Kalanchoe is a well-known house plant that housewives like for its unpretentiousness and bright flowers. In addition to beauty, it is valued for its medicinal properties, which are used in cosmetology, pharmacology and other industries. How is Kalanchoe used for a cold in a child? The article will discuss the features of the use of the plant, its benefits and contraindications.
What is Kalanchoe
Judging by the name, the plant is a foreign guest. Its name comes from the Chinese language. Under natural conditions, Kalanchoe grows in Asia, Africa and southern America.
In our latitudes, it grows only at home as a houseplant. The benefits of Kalanchoe for coughing, runny nose in babies are quite large.
Two types of plants are the most effective - Cirrus and Degremona. In nature, there are about 200 varieties. If, out of ignorance, parents will use to treat a cold inchild of other types of Kalanchoe, then a positive result may not occur.
Therefore, before using the plant, you need to make sure that it is the right flower. Pinnate has feather-like leaves and is often strewn with buds (small sprouts). Degremona blooms beautifully, so you can recognize it by its bright inflorescences.
Healing properties
The positive effect of Kalanchoe on the body is explained by its especially valuable composition. The juice of the plant contains the following substances:
- flavonoids;
- tannins;
- vitamins C and P;
- micronutrients (iron, manganese, magnesium, silicon);
- polysaccharides;
- enzymes;
- organic acids (oxalic, citric, acetic and malic).
Kalanchoe has immunostimulating, anti-inflammatory, decongestant, bactericidal, hemostatic, wound healing and bacteriostatic properties. When taken internally, choleretic and cleansing.
In addition to these qualities, Kalanchoe shows medicinal properties in the common cold in children. And also the plant is effective in the treatment of sinusitis, tonsillitis and other inflammatory and catarrhal diseases.
How to get plant juice correctly
On the shelves of pharmacies you can see the finished product, which includes Kalanchoe. However, if this plant grows at home, then it is best to use freshly squeezed juice. In addition, pharmacies sell alcohol tinctures based on Kalanchoe, which is not alwayssuitable for kids. Such drugs are allowed to be used to treat children older than a year and only in diluted form and in limited quantities.
How to prepare Kalanchoe juice for a cold in children:
- An already grown plant is suitable for obtaining a remedy. The highest content of nutrients is observed in the lower fleshy leaves. It is they who must be used to obtain juice. Sometimes the stalk of Kalanchoe is used for these purposes. Juice is best harvested between August and October. It is at this time that he has the most effective action.
- The cut leaf of the plant is cleaned of possible contaminants under running water.
- Then, to get more juice, they are kept in a cool and dark place for some time. To do this, the leaves are wrapped in cotton cloth and placed in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.
- After the expiration of this period, the plant is cut into plates and ground to a mushy state. This is best done with a wooden spoon. Then, with the help of gauze, juice is obtained. You can also use a juicer or blender. In this case, the cake is re-passed through processing.
- The resulting juice is insisted in a cool place during the day. After this time, the appearance of sediment can be noticed in the container. After filtering it, the juice can be used for its intended purpose.
- Shelf life - no more than a week. Now the juice can be used for medical purposes.
To enlargethe duration of its storage, the product is mixed with alcohol or vodka, which are preliminarily adjusted to a concentration of 20%. The ratio of juice and alcohol is 20:1. You can store this product in the refrigerator for 12 months.
Preparation of tincture
For the treatment of the common cold of Kalanchoe in children, pre-cut leaves of the plant are kept in the refrigerator.
Tincture Ingredients:
- Kalanchoe leaves;
- 200 ml vodka.
The process of preparing the tincture is as follows:
- Kept in a cool place, the leaves are crushed into small pieces. 2 tbsp. spoons of raw materials are placed in a glass jar with a lid.
- Pour 200-250 ml of vodka. Close the container with a lid to prevent evaporation of alcohol.
- The tincture is placed in a warm place for 10 days.
- After this time, the product is filtered through gauze and stored in the refrigerator.
If it is not possible to prepare a tincture at home, then it can be purchased at a pharmacy.
The product has a decongestant effect and improves blood circulation. The tincture has a bactericidal and bacteriostatic effect, thereby stopping the growth of bacteria.
Rhinitis medicines
The use of Kalanchoe as one of the components of complex therapy in young children is especially popular, because they do not know how to blow their nose properly and it is difficult for them to clear the nose of the secreted mucus.
The plant is annoyingacts on mucous membranes, causing sneezing, thus reducing airway congestion.
How to prepare a remedy with Kalanchoe for a cold for children from a year old? Not all plant-based medicines can be used by babies at this age. This largely depends on the additional components that make up the tool.
To prepare a medicine with onions and Kalanchoe, you only need a few ingredients. This is the juice of the plant and 1 onion.
The cooking method is as follows:
- Onions are washed and peeled. It must be grated or turned into gruel in some other way. Then squeeze the juice with gauze.
- The juice of Kalanchoe and onion is mixed in a ratio of 3:1.
Drip this product in undiluted form is allowed for children over 14 years of age. Until this age, it is used in a steam inhaler. The child can breathe this composition, because onions, due to their properties, serve to fight viruses.
To get the aloe remedy, you need to take the leaves of both plants.
Cooking method:
- Juice from aloe leaves is prepared in the same way as from Kalanchoe.
- The finished components are mixed in a ratio of 1:1.
Aloe has long been known for its healing properties and is less aggressive on the nasal mucosa. Children are allowed to use the pure juice of the plant after 9 years. And until that time, before instillation into the nose of aloe with Kalanchoe from a cold, a child of 2 years old should be diluted with water in the ratio1:3.
A tool is known for the preparation of which only 2 components are used. This is Kalanchoe juice and saline.
The cooking process is as follows:
- Saline solution for the preparation of funds is bought at a pharmacy. After all, such a tool will be in optimal concentration and ideal sterility.
- The components are mixed in a ratio of 1:1.
In addition to hygienic effects, saline relieves swelling and improves nasal breathing. If aloe juice is added to the product, the result is an effective remedy for treating colds in babies.
Required dosage
For the treatment of rhinitis in children, only an aqueous solution or pure Kalanchoe juice is used, but not alcohol. Otherwise, it may damage the baby's mucous membranes.
How to treat a runny nose Kalanchoe in a child? When treating rhinitis in children under one year old, the amount of juice is selected individually. At the same time, it is diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 1.
Correct Juice Dosage
| Age of child | up to 1 year | 1-6 years old | 6-12 years old | over 12 |
| Kalanchoe concentration | 1-2 drops | 2-3 drops | 3 drops | 3-4 drops |
Juice is diluted in a ratio of 1:1, as for children under one year old. With excessive sneezing, the dosage is reduced. You can use cotton swabs, apply the product on them and wipe them in the nose of the baby.
In children over 6 years old, pure Kalanchoe juice is used. When a strongreactions, a little agent is applied to cotton swabs and treated inside each nostril.
Kalanchoe is instilled with a cold in a child 3 times a day, according to the recommended dose. Diluted juice is allowed to be used from birth, in the absence of a negative reaction. However, parents should know that they will not be able to cure a physiological runny nose.
Precautions
In order for Kalanchoe juice to have only a positive effect on the child's body, you must adhere to the following rules:
- Treatment of the common cold should be started no earlier than on the 4th day of illness. This allows the body to fight off the infection on its own.
- It is forbidden to use Kalanchoe at high temperature.
- The plant should not be used to treat non-bacterial colds. With viral, allergic or vasomotor rhinitis, the effectiveness of Kalanchoe is low.
- The juice is best used to treat the last stage of a bacterial infection, a sign of which is the discharge of thick dark yellow or green mucus.
- If an allergy occurs, stop treatment with the remedy.
- Before starting treatment, a test is carried out. A small amount of Kalanchoe is dripped onto the child's elbow and rubbed. If no signs of irritation are found within an hour, then it is allowed to use 1 drop of juice diluted with water for each nasal passage.
More than 5 consecutive daysKalanchoe is not recommended.
Contraindications and side effects
Kalanchoe from the common cold in children, according to parents, is a popular remedy for the treatment of rhinitis, not only because of its effectiveness, but also due to a small number of side effects. These include:
- Violent sneezing. Although this side effect is a way to relieve nasal congestion in babies.
- Allergic reactions in the form of hives, rashes, nausea, and in rare cases, swelling of the larynx.
- If the dosage is exceeded, a mucosal burn may occur.
It is impossible to predict the possible reaction of the baby's body, so it is necessary to conduct a test before starting treatment.
Contraindications include:
- individual intolerance;
- low blood pressure;
- liver disease;
- oncological diseases.
Before starting treatment, it is important to consult a pediatrician.
The opinion of a famous pediatrician
According to Komarovsky, Kalanchoe from a cold in children does not have a vasodilating effect. The tool has a decongestant effect.
With the use of Kalanchoe by parents, the pediatrician constantly encounters, but does not recommend it himself. After all, all reactions of the body are individual. Plant juice works well for some children, but not for others.
In some cases, Komarovsky advises using Kalanchoe on the 4th day of illness to enable the child's body to fight on its own.
Conclusion
Kalanchoe juice is an effective remedy used to treat the common cold. For it to have only a positive effect, it is necessary to make sure that there is no allergy and apply according to age.
