At this time of year, kids start getting colds and coughs.  Parents don’t like it!

For decades, cough and cold medications were sold freely, over the counter.  Drug stores and pharmaceutical companies sold brands like Dimetapp, Pediacare, Delsym, Robitussin, and many others; there was a huge market for these medications, and companies competed fiercely.  They contained antihistamines, decongestants, and sometimes acetaminophen or other fever reducers.

Parents relied on these medications to suppress the cough and congestion from colds and viruses.   However, it’s been hard to prove that they actually work.  And there were so many kinds, and so many dosing regimens, that occasionally parents would be confused into administering an incorrect dose; on occasion, a child would suffer.

A few years ago, the FDA took these medications off the market for kids under 4 years old, citing the health risks and lack of proof of efficacy.  The FDA also discourages using the prescription version of these medications, although some are still available.

But if your child is suffering from cold and cough symptoms, some simple remedies can still help.

Run a vaporiser in the child’s room at night. (In winter, a steam vaporiser will make the room less clammy than a cold-water humidifier.)

Hot tea, especially with honey (buckwheat if you can find it), is helpful for cough.

And lots of fluids will help suppress a cough, and make a sick child feel better.

You can find more suggestions in this handout; click here to read more.

 

–  Dr. Epstein