My 3 yr. old son is suffering from chest congestion, he is not able to blow his phlegm out through his nose or cough out, he suffers from sleeplessness as his nose is blocked, and also he bites his teeth while asleep?

If your son has chest congestion, it explains the sleeplessness. When the congestion is severe, the phlegm tends to harden inside the chest and you cannot easily cough it out or simply blow it out. It requires remedies that can melt the phlegm so that the sluggish liquid can be eliminated from the body system.

Honey, which has many bactericidal properties, can be effectively used to cure a chest congestion. Honey contains hydrogen peroxide which kills off the bacteria and decongests the chest to aid normal breathing. It also decreases the irritation of the throat and helps in reducing cough.

When you have chest congestion, it is generally advised that you drink a lot of fluids. Water is useful in flushing out toxins from the body and therefore water should be used so that harmful bacteria are flushed out from the system. When your body is hydrated properly, the mucous in the chest gets softened and is easily coughed out.

Yellow colored fruits and vegetables are rich in beta carotene and anti oxidants. Both aid in the correct functioning of the lungs. Spinach, papaya, berries are good sources of beta carotene and anti oxidants and therefore should be included in good quantities in all your meals.

Hot foods also kill bacteria. Eating spicy foods like peppers, jalapeno and chilies can actually help get rid of the unwanted bacteria. The heat also helps the congested mucus to become thin.

Enzyme rich food can break down your phlegm. Therefore enzyme rich foods like kiwi and pineapple should be taken so that the mucous can be broken down and eliminated. Garlic is also good to eat in your son’s condition. Garlic has many properties that help ward off infections.

You can also try using essential oils. Essential oils have relaxing and soothing aromas and can also help in fighting off infection and clearing congestions. Use an oil diffuser to turn the oil into vapors. Inhale these vapors to clear the nasal pathways. Once your nasal pathways are clear, you will at least be able to breathe properly.

If you cannot get your hands on essential oils, you can simply use eucalyptus oil which is commonly available at drug stores. The eucalyptus oil helps in clearing out the congestion and removing the phlegm from the body. Most likely, the oil will make you sweat and cause a runny nose. The runny nose will help eliminate the clogged phlegm, thus clearing the airways and freeing your lungs of any congestion. It also helps open up the sinus cavities, thus helping in breathing better.

answered by G M

In order to take care of congestion in the chest, there are a number of things you can do for your child. The very first one would be to change his sleeping posture. Use high pillows and make him sleep in a slightly upright position. This will be of maximum help in dealing with congestion. Sitting up always helps to settle the mucus down and clear the airways enough so that the child can sleep peacefully and comfortably. Once the child is sleeping better, you will find that his body is also going to start responding better to any other treatment you use. The second problem that you need to tackle is that of solid phlegm. In order for the phlegm to start flowing freely and coming out through the nose and mouth, there are several things you can do.

The first one is to give the child hot water as often as you can. If he does not want to drink it, add a pinch of sugar or a teaspoon of honey to it. This will make the taste better for him and will also ensure that he is getting the hot water into his body effectively and well. Hot water is the fastest and best remedy to start melting the phlegm that is trapped inside his lungs and sinuses. If you can, add a pinch of turmeric powder to this as well. This will help to heal the child's body from within. You must also give him hot milk to which you have added turmeric powder just before bedtime. This will allow the turmeric to work all night towards healing the child. If he can take it, give the child a teaspoon of honey to which a half teaspoon of ginger juice has been added. This will be particularly spicy, especially for a child. But you can make sure he simply swallows it at one go. This will really help to cut down on phlegm and will ensure that it starts flowing freely.

Once this happens, make sure you make the child blow his nose and cough out the phlegm. Children have a tendency to simply swallow back whatever they have coughed up. This will merely accumulate it inside further. Spitting it out is what helps. If your son suffers from a cough because of this, keep in mind that it is a healthy way of removing the phlegm from the body. To soothe his cough, you can simply give him more honey.

answered by G R