Doctors’ best cold-weather cures

Between chilly weather and shorter days, little ones often feel less than their best this time of year. Here, doctors share how they chase their own kids’ seasonal woes away

FOR WINTER BLUES A little bit of sunshine

“My now-grown girls were definitely negatively impacted by the shorter and darker days of winter,” recalls motherof-three Gail Saltz, M.D., an associate professor of psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City. Her simple no-cost remedy? Time outside. “When the kids grew glum, I’d bundle them up and get them outside for at least 30 minutes when it was still daylight.” Once outdoors, they simply walked. Why it helps: The combination of natural light and moving triggers the release of serotonin and endorphins—two hormones known to lift mood and improve focus. “If they had studying to do, we’d walk while I quizzed them,” she says. “The girls knew it worked too,” says Dr. Saltz. “They’d often ask to ‘study while we walked’ before I even offered.”

FOR A CHAPPED NOSE Petroleum jelly

“Last winter, my son wound up with an incessant runny nose that left the delicate skin on and around his nostrils chapped,” says dermatologist Sonia Batra, M.D., a mother of two in Los Angeles. Since she knew that irritated, chapped skin can create openings for infection-causing bacteria, Dr. Batra had her son wash the area with a gentle cleanser before applying petroleum jelly. “I’d smear a small dab on and around his nostrils three times a day,” she says. Petroleum jelly creates a protective barrier so skin can retain moisture. “He felt instant relief!” she says. “And in a few days, the irritation completely subsided.”

FOR CONGESTION A simple massage

“When an upper respiratory infection starts, I have my kids sit in the bathroom while I turn on a hot shower for five minutes,” says father-of-two Naresh Rao, D.O., a primary care physician and sports medicine specialist in New York City. “The steam opens the nasal passages, allowing them to drain.” Next, Dr. Rao uses his thumbs to massage their faces with a light stroking motion for five minutes. His easy technique: “Start between the eyebrows, then move toward the temples.” Finish by gliding your thumbs from the bridge of the nose down to the cheeks. “This stimulates the sinuses to clear congestion,” explains Dr. Rao. “Besides making the kids feel better fast, it’s great bonding time.”