How can I help my child feel better?

To help your child cope with a cough or cold:

• Give fluids. Liquids such as water, juice and broth might help thin mucus. Warm liquids, such as tea or chicken soup, might have a soothing effect, increase the flow of nasal mucus and loosen mucus in the lungs. Giving honey to children older than 1 year also might help a cough.
• Run a cool-mist humidifier. This can add moisture to the air, which might lessen the drying of the nasal passages and throat. Place the humidifier near your child's bed. Clean the humidifier after every use.
• Use nasal saline. Saline you get without a prescription can keep nasal passages moist and loosen mucus. Give saline nasal drops to younger children. After a short time, use a rubber-bulb syringe to draw mucus out of each nostril. For older children, use a saline nasal spray or saline nasal wash, called irrigation.
• Offer cold or frozen drinks or foods. Ice cream, frozen fruit pops, ice or cold beverages might feel good on a sore throat.
• Offer hard candy or lozenges. For children age 6 years and older, sucking on a piece of hard candy or a lozenge might soothe throat pain. But hard candy and lozenges are a choking hazard. Don't give them to children younger than age 6.