Peppermint oil inhalation reduces ARI (Acute Respiratory Infection) symptoms in toddler
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.34310/jbsh.v2.i1.195Keywords:
ARI; peppermint oil; toddler; inhalationAbstract
Background: Acute respiratory infection (ARI) is a common upper respiratory illness among toddlers, typically starting with fever, cough, nasal congestion, and sore throat, and it can progress to bronchitis, sinusitis, laryngitis, or pneumonia when poorly managed. Aim: This study aimed to examine the effect of peppermint oil inhalation on ARI symptoms in toddlers. Methods: This quantitative study used a one-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design without a control group, involving 16 toddlers aged 4 years with non-pneumonia ARI in the working area of Puskesmas Kedungmundu, Semarang. The independent variable was peppermint oil inhalation (3 drops on a dry tissue, twice daily for 5 minutes, over seven consecutive days), while the dependent variable was an ARI symptom score covering four components, cough, nasal congestion, mucus production, and discomfort, rated on a 0-4 scale using an observation sheet. Data were analysed with the Wilcoxon signed-rank test after Shapiro-Wilk testing indicated a non-normal distribution. Results: Symptom scores fell from a pretest median of 2.00 (range 1-4) to a posttest median of 1.00 (range 0-2), a statistically significant reduction (p<0.001); 15 of 16 respondents (93.8%) improved. Conclusion: Peppermint oil inhalation was associated with a reduction in ARI symptoms among 4-year-old toddlers, although the absence of a control group limits causal interpretation and calls for confirmation in more rigorous trial designs.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Mei Lia Nindya Zulis Windyarti, Dyah Ayu Wulandari, Khesva Aheni Kristiani, Siti Nur Umariyah Febriyanti (Author)
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Authors retain copyright in their work. Articles published in the Journal of Biomedical Sciences and Health (JBSH) are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license. This license permits sharing and adaptation, including commercial reuse, provided appropriate credit is given, a link to the license is provided, and any changes are indicated. License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
