10 Latin home remedies for your child’s cold & flu

Rest is key for getting better. As soon as I would show signs of illness as a kid, my mother or abuela would send me to bed whether I wanted to go or not. If it was during the day they would let me lay on the sofa and watch TV, but I was not to exert myself.

It's not enough to lay and rest, you have to do it propped up on pillows. Now, you don't want to do this with an infant or very young child because they will get burried in the pillows and that's dangerous, but with an older child the idea is that propping them up will help them sleep better and cough less.

I don't know if this is just a Mexican thing or if it applies to other Latin cultures, but let me tell you that my Mexican abuela would have a mini-heart attack if I washed my hair when I was sick. Under no circumstances was I to have wet hair for any length of time while I was sick. If I was going to the doctor, I could have a quick bath, but my hair would be put in a pony tail and not washed. I was told that if I went out with with wet hair I would literally catch my death.

A steamy bathroom is very soothing for a sick child. Just let hot water run with the door closed while the child sits in the bathroom. They don't have to be taking a bath or anything, it's the steam that you are after because it helps ease congestion.

Vaporu or Vick's Vaporub was always a staple in my mother's medicine cabinet. You rub a little on your sick child's chest or if they can't stand that, you can rub some on the soles of their feet and then put socks over it. It helps them breathe.

Crushed fresh garlic has immune boosting properties so it makes sense to give it to your kids when they are sick. I wll say that it's not easy to get them to eat it. I have been known to bribe with chocolate afterward.

To this day, I swear by honey, hot water and lemon whenever I'm sick. The honey really helps sooth a sore throat. One important thing to keep in mind is that many pediatricians suggest NOT giving a baby honey during the first year because it could have spores of bacteria in it that are not harmful to adults or bigger kids, but dangerous for babies. So wait until after your baby's first birthday to use honey, just to be safe.

There is a reason why across many cultures, chicken soup is considered a necessity when you have a cold. It works. Science hasn't fully figured out why yet, but trust your abuela and have some sopa!

We call it te de manzanilla, but whatever you call it chamomile tea is standard for kids and adults with colds and flus. It is warm and soothing, it has a mild sweet taste that even kids like, it keeps you hydrated and it has compounds that are believed to help fight infections.

Lemons and limes have been used for medicinal purposes since before our abuelas' abuelas were born. The juice of just one lemon has 80 percent of the vitamin C that you need for the day and vitamin C boosts your immune system, which in turn helps your immune system fight whatever ails you. I recommend putting lemon in just about EVERYTHING when your kids are sick. Put it in their chicken soup, in their tea, mix it with honey and have them swallow it.