Steam up their lungs

If your child has a cough, especially the kind known as croupy cough, which sounds like hacking or barking, run a hot, steamy shower and bring her into the bathroom; it will help open up her airways. Aim for 15-minute sessions, four times a day, says Dr. Cardiello. The humidity relieves the upper-airway swelling that can cause the croupy cough.