Cough Syrups For Children?
When a child has a cough it can be very concerning to a parent. It's difficult to listen to your child cough all day and probably at night, so you want to make it stop. You want your child to be comfortable.
However, the best treatment may be to let the child cough or treat the underlying cause, not the cough itself.
Cough syrups or suppressants are generally ineffective in children. They are not to be given to children younger than 6years and not recommended for those younger than 12years.
Cough suppressants can actually be much more dangerous for young children. If a child's cough is so bad that it affects his or her daily activities and he or she is unable to sleep, then there is something much more than a cold and the underlying cause has to be diagnosed and treated.
Cough medications are also dangerous for children because
they contain narcotics. Hydrocodone, or codeine, is a narcotic which can actually slow down a child’s respiratory rate. Do you know that cough syrup can be a drug of addiction because of some of its constituents?
If too much is given or there are other associated complications, it can depress the respiratory system so much that the child stops breathing. It is definitely a very serious medication and not to be given lightly.
If your child has an occasional cough that is not interfering with their sleep, it is best to just let them cough. The cough is the body’s way of expelling things from the lungs that shouldn’t be there, it manifested because there is a reason and the body has to find a way to take care of it.
Most coughs in children are nothing to be worried about but if it is accompanied by other symptoms, please see a doctor.
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