(HealthDay News) -- It's perfectly normal for parents to be concerned when a child comes home sneezing and coughing with what appears to be the common cold, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says.
But cough medicine may not be the best remedy, the agency warns.
It says some cough medicines could have life-threatening side effects, such as slowed breathing. This is especially true among babies and young children.
A typical cold will run its course within a week. So the FDA says it may be better to treat symptoms with nothing more than plenty of fluids, especially warm drinks to help soothe a sore throat.
The agency offers these guidelines:
Giving Back: Once a Lung Transplant Recipient, Now a Surgical Nurse
Fall in the Southeast Means Guarding Against Fire Ant Stings
FDA Warns of Defective EpiPen Dangers
Donating Plasma Helps Fight Immune Disorder
Play It Safe With Allergies, Asthma During Pandemic School Year
Telemedicine Is Keeping Kids' Asthma Care on Track: Study
5 Secrets to an Allergy-Free Valentine's Day
As Climate Change Intensifies Storms, Seniors' Health Could Suffer: Study
Study Probes Links in Asthma, Food Sensitivity and Irritable Bowel Syndrome
AHA News: Persistent Asthma Linked to Increased Risk for Heart Rhythm Disorder