precautions are not taken.
Here are some natural remedies for cold flu, cough and fever.
Honey :Natural or home remedies for cough or cold for baby :
Honey is really safe and full of many important nutrients & minerals, must for a healthy and resistant body. It relieves the cough and helps in a good sleep as well. After a kid is 1yo, it can be given in various forms. (Refrain toddler lass than a year old since it enhances risk of Botulism).
1. Honey + Ginger :
Mash the ginger pulp, squeeze the juice out of it. Add 1/2 teaspoon honey to it and give it to your kid twice a day for treating cold and cough.
Honey + Ginger + Neem(Azadirachta indica) :
Neem has anti-bacterial capacity in itself. When the seasons change and during cough, get some reddish – green new and small Neem leaves. Mash it with ginger and form a paste. Sieve out the juice, add honey and give it. It even helps fight seasonal fever if given as soon as the season changes for minimum 15-20days. When we were kids we used to eat Neem leaves with black pepper during seasonal changes and I need to say, we rarely got any fevers. A perfect home remedy for cold and cough.
Honey + Ginger + Tulsi (Basil leaves) :
Just as the above mixture, this also helps to relieve cold and cough. You should give atleast twice – thrice a day incase of severe cough.
2. Garlic + Carom Seeds (Ajwain):
Garlic with its anti bacterial and anti-viral properties is great for building resistance in the body. All you need to do is, roast 2 cloves Garlic and 1/2 – 1 teaspoon carom seeds , toss them up for next 2-3 minutes. Let them cool and put it in a muslin cloth. Put this close to your kid’s pillow or you can even tie this in his arm. The slight fragrance oozing out will help relief in blocked nose while sleeping.
3. Camphor :
It is very helpful in opening up the blocked nose. Even if you ask your kid to inhale a box with 10-12 small camphor, his nose will open. You can also add pinch of powdered camphor in warm coconut oil and massage on your kids chest. Don’t take it closer to eyes or mouth. Ensure that camphor is not taken by your kid in absence of an adult and should not be ingested.
4. Vicks Vaporub :
I guess it needs no introduction. But you can use vaporub in steam and inhale that moisture. This will help a quick opening of the nasal passage.
5. Elevation of the head :
Sleeping and cold just do not go with one another. Usually the nose blockages and coughing increases while sleeping. So at the outset, give a steam inhalation with Karvol/Vicks and then massage either camphor+oil or vaporub on chest and soles of the feet. Then elevate your child’s head compared to the lower body which will make breathing easier.
6. Saline Water :
These are perfect drops to loosen up the mucus which has been clogged. Many such drops (Nasoclear) are available in the market. These are even safe to use for kids less than a year old. Simply put 2-3 drops in the nostril and let your child have a good night sleep.
7. Cool :
Mist Humidifier , warm bath in a steamy bathroom are great alternatives. Breathing the moist air clears the mucus in the nasal passage and thus a better breathability. You can get cool – mist vaporizer/humidifier. Let the bathroom be in hot steam for few minutes and then give your kid a warm bath in that steamy bathroom.
8. Gargling :
Gargling with salt / lemon water(lukewarm water) is another option suitable for kids more than 4/5 yours.
9. Kadha :
Well, this is every granny’s choice I believe. This magical juice has all the natural herbs and ingredients to relieve cough/cold and fever. And it is a perfect home remedy for cough. My granny used to add – Carom seeds, Basil leaves, Ginger, Clove, Black pepper, Black salt, jaggery, cinnamon, pinch of turmeric, grounded fenugreek seeds to the boiling water. Boil this whole mixture till it remains half. Let it cool and then give it to your child to drink atleast twice a day. Well, this is not truly loved by kids but then if taken, it is sure to show its magical effect within 2 days.
10. Onion :
Well, onion is of lot importance in Coughing. one can easily sieve Onion juice and add Honey to it and allow it for 2-3hours to blend it properly. One can take it 2-3 times a day. For older kids, you can even make Onion Broth and they can drink 1/2cup 2-3times a day.
11. Wheat Flour + Jaggery :
This can be a very good option for cough and cold in kids but should be given either in the night just before sleeping or after getting up in the morning. Take a spoon of ghee and add grounded pepper and small grounded clove. Add half a spoon wheat flour and roast it. Stir it till it becomes little brown. Boil Jaggery and Water on another side. Once the flour has been roasted, add sieved jaggery solution to it. Stir continuously and let it simmer for next 5 minutes. Ensure that there are no wheat balls formed. Incase, balls get formed (could be due to improper roasting) , let it cool and then filter it up. Serve slight hot, just as soup.
12. Turmeric milk:
Turmeric is also a great remedy for cold and cough. It's antibacterial property helps in healing many infections. Add a pinch of turmeric in a glass of milk and feed your child in the bed time.
I hope I have been able to help out stressed mama’s from these nasty cold and coughs. What all is required is serious and continuous efforts wrt home remedies for cough, before kids catch it and even afterwards.
Medications will do no good to kids body, but if we can make them immune and resistant, life will be healthier and happier.
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