When should I use a cool-mist humidifier versus a warm-mist humidifier for a child with a cold?

Answer From Julie Baughn, M.D.

For safety, always use cool-mist humidifiers for children. Hot water or steam from a warm-mist humidifier or steam vaporizer can burn a child if he or she gets too close. Hot water might also cause burns in the event of a spill.

Humidifiers add moisture to the air. Cool-mist humidifiers may help ease coughing and congestion due to a cold. But more research is needed. Some research has found that heated humidifiers don't help cold symptoms.

Warm-mist and cool-mist humidifiers are equally effective in humidifying the air. By the time the water vapor reaches your child's lower airways, it's the same temperature regardless of whether it started out warm or cool.

If you use a humidifier, be sure to keep it clean to prevent mineral buildup and the growth of bacteria and molds. Humidifiers that hold standing water, particularly cool-mist humidifiers, can disperse these materials into the air. Warm-mist humidifiers generally disperse less, if any, of these materials into the air.

Emptying the tank and drying all surfaces of the humidifier daily is one way to safely keep it clean. Also, consider refilling the tank with bottled water labeled "distilled" or "purified," which has a lower mineral content than most tap water.

With

Julie Baughn, M.D.

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May 11, 2023 See more Expert Answers

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  3. Cold and flu viruses: How long can they live outside the body?
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  6. Common cold
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  8. Cough
  9. Vitamin C and mood
  10. Exercise and illness
  11. Fatigue
  12. Hand-washing tips
  13. Headache
  14. Honey: An effective cough remedy?
  15. Humidifiers
  16. Nasal Cleaning
  17. Nasal congestion
  18. Neti pot: Can it clear my nose?
  19. Plugged ears: What is the remedy?
  20. Runny nose
  21. Symptom Checker
  22. Vicks VapoRub: An effective nasal decongestant?
  23. Watery eyes
  24. When to Take Your Child to the E.D.
  25. Do zinc supplements shorten colds?