Top 5 Home Remedies For Croup

Croup is a condition that mainly affects children in which there is excessive spontaneous coughing due to dry and sticky mucous accumulation in the throat or nasal passages. The cough is not as alarming as the difficulty in breathing during the episodes of coughing.The condition worsens during sleep because the tongue sits on top of the wind pipe when somebody is sleeping. This happens due to the inflammation or infected condition of the throat or nasal passages. In most viral cases, doctors recommend medications that are inhaled to kill the virus inside the throat but mild cases can be easily treated with the help of natural remedies.First of all, you should start with comforting your child during the coughing episodes. Because of lack of breath, the child might go into a state of panic so you as a parent should help the kid calm down to prevent the condition from worsening. Here are some other home remedies to treat croup:

Croup Home Remedies

Steam Inhalation

Prepare boiling water and add some drops of eucalyptus oil to it. Steam helps to heat up and liquefy the accumulated secretions in the lungs or throat.If the oil is causing any irritation to the child’s throat or the child is allergic to it, then its best to stick to only boiling water.

Hydration

Drink plenty of water and fluids during the day. Sometimes if you are dehydrated, the mucous gets dried and it sticks to the walls of your wind pipe. It worsens your condition and gives more problems when you are breathing. It is better that you consume a lot of fluids which will help loosen the secretions and help your condition up to a certain extent. Consume atleast 8 glasses of warm water throughout the day. You can also consume hot soups to increase the fluid intake.

Keep Away From Passive Smoke

Cigarette smoke can worsen your child’s condition so if you or your partner smoke cigarettes make sure you do not smoke in front of the child.The smoke that is emitted from the cigarettes can cause an allergic reaction inside the pharynx and cause further narrowing of the throat or nasal passage.

Ginger

Ginger is effective in treating different types of throat related problems. You can chew ginger lozenges along with some salt sprinkled on it. Ginger can also be consumed in the form of tea. In the ginger tea, add some holy basil. Another mode of consuming ginger is by taking its extract and adding some honey and basil leaves. Consume the paste in small quantities throughout the day to witness the results.

Turmeric

This is another home remedy which is effective in the case of croup. It helps in reducing effects of a sore throat. Turmeric is best used when it is consumed with hot milk. You can also take it in the form of tea.Bring some water to boil and add turmeric powder to this. Take off from the heat when the mixture is boiling. Let it warm down and sip it slowly. Add lemon and honey to this to increase the effects.