Probably one of the most common questions I get asked at work is: “Please give me something to make the baby stop coughing.”  As well as: “But the cough is so strong! You don’t understand!”  Trust me I’ve heard it all and understand the frustrations of the common cold.

Finally the FDA and the news media have come on board with pediatricians and recalled cough and cold medicines for children.  The reason is simple; over-the-counter cough and cold medications do not work in children under the age of 6 years.

The Truth about Cold and Cough Medicines

Cold and cough medications have never been studied in children and have never been proven efficacious.  More importantly, they may in fact be dangerous.  But I know that Savvy Aunties like you need more information – especially when you see your little niece or nephew suffering. My word alone may not be good enough. So let’s start from the source: the child’s cough.  What is a cough?  A cough is a reflex from some irritation (be it chemical, mechanical or inflammatory) to some part of the lungs.  It serves to clear the airway or to protect against noxious irritants in the air.  In some situations, it clears thick secretions that may be in the lungs.  This is the exact reason why we do not want to suppress this helpful function.

Many common upper airway infections are self limiting and will be gone with time.  If the cough is persistent it may be a sign that a more serious infection is present, or that the child has allergies or asthma, or perhaps they are being exposed to some sort of irritant (e.g. tobacco); or has a foreign body in the lungs (peanut, popcorn kernel, toy etc) and needs additional medical attention.

Cough Suppressants Can Do More Harm Than Good

If I have yet to convince you why these medications are not beneficial, let me explain what a cough suppressant is.  Most over-the-counter cough suppressants are a mixture of dextromethorphan or codeine with antihistamines, decongestants, expectorants, and/or antipyretics (I know lots of medical jumble here, sorry).  Some nonprescription preparations substitute diphenhydramine or eucalyptus oil in place of codeine or dextromethorphan.  The components of these given to children have been associated with irritability, restlessness, lethargy, hallucination, hypertension, dystonic reactions, respiratory compromise, shallow breathing, vomiting, itching, and even death.

But don’t fret. There are some supportive measures you can take for your niece or nephew suffering from the common cold.
 
For a stuffy nose, saline nose drops work best.  These are non-medicated (essentially salt water) nose drops, recommended to use as often as every two hours as needed for congestion.  For younger infants, less than 6 months, and some children less than a year, you can relieve the congestion with a bulb suction.  Keep in mind to avoid using the bulb suction too often, I recommend no more than 4 or 5 times in a 24 hour period as frequent suctioning can lead to irritation of the nasal passage. 

If you use a humidifier, a cool-mist humidifier is best but this needs to be cleaned daily.  If it is not cleaned frequently mold and dust accumulates in the humidifier and is sent through the air.  You may create your own humidified air by steaming the bathroom with a hot shower and sitting in the steam of the bathroom (not in the hot shower) to allow the nasal congestion to break. 

If the baby has a fever, acetaminophen or ibuprofen, based on the child’s weight, works to relieve symptoms.  Ask a pediatrician for the proper dosage. 

Hydration is very important!

Children don’t necessarily want to eat or will eat less when they are sick but encourage liquids frequently and often.  This is very important to avoid dehydration and to keep them on the road towards recovery!

So as Savvy Aunties we know what to do when our loved ones get sick, and what not to do – but ideally let’s learn how to prevent them from getting sick in the first place; because in pediatrics prevention is the most important part.  Always, always wash your hands.  Like I’ve said before, kids learn from example so if you teach proper hand washing they will learn from you (or always carry some anti-bacterial gel with you for those emergency situations when soap and water are not available).  Avoid sharing utensils, cups, water bottles etc.  And most importantly don’t smoke and if you do; don’t do it around those little ones we love so much.

Thanks for listening, and keep your questions coming! I'll look for them in the comments section below.