22 December 2012

Health: Cold & flu remedies

The whole family isn't feeling too hot due to some nasty viral upper respiratory infection, and I have two kids too small for the usual OTC remedies. I've broken out the NSAIDs, the steam vaporizer, the chest rub, the saline spray, and the plug-in-the-wall "waterless" vaporizer - which is basically an aromatherapy diffuser and can be refreshed by dampening the pads with this instead of the pricey refills:

http://www.amazon.com/NOW-Foods-Eucalyptus-Oil-ounce/dp/B001394KL2/ref=pd_bxgy_bt_text_y

You can use eucalyptus by itself or make your own blend with menthol, lavender, what-have-you. Most of these things do their best work when used at night, in a closed bedroom. Not keeping themselves awake all night coughing makes for happier babies, but I still wish there was something more I could do for them.

Does anyone know of something that works that I haven't tried?