Cough Medicines

School has been in session for a few weeks, and cough and cold viruses have begun to circulate again now that kids are back in close quarters.  When a child comes in with symptoms of cough, congestion and runny nose for a few days, and his physical exam is normal, I reassure the parent that the child is most likely suffering from a virus.  That means no antibiotics, just fluids and rest.  Time, I say, the child just needs some time to recover from the virus.  If the child is under 4, I also stress that no cough and cold meds are approved by the FDA for this age group.  And for the older kids, the plethora of cold and congestion meds that are sold as over-the-counter preparations may make a parent feel better that she's tried something, but the cough syrup probably isn't going to make the child feel any better.  I understand how a parent needs to feel she's doing something for her child by offering some sort of medicine, but as a pediatrician, I emphasize that clinical research points to little utility for cough and cold preparations.  Thankfully, most parents can appreciate that a child shouldn't be needlessly medicated.  Sometimes the best medicine for a cold really is chicken soup.