What home remedies do you use when your baby is sick?
Expert: Dr. Gina Lamb – Amato
There are many natural home remedies for your sick baby. Here are some ones I recommend and also have used with my own baby.
Colds and Congestion:
- Steam baby. Turn shower on as hot as possible and sit with baby in bathroom near shower and steam will open up baby’s lungs.
- Vicks BABY Vapor rub to the soles of the feet (There are pressure points in the feet which open the lungs.), back, chest, under the arm, behind the ear and the neck at bedtime.
- Place a tissue with Vicks Baby Vapor rub under your baby’s crib sheet. This will help open up baby’s lungs while sleeping.
- Cool or Warm Mist Humidifier.
- Give lots of fluids including breast milk or formula.
- Place a few drops of preservative free Nasal Saline drops in baby’s nose and gently suction with bulb syringe.
Teething
- Wet a washcloth and place in the refrigerator or freezer and when its cold massage baby’s gums with washcloth.
- Freeze pacifier or teething ring and give to baby to suck.
- Place cut fruits such as strawberries, apple, etc in a teether with netting and freeze and give to baby when frozen.
- Peel a banana and wrap in aluminum foil and freeze. When banana is frozen give to baby to suck on.
Vomiting and Diarrhea
- BRAT diet, which is Bananas (Baby bananas), Rice (Rice cereal), Applesauce (Baby Applesauce), Tea (If baby is older than 1 year you can give ginger tea with honey.) and Toast (This can be a cracker, bread, Cheerio’s, etc.).
- Real fruit popsicles or Pedialyte popsicles.
- If baby is over 1 year give flat ginger ale.
- Small (1 teaspoon) frequent feeds of fluids but no juices (Juice makes vomiting and diarrhea worse.)
- Give a probiotic such as baby yogurt with Lactobacillus reuten.
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Fever
- Give baby a tepid bath (not warm or cold).
- Give lots of fluids such as milk, juices, ginger ale, popsicles, frozen yogurt, sherbet.
Colic
- When baby is having colic run white noise such as a blow dryer, vacuum cleaner, etc.
- Place baby securely on top of a vibrating appliance such as a washing machine or dishwasher.
- Baby massage. Massage baby’s tummy by making a c over tummy.
Insect Bites
- Apply toothpaste to bite area.
- Aloe Vera to bite area.
Cuts
- If superficial apply mixture of zinc oxide and Vitamin E oil over cut.
- If superficial apply Calendula oil or ointment to cut.
Ear Infection
- Place 1 or 2 drops of garlic or olive oil in affected ear and place cotton plug and this will help relieve the pain.
- Tepid bath, which means the bath, should be neither warm nor cool.
Gastritis
- No dairy products.
- If baby is over 1 year give flat ginger ale or ginger or peppermint tea.
Hives
- Apply Aloe Vera topically.
Bug Bites
- Apply a paste of baking soda and water.
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Nosebleeds
- Sprinkle Cayenne pepper on cotton swab and dab on bleeding site and bleeding will stop. Do this while holding child’s head back and pinching nose gently.
Anxiety
- Baby massage with baby massage oil.
- Bubble wand with child taking long deep breaths to make bubbles.
- Have child pretend to blow birthday candles.
Headache
- Wrap child’s head in towel, which relieves the pain.
Carsickness
- If child over 2 years give ginger tea with honey.
Swelling and Inflammation
- Place cool cucumber slices over affected area.
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Mom: Mary Ann Malone
My oldest son was terribly colicky and while I tried every remedy suggested, from Gripe water to chamomile tea, what really worked in the end was a tight swaddle (the kind with Velcro closures), swinging from side to side and ‘shooshing’ him. It is the technique outlined in the book The Happiest Baby On the Block. It seemed too simple to really be effective; but when I was ready to pull my hair out, it was the only thing that soothed him! I have also used olive oil and a soft toothbrush to wipe away cradle cap, and most interesting (suggested by my pediatrician) breast milk for a plugged tear duct!
Parenting Blogger: Elise Jones
I’m a big believer in using home remedies not just on babies but on adults too. Overmedication has lead to superbugs and has weakened our immune systems. So if my little one has a runny nose/cough, I go to the cupboard for some saline solution, nasal suction thingy and a humidifier. I also love to sit in a bathroom with the door closed and steam it up to get a good coughing fit under control. Also to soothe a sore throat or to calm a cough in babies over one, I use herbal teas and honey. Honey works just as good as any prescription cough medicine!
About our team
Gina is a general pediatrician and developmental pediatrician who works at Village Pediatrics and Agho Medical practices both in Manhattan, NY. She has a masters in child therapy and works with a child psychologist Rosa Vasquez PhD performing office and home consultation for newborns and parents, office and home developmental assessments, school consultations and parent child playgroups where play and art along with baby massage and other techniques are used to help parents bond and support their child’s development. Formerly, Gina was the Director of Pediatric Special Medical Needs before she went into private practice where she cared for medically fragile infants and children. She is also a Early Intervention Pediatrician for Early Intervention which assesses and treats infants from age zero to 3 years. She has extensive experience in Early Head Start programs which work with infants from prenatal to 3 years of age. She is the mother of a beautiful daughter who is 3 years old and the joy of my life. Her husband is an artist, producer and owns Synchronicity Space, a non-profit arts organization that supports emerging artist in fine art and theatre. Finally, she is also an artist who paints mainly babies and children.
Mary Ann Malone
Elise Jones
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