DIY Cold Care Tea for Kids

 

Cold are no fun, especially for kids!

​
Whenever my kids complain of a sore throat or stuffy nose, I don’t reach for over-the-counter medications. I reach for herbs. I know that herbs do more than just mask symptoms. They help get to the root of the symptom so the body can heal itself. 

By using the appropriate herbs for each situation instead of OTC meds, I know there will be no side effects or any chance of liver or kidney toxicity. Instead of bypassing the autonomic nervous system to force a change, herbs nourish so the body can change itself the way that it was created to do. 

Making your own loose tea blends is very economical. You can make a 4 oz bag of loose tea for about the same price as a box of bagged tea from the store. There’s barely an ounce in those boxes and you definitely don’t get the freshness and quality of loose tea. 

I love cold care tea. I use it along with elderberry syrup and herbal cough syrup as needed for illness. It’s always good to have a few simple-to-make, commonly used remedies available, along with essential oils (I get mine here) to cover your natural medicine cabinet basics. 

There are many herbs that are gentle enough to use on even small children. This specific blend is based on the Traditional Medicinals Cold Care for Kids Blend. It’s great for use during colds, flu, and even allergies. *Note that if you have a ragweed allergy, you may react to the chamomile in this blend.

Organic Linden Flower & Leaf – A wonderful aromatic herbs used to prevent coughs and colds, and helps clear nasal passages. It is also a calming herb to help promote a restful sleep.  It’s also very effective in killing pathogens and there have been some studies done on elder flower and MRSA.

Organic Chamomile – A favorite of Peter Rabbit’s Mother to give before bedtime! It is another calming herb that also helps with inflammation.

Organic Elder Flower – Helps to boost respiratory health and contains anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties. Wonderful for fevers, colds, influenza, and sinusitis. Wonderful for hay fever as well. 

Organic Peppermint Leaf – Not only does this herb add delicious flavor to the tea, it also helps relieve pain. It also enhances the properties of the herbs it is paired with. It’s very anti-microbial and anti-fungal. It is also calming to the stomach while providing vitamin A and C, iron, potassium, and fiber.

​The measurements for this tea are in parts. A “part” can be anything from a teaspoon to a cup, or whatever you prefer. This blend is recommended for children 6 months of age and older. Breastfeeding mothers can drink larger amounts of the tea so that it will pass through the breastmilk for their babies. There is no need to sweeten this blend but raw honey can be added for children over age one if preferred.
​

DIY Cold Care Tea for Kids

Ingredients:
​

• 1 part chamomile flowers (buy here or see below)
• 1 part peppermint leaf (buy here or see below)
• 1/2 part organic linden leaf & flowers (buy here or see below)
• 1/2 part elderflowers (buy here or see below)

Method:
​

• Blend herbs together in a bowl.
• Store dried herbs in a jar with a lid.
• To brew: place 1-2 tsp of dried herbs per cup of boiling water.
• Allow to steep for 20 minutes then strain.
• Give warm as needed to children during a cold. 

Be nourished. Be Happy. Enjoy!

---

 
​References: Hearst, Caroline, et. al. Antibacterial activity of elder (Sambucus nigra L.) flower or berry against hospital pathogens. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research 2010; 4(17): 1805–1809.