Home Remedies for Babies with Cough and Runny Nose

Coughing and runny nose in infants are very common conditions encountered in daily life. After such symptoms appear, certain dietary therapies may help alleviate them. What are some effective dietary remedies for infant cough and runny nose?

Dietary Remedies for Infant Cough and Runny Nose

Infant coughs can be broadly categorized into wind-cold cough and wind-heat cough. Wind-heat cough is characterized by thick, yellowish nasal discharge, accompanied by fever, sweating, dry or itchy throat, and thirst. Recommended remedies include fresh lotus root juice, pear juice, radish juice, and rock sugar syrup. For example, “Fritillaria and Rock Sugar Steamed Pear”: Cut a pear horizontally, remove the core, place 2–3 pieces of rock sugar and 5–6 crushed Fritillaria bulbs (Bulbus Fritillariae) inside, then steam the whole pear in a bowl for 30 minutes. This preparation helps moisten the lungs and resolve phlegm.

Pear Congee: Finely chop three pears, simmer with water for 30 minutes, strain to obtain the pear juice, then cook the juice into congee and serve while warm. Common cold-related cough is most prevalent during winter and typically presents with white phlegm, nasal congestion, runny nose, and sneezing. For this type of cough, consider “Perilla Leaf Congee”: Use 10 g of Perilla leaf (Folium Perillae), 50 g of glutinous rice, 3 slices of fresh ginger, and 3 jujubes (Chinese dates). First, cook the rice into congee; once done, add the Perilla leaf, ginger, and jujubes, and serve immediately while hot. Additionally, incorporating pungent, warming foods—such as ginger and white scallions—may be beneficial, while cold and raw foods should be avoided.

In daily life, ensure your baby drinks plenty of warm water and avoids spicy or irritating foods. We hope this information proves helpful.