Put Menthol on Feet

Sure, menthol for coughs.  The fumes come off your chest, you inhale them and it opens up your airway so you can breathe a little better, and get a good night’s rest. If you are looking for alternative ways help deal with your child’s cough without using regular cough medicines or cold medicines you can try vapor rub or other menthol rubs.

First off, how do I know so much about pediatric coughs? Hello! I’m Hilary — many people know me as The Pregnancy Nurse 👩‍⚕️. I have been a nurse since 1997 and I have but before working labor and delivery, I worked for a busy pediatric office, I am also the curly head behind this website Pulling Curls and The Online Prenatal Class for Couples. 🩺​

It can be painful when your young children start showing cold symptoms like a sore throat, runny nose, and persistent cough. If you are trying to stay away from cough suppressants like over the counter cough medicine and cough drops, this is one of those home remedies that has worked for our family several times on older children and small children.

Wait, you want me to put it where?

And by it — I mean a menthol rub. I also like that this one is a bit more “natural”.

Yes, put it on your feet.  Slather it on, like you wish you could butter your toast.  That’s right, nice and goopy.  Now put a pair of socks on over it.  These should probably not be your favorite socks, but in my history I’ve been able to wash them just fine. With younger children, this is a great way to use those unmatched socks that you haven’t gotten rid of yet.

Then, go to sleep.

Sure, hydrate, turn on a hot shower and sit in a steamy bathroom, grab a cool-mist humidifier but somehow the thing that fixes my cough the quickest is this one.

Most providers do NOT recommend cough suppressants for young children (and often sometimes even adults), so this is a nice thing that you can “do” without getting all that medicine in thei little bodies.

There are different types of coughs. Now, I’m talking a hacking, dry cough that keeps you awake in the middle of the night for no good reason. If you have a productive, wet cough (aka, you’re coughing stuff up) this may not work as well as your body is trying to keep itself from drowning.

I’ve tried it on my kids many times, and on myself.  I’m not going to say that it works 100% of the time for a nighttime cough, but enough that I still try it with fairly good success of a better night’s sleep.

It’s a good idea to make sure you are keeping an eye on your child’s symptoms. If you are noticing they have a high fever that won’t come down with over the counter medications or difficulty breathing you will want to contact your child’s doctor to make sure it isn’t something more serious like upper respiratory tract infections or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Both will need medical attention.

Child Cough FAQ’s

Q: Other than menthol, what is a good home remedy a cough?

A: You can always try a warm shower for the moist air to help with a dry throat. You can also try things like warm liquids and chicken soup. These might bring more comfort than actually curing the cough.

Q: Are cough syrups safe for children?

A: Make sure that you are reading the label of the cough medicine that you are purchasing to ensure that you are getting the right kind of the age of your child. If you have any questions at all, make sure you contact your healthcare provider.

Q: How do I know if the type of cough my child has needs medical care?

A: I wouldn’t suggest immediately going to the emergency department if your child has a cough, but you can contact your doctor to see if you should bring them in to be seen.

Have you tried this?  Don’t miss out my ear infection, fever, or strep throat posts also. It’s tough being a mom with sick kids, get all the information you can!