Cough suppressants are medicines that prevent or stop coughing. They act on the center in the brain that controls the cough reflex, and are meant to be used only to relieve dry, hacking coughs associated with colds and flu. They should not be used to...

Expectorants are drugs that loosen and clear mucus and phlegm from the respiratory tract. The expectorant described here, guaifenesin, is a common ingredient in cough medicines. Some cough medicines contain other ingredients that may cancel out...

A cough medicine is a medicinal drug used to treat coughing and related conditions. Dry coughs are treated with cough suppressants (antitussives) that suppress the body's urge to cough, while productive coughs (coughs that produce phlegm) are treated...

A study published in the January issue of Archives of Otolaryngology, found that a salt water nasal wash solution made from processed seawater appears to improve nasal symptoms and may help prevent the recurrence of respiratory infections when used by children with the common cold....

Very young children simply should not take some commonly used cold and cough medicines, federal health officials say in recommending that the "consult your physician" advice to parents on the labels be dropped.The preliminary recommendation, from Food and Drug Administration safety officials, would apply to...

Common children's cold and cough medicines are coming under scrutiny from federal drug regulators, who say the remedies and their recommended doses have not been studied enough in children, a newspaper reported.Dr. Charles J. Ganley, a top Food and Drug Administration official, said the agency...

A teaspoon of honey before bed seems to calm children's coughs and help them sleep better, according to a new study that relied on parents' reports of their children's symptoms.The folk remedy did better than cough medicine or no treatment in a three-way comparison. Honey...