Holistic medicine
focuses on the whole child and her environment rather than on a specific illness or condition. Holistic practitioners feel that the spiritual, mental and emotional well-being of the child remains as important to overall wellness as her physical condition. According to the American Holistic Health Association (AHHA), an holistic approach examines the diet of your toddler as well as her exposure to toxins and her daily habits to help heal her cough and improve overall health. By focusing on healthy habits and offering some basic comfort measures, you can holistically help your toddler to heal.
Focus on Overall Health
According to the Mayo Clinic, exposure to smoke can irritate a child's inflamed airways and make his cough significantly worse. Always refrain from smoking in a home with children; this advice extends well beyond holistic cough care. Ensure your toddler gets plenty of rest while he fights his cough so his body can heal itself.
Since persistent coughing can interfere with sleep, try running a humidifier in his room to moisten the air and loosen congestion. Offer your toddler liquids throughout his bout with illness; chicken soup can thin nasal secretions as well as relieve the congestion that often contributes to a nagging cough. Drinking plenty of fluids helps fight dehydration, a condition that might seriously complicate your toddler's recovery.
You can also offer favorite soft foods such as puddings, jello or scrambled eggs. These foods can soothe your toddler's scratchy throat and give him the strength to fight his cough.
Comfort Measures
Holistic medicine followers believe that time will heal illnesses if the child's overall environment is as healthy as possible, but you can take measures to provide comfort to your child while waiting for her cough to disappear.
According to the Bastyr Center for Natural Health, honey makes an effective natural cough remedy. Since honey can contain bacteria that potentially causes infant botulism, never give it to children less than 12 months of age. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends offering 1/2 tsp. to children ages 2 to 5. You can also mix the honey with warm water and a squeeze of lemon to make a Vitamin C-enriched drink for your child.
Offer children over 6 months of age sweetened, weakened chamomile tea with crystallized ginger in it. Ginger helps clear nasal passages and chamomile helps soothe sore, scratchy throats. Both of these conditions can contribute to the dry cough that can seem to linger excessively in toddlers.
Tags: your toddler, Holistic medicine, your child