Cough It Up
Cough syrup may actually do more harm than good, especially for kids.
New medical guidelines warn against giving children under age 14 over-the-counter cough medicine for coughs due to colds. For such coughs, keep your child's airways moist with a humidifier, give plenty of liquids and encourage your child to cough up and blow out that nasty mucus.
As hard as it may be to listen to your child suffer with a persistent cough, experts assert that getting rid of all that gooey mucus is actually a good thing. New guidelines from the American College of Chest Physicians point out that common cough expectorants and suppressants don't actually treat the cause of the cough, and they promote the risk of over-sedation, which can be especially dangerous for children. Try acetaminophen or ibuprofen (but never aspirin) to ease discomfort, and create a relaxing atmosphere by cuddling and pampering your ailing child.
Coughing is one of the most common reasons children visit their doctor. But most coughs are actually a healthy reflex to clear the passageways to the lungs. If your child has a bothersome cough, keep the home environment moist by using a cool-mist humidifier or vaporizer. To soothe tender throats, keep the liquids coming, and for older children try a cough drop or a piece of hard candy. If your child has trouble breathing, runs a high fever, makes a whooping or wheezing sound, or is coughing up blood, call your pediatrician.
