Cough medicine and children
Dr. P's Pediatric Journal Club
The study
The parents of 100 children with common colds were asked to rate the frequency, severity, and 'bothersome nature' of their child's nighttime cough for two nights.
On night #1:
--> no cough medicine was given.
On night #2 :
-->1/3 were given dextromethorphan ("DM"),
-->1/3 were given diphenhydramine ("Benadryl"),
--> 1/3 were given sugar water.
(Parents were not aware of which they gave.)
What the study found
- Most kids' coughs improved on day #2.
- There was no difference in the frequency, severity, or discomfort of the cough, whether or not the child had received either cough medicine or sugar water.
- Kids who took DM tended to sleep worse; those who took diphenhydramine tended to be drowsier.
What the study suggests
Two popular over-the-counter cough medicines were no more effective than sugar water in reducing the nighttime cough of children with a common cold.
In response to the scientific evidence of this and other studies, the American College of Chest physicians issued guidelines for treating coughs this week which also spoke to the general uselessness of OTC cough syrups (in part, they believe, because they are given in too small doses to be of benefit).
Dr. P comments
Considering the unbelievable amount of money spent on cough syrups, you'd think they actually would work. This study, as well as others, just confirms what I have seen for a long time: they rarely (if ever) do. Perhaps their only benefit is the (false) sense of security parents feel that at least they are at least doing something for their miserable child!
In a way, it's not all bad that OTC cough syrups are ineffective. When the back of the throat and lungs are full of mucus, coughing is nature's way of bringing it up and out of the irritated areas. Imagine what would happen if your child were not to cough at all: all that gunk would pool in the back of the throat, making breathing even more difficult.
The sad truth is that giving your little one cough medicine will probably be an exercise in futility, not to mention a waste of money. Remember, in this study, most kids' coughs got better on their own. Sure, go ahead and try cough medicine if you must, but 1) don't get your hopes up and 2) don't continue giving it if it clearly is of no benefit.
A vaporizer or humidifier may help to keep the mucus moist and thin, and therefore easier to cough up. Elevating the head of the bed helps a bit. Occasionally a decongestant affords some relief.
Your TLC is always the best medicine for soothing your miserable child and, alas, tincture of time is the only sure cure for the cough of a common cold!
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Article cited:
"Effects of dextromethorphan, diphenhydramine, and placebo on nocturnal cough and sleep quality for coughing children and their parents."
Paul M, et al. Pediatrics. July, 2004.
7 Comments:
Dr. Parker
I have a 2 month old grandson who has a very bad case of colic. My daughter and I are exhausted; can you help us with anything which might cure this? I ordered Colic Calm, but now I'm afraid to use it because it contains Charcoal. Is this safe for infants? Can you please help?
Thank You,
Neysa
Hi neysa--
I'd try posting this question on Dr. Parker's message board. There are lots of parents there who might help you and Dr. P does try to answer as many questions as he possibly can.
Disolveable Zantac and switching to Soy Milk gave relief to our infant. However, our child was diagnosed with GERG and this treatment may not be appropriate for all children. Best of luck to you...and hang in there.
Neysa.....
My son had a very bad case of colic as well... I tried everything, from soy milk to melting a peppermint into a bottle of water. Finally when he was 3 months old I took him to the chiropractor for an adjustment. And I know alot of people feel they are "quacks" but thats not the case. The media hyped that up a few years ago but anyway, after I took him, he was by far the happiest baby ever!! So think about it. I am sure this will help you.
I have a 13 Month old baby with a really bad Mucus cough. I took her to the emergency room, but no help. Her cough gets so bad that she almost chokes, and she starts crying at th efrustration of not knowing what to do. I did try Robitussin and that is not helping. Is there anything I can do, or do I have to let the cough play out it's course and go away on it's own?
im not sure if it is safe for infants maybe you should contact a hospital and ask. the least they can say is no. besides you dont want to give him something that could be bad.
When i get a really bad cough at night, and can't sleep , Dextromethorphan is the only thing that works .It is the only cough suppressant that i have found .All the other OTC stuff is either an expectorant(worthless) or an antihistamine(only good at night). I think they should have studied severe coughs .
I have helped many family members with this ingredient . They have all thanked me so much .
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