Should you give your children cold medicine? Why doctors are saying no

Do you know someone who is sick? Maybe you are sick yourself. When cold and flu season is here it seems like everyone is sick. It is a rippling effect that goes from person to person. And in the process of everyone getting sick, the sales of cold medicine rise substantially. But is this really the right thing to do when you get sick? Should you go to the local market and get the best over the counter drug to treat your symptoms? Maybe. But what about when it comes to your child?

The American Academy of Pediatrics claims that giving children cold medicine is not the right thing to do. A claim that definitely makes you wonder, do they just want our patient fees so that they can prescribe us a prescription? Or, are they genuinely concerned about our children. When you read why Doctors are saying no to cough medicine for kids it makes sense. Apparently, they contain dextromethorpan and diphenhyddramine, as well as antihistamine, suppressants and decongestants. Several studies indicate these are ineffective on children and can cause serious side effects. Instead, parents should avoid all medications and make sure their child drinks lots of fluids. Other alternatives are vaporizers and salt water nose drops. Most importantly, try to prevent the illness by getting them vaccinated.

Allergies or something more – how to tell

Do you get annoyed when people sneeze and cough a lot? It really can be annoying. And, more than that, when others sneeze and cough they pass along their germs. The worst is when they say to you that they just have allergies and they do nothing about it. So their sneezing persists for 2 months at your expense. Sometimes you wonder if they really have allergies or if they just have not treated that cold that everyone else went to the doctor for a month ago.

Allergies, like a cold are something that you should see the doctor for. However they differ from a cold. Here are some basic facts that will help you to better understand if you or someone you know is suffering from allergies.

• The symptoms occur at the same time every year or last throughout the year.
• The symptoms last as long as you are exposed to a particular substance.
• Your respiratory illness lasts longer than one or two weeks

It is extremely important that you treat your allergies if you do have them. They will not go away left untreated. Consult with a doctor regarding your symptoms and he or she will help you best determine whether you are suffering from a cold or allergies.

Cold and flu season is near. What are some ways to prepare yourself and to strengthen your immune system?

I always seem to be the one to get sick every winter. I was curious as to what are some various things you can do for yourself in order to prepare for the upcoming cold and flu season. Also, what foods or vitamins are key to strengthening your immune system?

What if you took a Flu Shot when you had a Cold and a Sinus Infection and were going to start anti-biotics?

I had a cold for 10 days, as of yesterday. I was out of town and went to see an internist that a friend recommended. Doc thought that I may also have a sinus infection. He prescribed anti-biotics and gave me a flu shot at the same time. I told him that I'd heard that you can't do that, get a flu shot while sick. He said it was not really true, and that I may feel more sick for a couple of days, but both the anti-biotics for my infection and the flu shot for future flu prevention would be effective, nonetheless. Can anyone, with knowledge to that, confirm or deny?

What is the difference between a flu and the swine flu?

The symptoms are basically the same, right? How can someone tell if they have the swine flu rather than just a normal flu?

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