Cold Season

Well, here we are, in dreaded cold season. Emma has had a cough and/or snotty nose since early September, and I don't see it stopping anytime soon. And of course, the coughing is always the worst at bedtime.

There isn't much you can give a 1 year old for a cold, but through trial and error and other parents' advice, I have found some remedies that make her nights a little smoother.

1. Vicks vapor rub. I love Vicks. We rub the vicks on the bottom of her feet and then put socks on her for night time, and it helps a little with her coughing. They also make a vapor rub for children that I put on her chest to help with her congestion.

2. Vicks Vaporizer. Again with the vicks. I bought a vaporizer 2 weeks ago, and I feel like it really helps. It gives off hot steam and you can put medicine in it to allow vicks to be in the air as well. I'm a fan of this, but it does take a lot of cleaning to prevent mold from setting in.

3. Honey. I have tried a half teaspoon of honey before bed to try to soothe a cough, and I haven't had a lot of success with it. I don't really notice a huge change with this one, so I don't use this one much. And they say you have to brush their teeth after you do this, because obviously honey has sugar in it and can cause cavities if it's left on their teeth.

4. Little Remedies Cough Suppressant. This is a cough suppressant made for little kids. It doesn't have medicine in it, just honey and some other natural ingredients to help soother the cough. I feel like this works pretty well, it's just nice to feel like I am giving her something that is helping her feel better.

5. Benadryl. If I am really desperate and Emma is really snotty, I give her a shot of benadryl before bed and it really helps clear up her nose for a more restful sleep. I don't think that is really the appropriate use for Benadryl, so I only use it when absolutely necessary.

6. Wedge. I did put a wedge under Emma's mattress to help elevate her head a little. This helps the snot not drain all the way to the back of her throat. Anything to help make the night smoother.

7. Sucking out her nose. I do this before bed if she is especially snotty. It helps keep her nose clear while she is trying to fall asleep.

There is no perfect solution for toddlers when it comes to colds. Some nights some things work, other nights you can do the exact same thing and have a miserable night. Like last night, Emma was especially snotty and was coughing a lot. I think I was up with her from 11:30-1:30am, just trying to get her more comfortable and soothe her coughing. And nothing was really working. Eventually, things cleared up a little and she slept peacefully the rest of the night and was happy as could be this morning.

I cannot wait for Emma to be done being sick all the time. She is a trooper about it, but the nights can be tough sometimes. That darn daycare and all their germs, at least when she starts school someday she shouldn't be sick as often since she is exposed to so much right now.

So, here are my helpful hints at trying to help a toddler with a cold. Like I said, there is no perfect remedy, but these are a few suggestions on how to help survive a tough night. :)