Natural Remedies for Croup
Our staff herbalist received a question from a mom of a child diagnosed with croup. She asked for natural remedies for croup to try before going the antibiotics and steroids route. Here’s what our herbalist, Susie Lyons, recommended.
For anyone who hasn’t had a diagnosis, make sure your child actually has croup. Croup is a strong cough that sounds more like a bark than a cough, and it usually follows a cold.
If your child has that cough and their breathing is noisy and wheezing, you are probably dealing with croup. Natural remedies for croup and allopathic medicine can work very well together if used properly.
Now, here is a protocol for dealing with croup naturally.
Keep Your Child Hydrated
Make sure your child drinks plenty of water. Clear fluids will help thin mucous and make it easier to expel it. Bone broth is an excellent choice because it helps boost the immune system as well. Bone broth has many benefits for the entire family, but is especially helpful to have on hand when someone gets sick.
A good probiotic drink is a good idea as well. Avoid dairy if your child has any sensitivities to it. Milk tends to make more mucous in the body.
Use a Humidifier
If you don’t already have a diffuser or a humidifier, get one. Moist air will make it much easier for your child to breathe, especially when he’s sleeping. You can also take your child in the bathroom, close the door, and turn on the shower as hot as it will go and let him breathe the moist air. Do NOT put him in the hot shower.
Set up a diffuser in your child’s room and in other rooms of the house where he stays during the day and diffuse essential oils to help him breathe. Good essential oils for children with croup are frankincense, lavender, tea tree, rosemary, lemon, and thyme. One drop each in the diffuser with distilled water is a good mix.
This recipe for homemade vapor rub is a soothing remedy that can help ease congestion.
Try a Detox Bath
When you need natural remedies for croup or any childhood illness, a detox bath is ideal. It not only helps to remove the toxins from their system but it will also relax chest muscles and ease the cough.
Add a tablespoon of baking soda to a very warm bath. Let it sit for a few minutes to neutralize the chlorine in the water. Next, add:
- ¾ cup of Epsom salt
- 2 Tablespoons of bentonite clay
- 1 Tablespoon of coconut oil
- 2 drops of orange essential oil
Let your child sit in the tub for about 20 minutes and the mix will draw the toxins out of the body.
Get Plenty of Rest
One of the best things in the world for croup or any other illness is rest. Create a quiet, restful environment in your home day and night while your child is sick.
Keep blinds or curtains closed a few times a day to encourage sleep. Turn off screens so your child doesn’t feel overstimulated. Read a guided meditation script (this one focuses on supporting the immune system).
Try Elderberry Syrup
Keep elderberry syrup on hand, especially during cold and flu season. You can use it about 3 times a week to help boost the immune system regularly. You can use it every day if you’re sick.
You can buy pre-made organic elderberry syrup or kid-friendly gummies. They’re effective and available in many health stores and online. The main drawback to pre-made syrup and gummies is cost. They’re quite a bit more expensive compared to making your own.
We have an elderberry syrup recipe, or you can try this one courtesy of Rosemary Gladstar
Elderberry Syrup Recipe
- 1 quart of dried elderberries
- 2 quarts of filtered water
- ¼ ounce of freshly grated ginger root
- ½ teaspoon of ground cloves
- Raw local honey
Combine the dried berries and filtered water in a stainless steel pan and cook over low heat with the lid slightly loose until the water is reduced by half.
Strain, add the ginger and clove, and simmer, uncovered until the liquid reduces to about half its original volume.
Pour the juice into a measuring cup and note the volume. Return it to the pot and add an equal amount of raw local honey and stir until completely combined.
Let cool then pour into a clean bottle with a tight cap. Store in the refrigerator and it will keep for 12 weeks. Take 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time.
As always, make sure you know exactly what you’re dealing with before you treat with conventional medicine or natural remedies for croup.
This article was originally published in 2016 and updated in 2024.
