When Should I Choose a Decongestant an Expectorant or a Suppressant?
When Should I Choose a Decongestant, an Expectorant, or a Suppressant?
Decongestants and expectorants work in different ways, and both remedies can lead your child to better health when used in the right way.
Stuffy nasal passages shrink when decongestants are used. This helps relieve pain. These forms of medication are available as nasal sprays or drops or as oral treatments. Nasal drops or sprays should be discontinued after being used for two or three days straight.
On the other hand, expectorants help to thin mucus, making it easier to cough up. For an expectorant to work properly, your child needs to drink plenty of water.
Cough suppressants don’t do much in the way of removing mucus. That’s why it is often not to suppress a cough, even the cough is keeping a child awake at night.
Don’t give any cold medication to anyone under 4 without speaking to your child’s doctor.
Finding the Right Dose
Over-the-counter treatments can be a great remedy for the common cold, but exercise caution when using them. Administer OTC medication only according to the directions. Make sure you base the dosage on your child’s weight and age. And don’t forget to read the “Warnings” sections for potential side effects and drug interactions.
Also be mindful of these common abbreviations often found on labels:
- Tbsp (tablespoon) and Tsp (teaspoon),
- oz. (ounces),
- ml. (milliliter), and
- mg. (milligram).
Those are all very different measurements.
Also, use the measuring device that is packaged with the medication for most accurate dosing.
