01/10/2026
Since talking this past week about kid coughs, snot and what not 🤧 I decided to do a little share post about what we have personally found helpful!
I am *not* a doctor... these are just things we regularly have/do.
1. Vitamin C. We have three versions: a pure powder ascorbic acid that I take daily. It's sour and I love it. A pure powder buffered sodium ascorbate for the kids who don't like sour. Then liposomal for quick acute issues. Vitamin C obviously is going to help support the immune system but can also help thin out any thick mucus secretions that are difficult to cough up - which is why it's the foundation of Suzanne Humphries pertussis protocol. We try to take a little bit daily but also will megadose if needed. You really can't OD on Vitamin C- it's water soluble, so Iif you take too much it'll just come out of your bowels.
2. Homeopathy has been more effective for us than any other OTC remedy. Hylands Cold is great to have on hand, or Oscillococcinum for if you are getting into flu territory. We also use Hylands nighttime cough syrup to try to get relief if we need to, it usually helps them rest for a few hours. Pulsatilla is another one we have on hand for the thick, hard to cough up stuff.
3. Essential oils. You don't want to use these with homeopathy. One or the other. Eucalyptus is the popular one, of course, but I highly suggest avoiding that with kids as there is a chance it could trigger seizures. Fir and pine oils work JUST as well! Lemon can also help clear things out, and oregano is our go to for the more serious cases. I never take internally, but will apply topically (diluted) or diffuse (for short bursts).
4. Healing "foods" such as Manuka honey (my girls like it in warm water like a tea, which can also break up congestion), garlic, elderberry, etc. Of course my kids won't take any of that, but I have some garlic simmering in a jar of honey right now in case we need it.
5. Mullein is an herb that can help with coughs. My second midwife actually had me on it when I got sick with baby 3 the beginning of 2020 (before Covid was announced). I'm only familiar with it for myself though, not my kids, as I got it in capsule form. And again, my kids are picky about what they take when sick so we have never tried liquid/tea versions. (Update: apparently there are tinctures! Someone just shared with me Earthly has a mullein cough tincture. Tinctures are a great way to get concentrated doses into picky kids)
6. Breathing treatments would be anything we do to physically try to clear out the congestion. The halotherapy, of course, is my go to. But also hot steamy showers (here you can pair those essential oils) and even a nebulizer. We purchased one last year when we got a bad respiratory bug, and I would add a pinch of pure NAC to the saline. I could get the littkes to sit with it while watching an episode of Bluey a few times a day, and it really helped!
I can share more specifically about what we have on hand or how we use it, if anyone is interested 💕 And I love hearing what helps for others too!
