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Home Remedy for Chest Congestion in Infants

You can usually manage chest congestion in infants with simple home remedies. Over-the-counter congestion remedies for children under age 6 have been withdrawn in light of recent FDA warnings regarding their potential for harm.

  1. Humidity

    • To relieve chest congestion, you must thin the mucous causing the congestion so that it can be expelled. When the child breathes in humid air, the mucous will become thinner. You may make the air more humid by (1) using a humidifier, which produces a cool mist (2) using a vaporizer, which heats water to produce a warm mist, or (3) taking the infant into the bathroom, closing the door and running the bath or shower to create steam. If you take the infant into the bathroom, do not allow the infant to become overheated or chilled. Staying in a steamy bathroom for about 15 minutes will usually be long enough. Never expose an infant to direct steam, which can cause burns. To prevent mold, clean the humidifier or vaporizer every day using a bleach or vinegar solution, or according to the manufacturer's cleaning instructions. To help minimize bacterial growth, add a pinch of salt to the water in a humidifier or vaporizer.

    Removing Mucous

    • Once the mucous has begun to thin, the infant will usually begin to cough it up on his own. If you notice mucous in the nose, use a bulb syringe to remove it. Never use a bulb syringe to blow air into an infant's nose. Clean the syringe after every use. Congested babies often have trouble eating; try using the bulb syringe before feedings to help with this. You may also wish to use saline to help thin nasal secretions; nasal secretions often drip into the chest, causing or exacerbating chest congestion. There are a number of products designed specifically for use with young infants.

    Elevating the Head

    • Allowing your infant to rest and sleep with its head elevated will help the baby breathe more easily. Do not use pillows with infants.

    Medical Care

    • There are times when chest congestion can be a symptom of a serious illness. Contact your health care provider immediately if your infant is also running a fever, coughing up bloody or colored mucous, is lethargic or irritable, shows signs of an ear infection, is struggling to breathe, wheezes, has a cough or congestion that persists for more than a few days, or you believe your infant's condition is severe.

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