10 best natural cold and flu remedies for kids

When your kiddo gets sick, it can make everyone miserable. So at the first sign of sniffles, a cough, or a sore throat, I immediately get to work using my arsenal of powerful yet natural remedies to keep them healthy!

Natural and alternative remedies can help strengthen your immune system–the body’s own ability to repel and fight off infections–through both prevention and treatment. If you can stop an illness before it really begins, that’s the easiest battle to win. So I tend to increase my use of preventative measures during peak cold and flu season or when we’ll be going someplace with all the germs (airplane, children’s museum, etc.). 

I’ve compiled the easiest and most effective options I’ve found to prevent and treat colds and the flu for my kiddos. I hope you find a few new things to add to your cabinet!

1. Immune-boosting foods

Eatings foods rich in immune-boosting nutrients is one of the easiest and best things your kiddos can do to avoid and fight off a cold. Food that’s ideally organic, not highly-processed, and free of artificial colors, added sugar, and preservatives is a good place to start.

Here are some easy options:

• Blueberries (antioxidant and antihistamine effects)
• Eggs (Vitamin D which assists with healing tissues)
• Vitamin C-rich foods such as oranges, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, and bell peppers.
• Chicken soup and bone broth helps clear congestion, thin mucus, and have mild anti-inflammatory properties.
• Garlic and onion added to soup or cooking have some antimicrobial power and might help ward off bacteria and viruses.
• Ginger tea sweetened with raw wildflower honey and then cooled for your kiddo. (anti-inflammatory, can help a sore throat quickly, and can also kill rhinoviruses).

2. Saline rinse/sprays

Irrigating the nasal passages is one of the first things I do for my family as soon as I start noticing runny noses or congestion. The salt water physically flushes out the crud that many medicines attempt to do chemically, but without any of the side effects.

For young babies, you can use saline drops. As they get older, you can use the child-sized saline sprays. The most effective saline treatment, however, is a netipot/Neilmed kit that provide a complete irrigation of the nasal passages. The salt water solution goes in one nostril and out the other and is much more effective than anything that comes in a can.

Also, for toddlers and babies, don’t forget to keep on hand a clear washable bulb syringe and a Nose Frida to help get the stubborn boogies out!

My favorites:

• Little Remedies Saline Spray and Drops*
• Little Remedies Sterile Saline Nasal Mist
• Neilmed’s Sinus Rinse, Pediatric
• NeilMed NasaBulb 2ct
• Baby Nasal Aspirator NoseFrida the Snotsucker

3. Elderberry

Elderberry has been used for hundreds of years for its health benefits, and its recent rise in popularity is for good reason! Elderberry is packed with antioxidants and vitamins that can boost your immune system and both prevent and reduce the duration of colds and the flu. It’s truly a superfood!

In fact, since taking a high-quality elderberry supplement regularly, my family has had the healthiest year in recent memory! I can’t recommend this supplement enough. Our pediatrician and naturopath both approved elderberry for age 1, so talk to your doctor about what makes sense for your kiddo!

Elderberry gummies are my favorite for kids because the syrup can stain easily and sometimes upset the stomach. I cut the gummies in half to avoid a choking risk for my toddler until he hit about 18 months. But beware, not all supplements are created equal, and especially the gummies can be prone to unnecessary sugar and sometimes lower-quality ingredients. I took an elderberry supplement for a year that was totally ineffective and didn’t realize it until I upgraded to my current favorite!

My favorites: Garden of Life Elderberry Gummies or hand-made syrup from a local herbalist!

4. Humidifier

Moist air in your sleeping environment can be incredibly helpful at the onset of a cold. When your nasal passages are dry, the cilia lining the mucus membranes of your sinus cavities can’t effectively clean out toxins.

Using a humidifier ensures that your nasal airways remain moist and helps these tiny hairs continue to ward off bacteria and germs. I have noticed huge changes in my boys’ symptoms after just one night’s sleep with a humidifier.

My favorites:

• Crane Adorables Humidifier (shown)
• Crane Drop Humidifer

5. Vitamin C

Vitamin C, which is helpful in preventing colds in those exposed to sickness-inducing environments, such as cold weather, and can help lower the duration and severity of a cold.

In addition to getting Vitamin C from foods, supplements can also give your immune system a boost. Though evidence keeps swinging back and forth, anecdotal evidence seems to support a huge benefit to adding this to your supplements during peak cold and flu season.

My favorites:

• Nordic Natural Vitamin C Gummies
• Allergy Research Group Buffered Vitamin C Powder

6. Honey and bee propolis (age 1+)

Honey is an incredible antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antiseptic remedy. I recommend raw, local honey available at a farmer’s market, local health food store, or Whole Foods. In the Austin area I recommend Good Flow raw honey and Priya Herbals Monarda honey (made with Good Flow).

7. Zinc

Zinc is a powerful mineral that our bodies don’t produce but that we need to function. In cold prevention, it may prevent the rhinovirus from spreading or lodging in the nose and throat. You can get zinc naturally from these foods to support general wellness:

• Salmon
• Red Meat
• Shellfish
• Potatoes with skins
• Beans
• Nuts
• Mushrooms
• Whole grain cereals
• Breastmilk

It’s recommended to take zinc at the first sign of a cold to fight it off and reduce the duration. I’ve linked my favorite zinc supplement for kids below. It’s important to never exceed the dosing recommendations and only use when necessary. For extended use, talk to your pediatrician.

My favorite: Nature’s Nutra Happy Zinc.

8. Air purifier

Allergies and toxins in the air can be a source of stress for the immune system (which is why colds can often follow a period of “bad allergies”). Eliminating allergens from the air, especially when you sleep, is a huge win for giving your immune system a break.

Running an air purifier while you sleep has the biggest benefits, as your child may spend more than half of their day sleeping in their room! There are many that are quiet, compact, and effective without needing a huge budget. Consider this another line of defense during allergy and cold season.

My favorite: Honeywell True Hepa Allergen Air Purifier

9. Colloidal silver

Colloidal silver (yes that kind of silver!) is a liquid supplement that contains pure silver particles suspended in water. It’s a very effective killer of both viral and bacterial germs and is safe for all ages.

Its use for medical purposes dates back to the ancient Greeks and was also shown to be an effective antibacterial for the British royalty during the bubonic plague. The formulations of colloidal silver today can be used to prevent colds and flu, sinus infections, sore throats, and as an anti-inflammatory agent. 

I have seen huge improvements in my kiddos conditions, whether it be sore throat, sinus congestion, or cough from taking silver. It has all the benefits of an RX antibiotic without any of side effects! And it tastes almost like water, so even my toddler doesn’t mind it. It’s a win-win for us.

10. Natural cold and flu medications

When all else fails and you need a little extra muscle to help your kiddo fight off a cold, there are many options for you that can be found in a drugstore or a natural health food store. My favorites are below!

For babies (6 months+):

These natural remedies are easy for babies to take. Both of my boys slept better and seemed to be less miserable when I gave these medications to them when there were no other options for kiddos so little!

• Boiron Coldcalm
• Hyland’s Baby Tiny Cold Tablets
• Hyland’s Baby Mucus and Cold Relief
• Hyland’s Baby Nighttime Mucus & Cold Relief
• Zarbee’s Naturals Baby Immune Support & Vitamins & Baby Cough Syrup + Mucus

For children (age 1+):

All of these items are usually stocked in our medicine cabinet. They all do slightly different things and can be so helpful to support their immune system!

• Zarbees Cough Syrup & Mucus (Daytime & Nighttime)
• Sovereign Silver – Also #9 on this list!
• Nordic Natural Vitamin C Gummies (Also #5 on this list)
• Allergy Research Group Buffered Vitamin C Powder
• Maty’s All Natural Baby Chest Rub or Zarbee’s Naturals Baby Soothing Chest Rub 
• Echinacea liquid for kids
• Similasan Kids Cold & Mucus Relief Syrup Plus Echinacea (2+)
• Loquat Syrup– Traditional Chinese herbal remedy used for sore throat, coughs, hoarseness, and is also an expectorant (thins mucus). I get ours from Priya Herbals made locally in Austin!

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I hope you’ve enjoyed this guide and have found a few new ideas to keep you kiddos healthy. What are your favorite cold remedies for little ones? Please share!

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