Another home remedy for cold, which we had forgotten from adu's time is 'Jaiphal'. I am not sure what it is called in english (if anyone knows please let me know).
There are two methods of using jaiphal. The first for infants (we remember giving to to adu when he was almost a month old) is to rub it on a stone (sterilized of course)and get the 'lep' or paste. Mix it with a little expressed mothers milk and give it to the infant around one teaspoon at a time, once a day.
NOTE: WE DONT KNOW WHY BUT WE WERE TOLD THAT APPARENTLY THIS IS NOT GIVEN TO BABY GIRLS.
The second option for those who dont want to try giving it orally is to rub it on the stone and get the paste and put it on the infants chest and sole of the feet. This option we have not tried personally but is said to be effective.
A similar option was given to us by Swathi who said that vicks vaporub can also be applied to the sole of the feet (taking into consideration that the skin on the chest and face will be sensitive and one would not like to apply the vicks there) and putting on socks. Once again this has not been tried by us.