Kids home remedies for bronchitis: bronchitis in children
Your child has a bad cough, and bronchitis may be to blame. Learn about the types of bronchitis and home remedies that can help your child.
It’s possible that your child will develop a case of bronchitis during cold and flu season. And although the symptoms — wheezy and a deep, nagging cough that produces mucus — sometimes sound terrible, bronchitis in children is typically mild. Home remedies for bronchitis in children work quite well most of the time.
What is bronchitis?
Bronchitis is an inflammation of the large breathing tubes known as airways or bronchi. The most prevalent type of bronchitis that children can experience is acute bronchitis.
What causes acute bronchitis?
Acute bronchitis most often is caused by a virus. The symptoms typically follow a common cold. Bronchitis in children can develop relatively rapidly, and it generally persists over the course of 1 to 3 weeks.
Less common causes of bronchitis include allergens, irritants such as dust or cigarette smoke, and can accompany asthma.
What are the signs of acute bronchitis?
Symptoms will vary, but the most common ones include:
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Low-grade fever (99.6°F – 100.3°F)
- Feeling unwell
- Sore throat
- Muscle aches
Your child’s cough might begin dry and then become a cough that produces greenish or yellowish mucus. This mucus can also accumulate and block the airway, which can make it hard for your child to breathe.
Bronchitis children home remedies
The cough that accompanies bronchitis can sound awful, but coughing is the body’s natural mechanism to clear its lungs. Over time, most bronchitis cases improve on their own.
You can also relieve your child’s symptoms with these home remedies:
- Increase fluids. If you offer your child extra fluids, it can help soothe a sore throat and make the mucus in your child’s lungs easier to cough up. These include warm lemonade, soup and warm water with lemon and honey.
- Let them lie down in a sitting position. Rest can also help children restore their health. But congestion can make it harder to breathe and sleep. Raising the head of your child’s bed by propping up the top of the mattress with a few pillows – even if your child isn’t coughing – could help your child breathe – and sleep – more comfortably.
- Use heat on their chest. If your child’s cough is painful, apply a warm compress to their chest.
- Add some humidity. A hot bath or shower can ease your child’s breathing. Using a cool mist humidifier in their room overnight can also help.
- Eliminate irritants. Avoid smoke around your child. Even sick lungs can become further irritated by the smoke — and the healing process can be slowed as well. In addition, you want to prevent your child from breathing in excess dust, pollen or chemicals.
- Know what over-the-counter medications to give. To treat pain or fever, children over age 6 may require an over-the-counter medication, such as acetaminophen. Just be sure to follow the directions closely for how much to give your child and how often. And if your child is younger than 6, it’s essential to check with your child’s doctor before you administer an over-the-counter medication. Read more about why over-the-counter medicines are not always appropriate for young children.
Is it bronchitis, or something else?
A bronchitis cough can sometimes be a sign of something more serious, such as pneumonia.
Here are symptoms that indicate it’s time to call your doctor.
- A week-long fever over 100 degrees
- Severe shortness of breath or chest pain
- Coughing or wheezing that lasts longer than four weeks
- Coughing up bloody mucus
- Marked weakness that worsens and doesn’t improve
- If your child has asthma and develops bronchitis
