Infants cough when the lining of the windpipe becomes irritated. This often happens when a infant is sick or when the body is fighting off an illness and making lots of mucus or phlegm. Coughing is normally a symptom of a respiratory infection, but it may be caused by other respiratory diseases (like asthma). Coughing is an important reflex because it removes the extra mucus and lets air flow more easily through the windpipe and into the lungs, which helps the infant to breathe. The presence of a persistent cough may mean your baby has a virus. There are different types of coughs, some are dry and others wet and may bring up mucus.
Symptoms and causes
Since infants cough may be associated with a broad array of situations, it is helpful to consider possible causes under various categories. These would include infection, nasal allergies, foreign body, etc. The symptoms may include a runny or stuffy nose and wheezing
a) For dry cough: Boil ½ tsp of licorice powder in a cup of water for 2-3 minutes. Pour it in a thermos and feed the baby 1 tsp off and on.
b) For both dry and wet cough: Boil ½ tsp turmeric in a cup of milk for 2-3 minutes. Add ½ tsp brown or raw sugar. Feed the baby this milk off and on.
c) For dry cough: Add ½ a tsp brown sugar in a cup of hot water and feed this water off and on.
d) For wet cough: Add a small stick of cinnamon, 2 cloves, a pinch of ginger powder, a tsp of brown sugar in a glass of water and boil it for 2-3 minutes. Pour it in a thermos and feed this tea off and on.
e) For cough with phlegm: 1 cup hot water, a pinch of dry ginger powder, and a tsp of honey.
Ayurvedic herbs to treat cough
Ayurvedic herbs and spices like cloves, cinnamon, ginger, long pepper, turmeric powders etc are used for the treatment of cough.
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