Here are some tips to alleviate a child’s suffering during a mild illness.

To relieve a stuffy nose: Use saline nose drops to thin nasal discharge. Place a few drops of the saline into each nostril followed by gentle bulb suction. This works best for babies younger than 3 months.

¢ Use a cool-mist humidifier in your child’s room. That might help clear your child’s nasal passages and chest congestion.

To relieve chest congestion: Chest physical therapy can loosen mucus and may help young children cough it out. Lay your child across your knees, face down; cup your hand; and gently tap your child’s back. Or sit your child on your lap, lean her forward about 30 degrees, cup your hand and gently tap her back.

To relieve a cough: Try a half-teaspoon of honey for children ages 2 to 5, 1 teaspoon for children ages 6 to 11 and 2 teaspoons for children 12 and older. If honey is given at bedtime, make sure you brush your child’s teeth afterward. Remember, it’s not safe to give honey to babies younger than 1.

To relieve a fever: Give acetaminophen to a baby 6 months or younger. Give either acetaminophen or ibuprofen to a child older than 6 months. Do not give aspirin because it has been associated with Reye’s syndrome, a rare but very serious illness.

Source: American Academy of Pediatrics’ Parenting Corner