The worse symptoms are seen in children under 3 years of age. The simplest way to provide this is to have your child breathe through a warm, wet washcloth placed loosely over his nose and mouth. In the meantime, have a hot shower running with the bathroom door closed. Once the room is all fogged up, take him in there for at least 10 minutes. Try to help your child not be afraid by cuddling or reading a story.
Most children settle down with the above treatments and then sleep peacefully through the night.
Humidifier Dry air usually makes coughs worse. Keep your child's bedroom humidified. Use a cool mist humidifier if you have one. Run it 24 hours a day. Otherwise, hang wet sheets or towels in your child's room.