Everybody must have experienced pain in the throat some time or the other, but our little ones are particularly prone to it. This article will remind you of some tried and tested remedies.
And the best part is that almost all the ingredients are either there in your kitchen, or are easily available.
Remedies For Kid’s Sore Throat
Warm Saline Gargles
There is nothing like gargling with saline water. Many children can do the gargles comfortably. But most below two years may not be able to learn the art of gargling.
With a bit of persistence and perseverance, you can teach them how to do gargles, because this is the best, easiest and cheapest remedy that they will have to fall back on throughout their lives.
Method Of Preparing Warm Saline Water
Use one fourth of tsp table salt, mix it in a cup of warm water. One needs to check that the salinity should not be much, otherwise it can make the throat dry and will result in increased irritation. If the throat is hurting very badly, in that case avoid using salt completely.
But make sure that the water is as hot as your child can tolerate. If the water is just about warm, it will not fetch good results. You need to first try gargling yourself to adjust the salinity and temperature.
How To Do The Gargles
Teach the child to take a sip and open his/her mouth while all the while facing upwards. To help the water go deeper in the throat one has to make a sound while swishing it around within the throat.
Once done with the gargles, cover the throat with a cloth to trap the heat. It is worth mentioning that this increases the benefit of gargles many fold.
Lozenges
Sucking on lozenges also helps to prevent the throat from drying up that is why they decrease the irritation of throat. But the smaller children should not be given these, because there is a serious danger of getting stuck in the throat.
Lemon And Honey
Warm drinks sooth the painful throat. Lemon and honey is the ideal drink for the children, because it is very tasty, but make it a point to give it slightly warm.
If your children are rejecting it, chances are that you have not put enough of honey. The anti inflammatory properties of honey combined with antimicrobial properties help in soothing the swollen and inflamed throat.
Basil Leaves
Whether they are the fresh leaves of holy basil or ordinary basil available at the stores, those who have used them for curing sore throat, swear by them. Give your child five leaves of basil thrice a day to chew and swallow. One can make a gargling water with basil by boiling a few leaves in water.
Eating the leaves as well as gargling four times a day will make your child feel comfortable in a couple of days. Basil has been a choice of many since time immemorial to get rid of bad throat.
Ginger Juice And Honey
The fact that the companies making ginger lozenges to sooth your throat advertise the goodness of ginger, is a testimony in itself that ginger is a proven remedy for painful throat and cough.
Its anti-inflammatory and anti allergy properties make it a right candidate for healing sore throats. The people of Philippines and India think of ginger as the first home remedy for throat ailments.
How To Prepare Ginger And Honey Remedy
You need to extract 1tbsp of ginger juice by crushing chopped ginger root. If needed, add some water to it and then extract, it will be easy to do so. Now you mix 8 to 10 tbsp of honey to it. Your potent home remedy is ready.
The next step is to learn to use it the best way. Your child has to lick a few drops 8 to 10 times a day. It is better if it is taken warm. Avoid using it in large quantities, it may be too much for the tender stomach of your child. If your child’s system approves of it, you are not going to try anything else ever.
Steam Inhalation
Steam inhalation helps to sooth the throat irritation. Administer steam inhalation for five minutes at a time and let your child’s face remain covered with some cloth or sheet, so that his tender throat remains warm for a long time.
Water Compress
Warm water compress is a sure remedy to alleviate your kid’s torture from painful throat. You need some warm water and two pieces of cloth. One could be as big as a handkerchief and the other long enough that it easily wraps around the neck of your little one. You have to soak the smaller cloth in warm water, it will act as the compress. Squeeze out as much water as you can. Make sure it is still warm. You can put it in the microwave for 10 seconds and it will get warm. Place it on your child’s throat. Cover it with the other cloth. Let it remain there for 2/3 hours and then remove.
