Pediatricians say cough syrup won't help kids, parents

Generations of parents have relied on cough medicines to help their children and themselves sleep through the night, but a new study suggests cough syrup may be no better than a dummy syrup.

Researchers in the U.S. studied 100 children with upper respiratory infections who were randomly given two over-the-counter cough medicines or a placebo made from sugar water.

Neither the physician nor parent knew who was taking what.

Two active ingredients in most cough medicines are dextromethorphan to clear phlegm, and diphenhydramine, an antihistamine to reduce swelling in the respiratory tract. Neither drug made much difference.

All of the children recorded some improvement in scores for symptoms like cough frequency.

In a unique aspect of the study, researchers also looked at how well the parents slept, but the medicine didn't help them, either.

Cough symptoms went away within a few days, regardless of whether the child was taking medicine or a placebo, said Dr. Ian Paul, a professor of pediatrics at Penn State Children's Hospital and the study's lead author.

Paul said doctors should consider the findings, as well as potential side-effects and costs of the drugs before recommending cough syrups.

The study appears in the July issue of the journal Pediatrics.

• FROM FEB. 7, 2002: No evidence cough medicine works: study

• FROM FEB. 19, 2002: Better to choose single-symptom cold medication

Previous studies also concluded cold and cough medications have little effect, said Dr. Gerry Predy, a public health officer in Edmonton.

Cough medicines also have the potential to do more harm than good, according to Dr. Erik Swartz, a pediatrician in Edmonton.

"Some children can be allergic to it and have severe life-threatening allergic reactions," said Swartz. "That's rare, of course. It can cause drowsiness in children. Some people report hyperactivity, nausea, vomiting."

Doctors say for upper respiratory tract viral infections like the common cold, only one treatment is sure to be effective: time.

To help ease congestion, Swartz recommends putting a humidifier into a child's room, saying it will do more than a spoonful of medicine.