Best Drinks for Cough in Kids

Partly: For a child with cough who can swallow safely, usual breast milk or formula for infants, small amounts of water from 6 months, and honey in water only from age 1 year can moisten the throat; honey may also soothe cough.

Which drinks are best for cough in kids?

Plain water is a good first choice for most children old enough to drink it. Breast milk or formula remains the main drink for infants, while children age 1 year and older can also have honey in water. The broader guide to the best drinks for cough covers options beyond children.

Evidence for a particular drink is limited. A 2020 review of cough associated with upper respiratory infections identified honey as a potential cough reliever, but it did not establish that honey water is the best drink or specify a proven honey-water amount. The evidence concerns honey as an ingredient, not necessarily honey mixed into water.

Plain water

For children old enough to drink water, offer it cool or comfortably warm, according to their preference. Small, frequent sips can keep a dry throat moist and help a child get fluids when they do not feel like drinking much.

Water supports hydration; it does not eliminate an infection or guarantee that a cough will stop. A child who cannot drink comfortably needs medical advice rather than repeated attempts to make them drink.

Breast milk or infant formula

For an infant, continue usual breast milk or formula feeds. These provide both fluid and nutrition, which matter when an infant is unwell. If coughing interrupts a feed, pause and let the infant settle before trying again.

Prepare formula according to the package instructions. Do not dilute it to provide extra water. If an infant is taking much less than usual or coughs repeatedly during feeds, contact their clinician.

Honey in water

For a child age 1 year or older, a small amount of honey stirred into comfortably warm water is an option. Honey may soothe a cough, although the evidence does not establish an ideal amount to add to a drink. If you are unsure how much to offer, ask the child's clinician.

Never give honey to a child younger than 12 months, including honey mixed into water or another drink. Honey can contain spores that cause infant botulism. Avoid honey in a child with a known honey allergy as well.

Plain milk

For children age 1 year and older who normally drink milk, pasteurized plain milk can be offered if they want it. It provides fluid and may be easier to accept than water when a child has little appetite.

Milk is not a cough treatment, and there is no need to make a child drink it. Follow the child's clinician's advice if they have a milk allergy or a condition that affects their diet.

Lukewarm broth

A child who eats a varied diet may find a small cup of lukewarm broth comforting. Let it cool before serving, and choose a broth the child can swallow safely. If a clinician has advised limiting sodium, check with them about suitable choices.

Broth is optional, not a replacement for an infant's breast milk or formula. It has not been established as better than water for relieving a child's cough.

Why are some drinks safer than others for a child with cough?

Age, swallowing ability, allergies and drink temperature matter more than finding a special ingredient. Hot drinks can cause burns, so serve warm drinks only after they have cooled to a comfortable temperature. An adult should check the temperature before offering one to a young child.

Do not offer a drink while a child is struggling to breathe, choking or too drowsy to swallow safely. If coughing starts suddenly during eating or drinking and you suspect choking, seek emergency help; do not try to wash the object down with a drink.

Skip caffeinated drinks and be cautious with herbal teas, concentrated extracts and supplements. Natural products are not automatically safe for children, and the review of honey does not establish the safety or effectiveness of herbal cough drinks. Avoid giving a child a product marketed as a cough remedy without checking its age instructions and asking a clinician when unsure.

A familiar drink is often easier to offer than a mixture with several new ingredients. Check labels for ingredients that the child must avoid, and do not add honey to an infant's drink even if another child in the family can have it.

A cough can have several causes, and drinks cannot distinguish a minor illness from one that needs treatment. Fluids support hydration, but they do not replace medical care for breathing problems, dehydration or a worsening illness. Do not stop prescribed medicines because a drink seems to help.

How much should a child drink when they have a cough?

There is no single extra amount of fluid that treats cough in every child. Needs depend on age, usual intake, illness and any medical conditions. Offer their usual age-appropriate drinks and let them take small amounts frequently rather than forcing a large drink at once.

A child may drink less at one sitting when their throat is irritated or they feel unwell. Offer another opportunity later and pay attention to their overall drinking and urine output. The goal is to maintain hydration, not to make the child reach an arbitrary extra fluid target.

Infants younger than 6 months

Continue breast milk or properly prepared formula as the main drink. Do not give plain water unless the infant's clinician advises it. Contact the clinician if the infant is feeding noticeably less than usual, has fewer wet diapers or seems unusually sleepy.

Do not replace a missed milk feed with water or broth. If coughing repeatedly prevents an infant from feeding, contact a clinician for advice rather than trying different drinks.

Infants from 6 to 12 months

Breast milk or formula remains the main drink. Small amounts of plain water may be offered with meals if the infant has started solids, but water should not replace feeds. Do not add honey to water or any other food or drink before the child's first birthday.

Children age 1 year and older

Offer water regularly while the child is awake, along with their usual age-appropriate milk if they drink it. If swallowing is comfortable, try a few sips at a time and offer more later. Honey water is optional; ask the child's clinician about an appropriate amount if you are unsure.

Watch whether the child is drinking and urinating reasonably close to their usual pattern. A very dry mouth, markedly less urine, few tears when crying or increasing tiredness can be signs of dehydration. Do not wait for a particular fluid total if the child looks unwell or cannot drink.

If a child also has vomiting or diarrhea, ask their clinician whether an oral rehydration solution is appropriate and follow the product or clinician's directions. Children with kidney disease, heart disease or a prescribed fluid restriction need individualized advice rather than encouragement to drink extra.

When should you talk to a doctor about a child's cough?

Get emergency help now if a child is struggling to breathe, has pauses in breathing, has blue or gray lips, cannot be awakened normally, or may be choking. Do not give food or drink to a child who cannot swallow safely.

Seek urgent medical assessment if a baby younger than 3 months has a temperature of 38°C (100.4°F) or higher. Contact a clinician promptly about a cough in a baby younger than 3 months even without a fever, particularly if feeding or breathing has changed.

Contact a clinician promptly if a child is breathing faster or harder than usual, cannot keep fluids down, is urinating much less, has a very dry mouth, or is unusually sleepy. Also seek advice if coughing repeatedly interferes with feeding, causes vomiting, or is getting worse rather than improving.

Arrange a medical review if cough lasts more than 4 weeks, keeps returning, regularly disrupts sleep, or occurs in a child with asthma, another chronic condition or a weakened immune system. Contact the clinician sooner whenever you are concerned; a drink that briefly soothes the throat should not delay an assessment.