Tips for treating coughs

Let's hear from real-life mothers about their experiences in getting rid of their children's coughs.
Because their immune systems are still developing and maturing, children are prone to catching colds, fevers, and coughs almost every time the seasons change. If left untreated, this can easily lead to respiratory illnesses.
Typically, when children cough, Vietnamese mothers are often reluctant to take them to the hospital. Partly because they fear long waits and inconvenience, but mostly because most mothers don't want their children to take medicine or antibiotics too soon. Because of this mindset, many Vietnamese mothers share small, natural remedies to treat coughs in children. Methods such as using baked oranges, onions, kumquats with rock sugar, or fish mint with rice water... are all very safe and have received positive feedback from many mothers.

Treating coughs with onions
Recently on social media, many women have been sharing posts and images about treating children's coughs with onions. According to Hana's mother: "My daughter has been coughing for over a week now. We took her to the doctor, and she's been taking medicine regularly, but while she doesn't cough much during the day, she coughs a lot at night. She coughs so much that she cries and says her chest hurts. Then a foreign neighbor saw her coughing and suggested a remedy using onions. He said it was very effective and told me to give it to my daughter to drink for three days, and she would be cured. He said it's cold here, so children with weak throats tend to cough a lot. If they have a fever and cough, we should see a doctor, but if it's just a cough, just do as he said, and it will be very effective and they'll get better quickly."

I did as he said, gave it to my daughter, and it really worked. After one day of drinking it, she didn't cough anymore at night, slept well, and didn't cough during the day. I only gave it to her once a day. Moms who love their children and have coughs should try this cough remedy. I've used it for my daughter, so you can rest assured.

Step 1: Peel and chop the fruit into small pieces in a bowl. Step 2: Add 1 teaspoon of sugar, mix well, and let it soak for 45-60 minutes. Step 3: Put it in a blender or mash it until it's completely crushed, then strain and discard the pulp. Step 4: Pour into a small cup and drink 3 times a day. Each time, drink 1 small teaspoon.
"Dear moms, please share this with your friends. It's very effective; I've already given it to my daughter to drink."

The method of treating coughs with onions is being shared by many mothers (photo from Hana's Facebook page).

Treating coughs with baked oranges
A very appealing little tip from a Japanese mother for treating her child's cough, shared in a newspaper, has also attracted a lot of attention from other mothers. According to Bin's mother, "Knowing Bin had a cough, my friend immediately suggested a remedy using baked oranges. 'Japanese mothers here always give their sick children baked oranges; it's quick and effective. Even adults like me use it for a few days when we have a persistent cough. It works great!' my friend boasted."

Following my friend's advice, I took a fresh, yellow-skinned orange from the cupboard, washed it under running water, and soaked it in salt water to remove any dirt. Then I put the orange in the oven and set it to 10 minutes. In just a short time, the fragrant aroma of baked orange filled the room. The orange was perfectly cooked and fragrant. I quickly took it out, let it cool slightly, and peeled both the peel and the segments for Bin to eat, just as my friend had suggested. To make it easier for Bin to eat and to help with his cough, I even added a tiny bit of fine salt. The fragrant baked orange with a little salt tasted sweeter and was more effective at treating coughs than medicine. Bin happily ate the whole segment.

The effects of eating baked oranges were incredibly noticeable. Bin's cough and phlegm symptoms decreased significantly, and the phlegm in his throat cleared up. He even really enjoyed snacking on baked oranges with salt two or three times a day. This trick also worked for Bin's dad, who caught the illness from him."

A unique cough remedy from a Japanese mother using baked oranges.

Kumquats preserved in rock sugar cure coughs.
Many women who have time to prepare in advance often share recipes for making kumquats steamed with rock sugar every Lunar New Year. The essential oils in kumquats stimulate the respiratory system, helping to loosen and expel phlegm. In addition, the abundant vitamin C helps boost the body's immunity and fight colds and flu.
Kumquat syrup with rock sugar can be given to children daily, one teaspoonful every morning, to help boost their immune system. This remedy is effective not only for young children but also for adults.

Sisters can refer to the method of steaming kumquats with rock sugar used by Mother Huyen Ho:
"Ingredient
500g kumquats - Moms, choose fresh, juicy, and ripe yellow kumquats for the best taste.
Rock sugar: 350g - Rock sugar is widely available in supermarkets and markets.

Making:
Step 1: Wash the kumquats thoroughly, soak them in diluted salt water for about 30 minutes, then drain. Step 2: Cut the kumquats into three pieces and remove the seeds (as leaving the seeds in will make them bitter). Step 3: Pour the cut kumquats and rock sugar into a pot and stir gently. Step 4: Place on the stove and simmer over low heat for 30-45 minutes (until the sugar dissolves and the kumquat peels become translucent).

Very helpful sharing about how to make kumquat syrup with rock sugar from Mother Huyen Ho (photo from Mother Huyen Ho's Facebook).

A mixture of rice water and Houttuynia cordata leaves.

Houttuynia cordata is one of the most useful natural antibiotics. Many mothers are hesitant to give it to their children because of its fishy taste and cooling properties. However, once boiled, the fishy taste disappears, making it very easy to drink. Houttuynia cordata and rice water are also effective and gentle remedies for coughs.
According to Bip's mother, "My daughter Bip is just over 10 months old. June 1st was her first International Children's Day, so my husband and I decided to take her on a trip. Unexpectedly, as soon as we got home, Bip started coughing incessantly, then had a runny nose and sneezed all night. Knowing that Bip had bronchitis, my mother suggested a folk remedy using Houttuynia cordata (fish mint). She said it's a very effective cough remedy, and with persistence for 2-3 days, my child would recover."

So, three times a day, I went to the market myself to choose the freshest and tastiest Houttuynia cordata leaves, picked the leaves, soaked them in clean salt water, and squeezed out the juice. Then I mixed it with thick rice water and steamed it for about 30-40 minutes. To make it easier for Bip to drink, I even carefully added a little rock sugar to the mixture. I did this continuously for 3 days, and thankfully, Bip's cough is completely gone, and her runny nose is gone too. I'm overjoyed. It turns out that this remedy from Houttuynia cordata and rice water is so useful, it doesn't take much time, is gentle, and works immediately."

The mixture of Houttuynia cordata and rice water has long been trusted by mothers and grandmothers.

Traditional folk remedies for coughs are very effective. However, mothers should note that they should only be used when the child has a mild cough with phlegm, and the child's reaction should still be monitored. If the child has a poor appetite or is not in a good mood, it is necessary to take the child to the hospital; medication should not be used indiscriminately.
According to eva.vn