Chest Colds and Humidifiers!
By candygurl24
@candygurl24 (1880)
Canada
February 23, 2007 4:26pm CST
Hello all. My oldest daughter is sick with a very bad chest cold, and my oldest is just starting to get it. The problem that I am having is clearing their chests.
The doctors say to use a humidifier, which I can't afford to go out and buy at this point in time. Does anyone know what I can use in place of the humidifier with the vapor liquid?
I have thought of the oil burners, but I'm not sure how flammable the vapor liquid is and I don't want to risk it, so any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thank you all. :)
3 people like this
14 responses
@silvermoonmyst (943)
• United States
23 Feb 07
Im not sure about an oil burner. If you can find a way to boil some water and then let it cool in the bedroom it will relese steam, you can put the vapor liquid in there. Or give them a nice warm/hot shower, the steam there will help the lungs feel better.
You can get some vapor rub or mentholatum to put on their chests, just rub it in. That can help too.
Hope they feel better!
@candygurl24 (1880)
• Canada
23 Feb 07
Thank you so much for the well wishes.
I have the vapor bath for children, which they use, but I will definitely have to try the boiled water in their room. They complain about the vapo rub and say that it burns their skin, so I don't use that, but I will have to keep looking to see if there is a child's version of it out there somewhere.
Thanks for your help. :)
2 people like this
@princeworthy (1909)
• United States
24 Feb 07
Hey Candygurl! They do make a baby version of vicks it is in the baby section at Walmart or you might check a Walgreens. I like to use this version under my nose. Another idea is Vicks (there are store brands too) makes a vapor inhaler. It is a plastic tube with vicks inside with holes, what you do is put it up to your nose and inhale. The inhaler thing works really well and I bet both of your girls could use it, though I am not sure on the recommended ages.
2 people like this
@candygurl24 (1880)
• Canada
24 Feb 07
I totally forgot about the vicks inhaler! My mom calls it the snarfer..lol. That was actually her craving when she was pregnant with me and maybe that would explain why I love the smell so much..lol.
Thanks for letting me know about the baby rub. I will be sure to pick some up. :)
2 people like this
@monihaar (3)
•
23 Feb 07
A bowl of hot water (hot enough to have steam rising) and get your girls to inhale (heads a safe distance above the bowl)breathing slowly in and out. Hope they are old enough. You get a more intense treatment if they can bear a light cloth over the head and you can put Olbas Oil, Eucalyptus Oil or even a dollop of Vicks into the hot water. Or put these oils/vicks in bath water. It all helps. Good luck and I wish them well soon.
2 people like this
@MINDY0882 (2302)
• United States
24 Feb 07
HI my 2 year old has been sick as well with a bad cough.It was bronchitis then had to take him back a couple of days later it was in his small bronchols so it was broncolitis . He was also running fever too close to 104 at one time. I was told the same to put a cool mist humidifier in the room so I bought one for aroung 19.00 also to do the boiling water and try to let him breath the steam from it. I also have to give him breathing treatments as well plus a med that is supposed to losen up the chest conjestion. I think there is a med called mucenex if I spell that right that is over the counter that may work too .Also the vicks vapor rub , someone told me you can put it on you feet then put your socks on and that helps too sounds funny I know. Hope all is better now
2 people like this
@candygurl24 (1880)
• Canada
23 Feb 07
They are ages 4 and 7. Thanks for the well wishes and suggestions :)
1 person likes this
@princess07031980 (5412)
• United States
24 Feb 07
I am not sure about the oil burners either. They don't really produce a lot of diffusion either. You know maybe you could go back to the doctor and request a prescription for a humidifier and your insurance can pick it up? Or you could only have a small portion of it to pay. When my son was little we got one by prescription for his pnemoni. If that doesn't work maybe try your biggest pot in your kitchen, fill it with water, and let it simmer for a couple hours at a time, adding more water if necessary.
2 people like this
@candygurl24 (1880)
• Canada
24 Feb 07
Thank you for the great idea. We have 100% coverage so this idea is fantastic! Thanks so much :)
1 person likes this
@kathy77 (7486)
• Australia
24 Feb 07
Well I do not know if in your country you use vicks but due to you not being able to afford the more expensive things what you can do is you will need 1) a table 2) a blanket 3) boil some water and put it in a jug and then go underneath with the children that are suffering with there chests ok and let your children breath this in this way they will clear their chests or you if you have a steamer you can do it this way individually. This will fix your children chests
2 people like this
@sweetaspie52 (2359)
• United States
24 Feb 07
here is a old remedy boil some water and pour it in to a large bowl and let your daughter hold her head over the bowl and let her breathe in the vaporand put a large towel over her head so that the steam does not escape or put water on the stove and leave the burner on all day my mother use to put a ketle os water on the old warm morning stove we had to have moister in the house
2 people like this
@cal8386 (4)
• United States
24 Feb 07
You might try applying Vicks Vaporub to their chests and letting them lie with a heat pad on their chests. I would not let them sleep with the heating pad on them, however, and make sure they do not lie on the pad (to prevent possible burns). This always helped my children when they had chest congestion.
2 people like this
@candygurl24 (1880)
• Canada
23 Feb 07
Thank you for the well wishes. It is definitely the cold going around. They have the cough and fever to go with it..urg. Thanks again. :)
1 person likes this
@buenavida (9984)
• Sweden
24 Feb 07
The cheapest humidifier is this: Wash some clothes, hang them as wet as possible in the sleeping room and let them dry over night. I am using that when it is cold outside and the air is very dry indoors.
Another cheap helper: Take an onion and cut a slice and leave them beside you when you sleep.
You can use the same onion more than once, just cut a new slice before going to sleep.
Very efficient.
If you can make a garlic soup, at least once a day, maybe with some favorite veggies and a little cream in it too, it is one of the best helpers. The garlic helps even when it is cooked and it tastes better that way.
@candygurl24 (1880)
• Canada
25 Feb 07
We love garlic in this house, so I'll think of a few things to stick in with it in a soup. Thanks :)
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
15 Mar 07
Well, it is probably too late for this advice but I wanted to post for next time.
Have them take a nice looooong hot shower. And then keep the door closet to keep the humidity in the room. Have them sit in the bathroom until the room clears or they are feeling pretty good. This really helps chest colds and the whooping cough. :)
@arkaf61 (10881)
• Canada
24 Feb 07
My kid's doctor always suggested that in an emergency, we could take the kid to the washroom, close the door and run the hot water. It would create enough steam to help.
@sasklily (240)
• Canada
24 Feb 07
On reading all the responses, I can only say about the same thing. I used to make a tent with a sheet and use an electric kettle to create the moisture with us in the tent. Of course, you have to be very careful as the steam can burn. I always stayed inside the tent to make sure there were no accidents.
Also, you can put a film of petroleum jelly on their chest and then the Vicks Vaporub and they won't burn that way.
When I was little, I remember my mother putting Vicks on a cloth and wrapping it around my neck, oh how I hated that!
Moisture in the air is the secret, so even a large pot on low heat on the stove will help. Just make sure it doesn't run out of water.
@uniquesoul (230)
• Canada
24 Feb 07
there are a few thing's i use on my self when i have a chest cold but never used it on my children put there younger and cant reach the sink yet but running hot water placing a towel over ur head and breath in a vicki's help's alot on chest colds...Also u could boil water in a pot and added eucalyptus oil, that works well also... GOOD LUCK
@lpetges (3036)
• United States
24 Feb 07
i tell you what, Vicks Mentol Rub is the best thing for chest congestion. its smelly, but it works!!! Just rub it all over your chest and neck, and a little under the nose (stops it from being red too),, and some cold medicine. and sleep well!! lots of water too.
@uniquesoul (230)
• Canada
24 Feb 07
also hot humidifiers need to cleaned regular cause they hold alot of germs...cold humidifiers work better if u are goin to buy one...Best of luck
2 people like this
@ashish_rajvanshi (46)
• India
24 Feb 07
If you get some suggestions or help from somewhere, please also send back to me... I too need the same...
2 people like this
