COUGH SUPPRESSANT & EXPECTORANT &

Childhood Illnesses

"COUGH SUPPRESSANT & EXPECTORANT"

Recommended Brands:

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Robitussin DM (6 months and up)
Robitussin DM Infant Drops (6 months to 6 years)
Vick�s Pediatric Formula 44E (6 months and up)

Ingredients:

Dextromethorphan
Guaifenesin

When to use:

Frequent cough, no runny nose or nasal congestion.

I use this type of combination for dry coughs especially at night if the cough prevents my child from going to sleep or staying asleep. The combination of DM and the expectorant will usually help your child get some much-needed rest for a few hours. Daytime coughs usually don�t bother a child and I only use a cough medication during the day if the cough is interfering with baby�s eating, napping and playing. If your child�s cough sounds very moist like he�s coughing on secretions and there is a lot of mucous in the nose, then I will use a "multi-symptom" combination of decongestant, antihistamine and cough suppressant.

Description:

This medication is a cough suppressant and expectorant combination. The Dextromethorphan (DM for short) is the cough suppressant part of this medication. It acts by blocking the cough reflex center in the brain. It will offer temporary relief (a few hours) to that nagging cough caused by a "tickle" in the throat. The Guaifenesin is the expectorant; it will help thin out the mucous in the sinuses and throat. There is a common misconception that this combination is not a good idea, i.e. with the cough suppressed, the thinned mucous will just run down into the lungs and cause pneumonia. What really happens is that the thinned mucous is more easily cleared out of the sinuses and airways by the microscopic hairs (called cilia) that line the passages. Of course, "hosing the nose" with saline spray and "steaming" the sinuses are also effective at keeping mucous thin (see natural cold treatments).

Safety:

It is safe to use in children six months and older for upper respiratory illness (such as colds and sinus infections). If your child has a lower respiratory tract illness (like pneumonia, bronchiolitis or asthma) you should ask your physician before using cold or cough remedies. Side effects of nausea, dizziness, and drowsiness infrequently occur with DM-containing cough syrups. The expectorant portion usually does not cause side effects.

Dosage:

For Robitussin-DM syrup:

Each 5 ml (1 tsp) contains:

Dextromethorphan 10mg
Guaifenesin 100mg

<6 months (<14lbs) Not recommended

6-11 months (14-17lbs) 1.25 ml (� tsp) every 6-8 hours

12-23 months (18-23lbs) 2.5 ml (� tsp) every 6-8 hours

2-6 years (24-47lbs) 2.5 ml (� tsp) every 4 hours

6-12 years (48-95lbs) 5ml (1 tsp) every 4 hours

>12 years (>95lbs) 10ml (2 tsp) every 4 hours

Dosage:

For Robitussin-DM Infant Drops:

Use supplied calibrated oral syringe.

Each 2.5 ml (� tsp) contains:

Dextromethorphan 5 mg
Guaifenesin 100 mg

Dosage:

For Vick�s Pediatric Formula 44E:

Each 15 ml (3 teaspoons) contains:

Dextromethorphan 10mg
Guaifenesin 100mg

<6 months (<14lbs) Not recommended

6-11 months (17-21lbs) 5 ml (1 tsp) every 6 hours

12-23 months (22-27lbs) 6.25 ml (1� tsp) every 6 hours

2-5 years (28-47lbs) 7.5 ml (1� tsp) every 6 hours

6-11 years (48-95lbs) 15ml (3 tsp) every 6 hours

>11 years (>95lbs) 30ml (2 Tblsp) every 4 hours

AskDrSears.com is intended to help parents become better informed consumers of health care. The information presented in this site gives general advice on parenting and health care. Always consult your doctor for your individual needs.