Children's Cough Decongestive & Fever Reducer

Treating a child with multiple cold and flu symptoms is tricky. Over-the-counter medications will claim that one cures coughs, the other clears congestion and a third reduces fevers. Some medications will claim to have properties of all three. There are some very important factors to keep in mind when you're treating your ailing child. The first is to be sure you're not over-dosing them on pain medication like acetaminophen. Many cough and cold medications will have this ingredient. If you do not read the packaging, you could unintentionally be giving your child dangerous amounts of pain relievers.

Fever

• Unless a fever is very high, by itself a temperature is not a danger to a child. If your child has a fever, but is behaving normally---playing and eating, for instance---experts recommend doing nothing. Only treat a fever to make the child feel better. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends giving acetaminophen (sold as Tylenol) or ibuprofen (sold as Motrin or Aleve) to a child older than six months. But they advise not taking advice from the instructions on the box. Always consult your pediatrician before giving pain medication to your child. Because children grow so quickly and her weight changes so often, dosing requirements could be different one month to the next. Recently, the FDA has determined that the number-one cause of liver failure in the United States is from acetaminophen over-use. This finding has health agencies reviewing procedure and dose recommendations for treating pain and fever for all ages.

Cough Relief

• The government estimates that about 7,000 children are sent to the emergency room each year for taking too much cough and cold medication or taking the drug unsupervised. Now the Food and Drug Administration is advising parents that cough medication is not safe for any child under the age of two. A cough is only indicative of an irritant in the throat and chest. Unless a child is coughing up phlegm, has asthma or is not able to sleep, there is no reason to be concerned. Before heading to the pharmacy, try a home remedy like half a teaspoon of honey for kids aged two to five. Children aged six to 11 can take one teaspoon and those 12 and older can have two. A study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine showed that children given honey to treat a cough reported greater improvement than children given dextromethorphan, a cough suppressant, medication or no treatment at all.

Chest Congestion Relief

• The first step in relieving congestion is using a cool-mist humidifier or vaporizer. The moist air may help clear congestion and reduce coughing. To free congestion in a child's chest, try laying her face down across your knees. Gently, but firmly, pat the child's back. Her coughing will indicate that the phlegm is loosening in the chest. You can also sit the child on your lap, leaning her slightly forward. Again, tap your hand gently against her back to help loosen the congestion.