Your privacy is a PRIMARY consideration of AskDrSears.com. Your
e-mail address is used ONLY by AskDrSears.com for the purpose of
announcing news, events and special offers available only
AskDrSears.com registered users.
Baby Sling Closeout Special! Extended through May until sold out!
Buy a baby sling for a friend and get one free for yourself or get just one at 50% off.
Buy one get one free Discount code: freesling
Or 50% off your babysling Discount code: halfoff expires: 05/30/08
*Not valid in conjuction with any other offers.
Your privacy is a PRIMARY consideration of AskDrSears.com. Your
e-mail address is used ONLY by AskDrSears.com for the purpose of
announcing news, events and special offers available only
AskDrSears.com registered users.
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.
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.