When my kids get a cold, they each seem to have their own signature opening act.
My daughter always—and I mean always—starts with a runny nose. She sneezes, and that thick yellow stuff comes shooting out of both nostrils.
Then we know: she’s got it.
My son, on the other hand, always starts with a cough.
Cough, cough, cough.
Then we know: he’s got it.
When He Started Coughing Without a Cold
Recently, however, we noticed that my son was coughing quite a bit even when he didn’t seem to have a cold.
We wondered whether it could be an allergy or something else. He would cough intensely here and there, then it would disappear for a day or two.
Then it would come back.
Cough, cough, cough.
I used to give him children’s cough syrup, but I don’t automatically reach for it anymore—especially when I don’t even know what is causing the cough.
(The Canadian Paediatric Society says that cough and cold medicines should not be given to children under six unless advised by a health-care provider. These medicines have not been proven to work well for young children and can cause side effects.)
Now, when his cough starts, I usually make what our family calls “Mommy’s cough tea.”
The Five Ingredients
I use five main ingredients:
- One round Asian pear
- A handful of dried sweet dates
- One small piece of ginger
- The juice of one lemon
- Honey
I wash and cut the pear into pieces, then place it in a pot with the dates and a small piece of ginger.
I add enough water to cover everything, squeeze in the lemon juice and let it simmer until the dates become very soft and mushy.
When it is ready, I pour about one-third to one-half of a cup and let it cool until it is comfortably warm. Then I mix in a little honey.
I usually offer it to my son two or three times throughout the day.
It tastes naturally sweet, so he actually enjoys drinking it. Quite often, his coughing has settled significantly by the following day.
I can say that this warm drink seems to soothe him and has become our go-to comfort drink whenever his throat is irritated.
Why Might These Ingredients Feel Soothing?
Honey
Honey is the ingredient with the clearest evidence behind it.
SickKids’ AboutKidsHealth says children over 12 months old may take one to two teaspoons of pasteurized honey as needed to ease a cough.
Honey should never be given to a baby under 12 months because of the risk of infant botulism.
Warm Fluids
The drink itself also helps him stay hydrated. Fluids may help thin mucus and soothe an irritated throat, according to HealthLink BC.
Sometimes it may be the warmth and hydration—not one magical ingredient—that make a child feel better.
Ginger
Ginger has been used in traditional home remedies for a very long time. I only use a small piece. Too much ginger makes the tea spicy, and then my son will not drink it—which defeats the entire purpose.
Asian Pear and Dates
Asian pear has long been used in Korea in traditional drinks such as baesuk to soothe coughs and irritated throats.
In our tea, the pear also adds fluid and natural sweetness, making it easier for my son to drink.
It Still Works Without Every Ingredient
Sometimes I make this tea without one or two of the ingredients because, realistically, who always has everything at home?
It still make good tea, and taste good as long as you put honey in. 🤣
But I feel like it works best when I put all five ingredients together. Maybe it is the combination—or maybe it just makes me feel like I have created a proper magical potion. 😁
Either way, it seems to soothe my son’s cough, and that is enough for me.
