What are some home remedies for children with cough and phlegm?

Generally, dietary remedies for children with cough and phlegm include rock sugar stewed pears, fritillaria and loquat stew, radish and honey water, lily and tremella porridge, and steamed oranges. Detailed explanations are as follows:

1. Rock Sugar Stewed Pears

Wash the pears, peel and core them, and cut into small pieces. Place the pear pieces and an appropriate amount of rock sugar into a pot with sufficient water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer until the pears are tender and soft. Pears are sweet in taste and cold in nature, which can moisten the lungs, relieve dryness, stop coughing, expel phlegm, nourish the blood, and promote tissue regeneration. Rock sugar can strengthen the spleen and stomach and moisten the lungs. Together, they can effectively alleviate symptoms of cough with phlegm in children, especially for dry and heat-related cough.

2. Fritillaria Stewed Loquat

Wash the loquats, peel and core them, and cut into halves. Place the loquats into a stewed bowl, add fritillaria powder and an appropriate amount of rock sugar along with a small amount of water. Place into a steamer and steam over high heat until boiling, then reduce to low heat and steam for 10-15 minutes. Loquat can moisten the lungs, relieve cough, and quench thirst. Fritillaria thunbergii is甘sweet and cold in nature, capable of clearing heat, resolving phlegm, and relieving cough. It is especially effective for children with lung heat cough and unsatisfactory phlegm expectoration.

3. Radish and Honey Water

Wash the white radish, peel and slice thinly. Add an appropriate amount of water into a pot and place the radish slices inside. Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer for 10-15 minutes. Once the radish water has cooled slightly, add an appropriate amount of honey and mix well. White radish contains abundant vitamin C, mustard oil, amylase, lignin, and other components, which can aid digestion, stimulate appetite, resolve phlegm, and relieve cough. Honey can moisten dryness, detoxify, and relieve pain. Together with radish, it can relieve cough, expel phlegm, regulate qi, and improve appetite, suitable for children with excessive phlegm and indigestion.

4. Lily and Tremella Porridge

Soak the tremella until softened, tear into small pieces; wash the lily bulb and rice. Place rice, tremella, and lily into a pot with sufficient water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer until the porridge becomes thick and creamy, then add an appropriate amount of rock sugar to taste. Lily bulb can moisten the lungs, relieve cough, clear the heart, and calm the nerves. Tremella nourishes yin, moistens the lungs, nourishes the stomach, and generates body fluids. Rice strengthens the spleen and harmonizes the stomach. This porridge can moisten the lungs, relieve cough, nourish yin, and alleviate dryness, helping to relieve symptoms of dry cough and dry throat in children.

5. Steamed Orange

Wash the orange, cut off the top to keep as a lid, then poke several holes in the orange flesh with chopsticks. Sprinkle a small amount of salt inside the orange, cover with the lid, and place in a steamer. Steam over high heat for 10-15 minutes. Oranges are rich in vitamin C, flavonoids, and other nutrients, which can relieve cough, expel phlegm, strengthen the spleen, and harmonize the stomach. Steaming makes the active ingredients in oranges easier for the body to absorb. Adding salt can help kill bacteria and reduce inflammation, suitable for children with cough and phlegm accompanied by poor appetite.

When administering dietary remedies for children with cough and phlegm, observe the child's reaction after eating, such as whether symptoms improve or any allergic reactions occur. If the condition worsens or does not improve promptly, seek medical attention.