My 18 month old has a wet cough, what should I do?

Question

Hello, I have read that cough syrups are not recommended before the age of 6. Some pharmacists here sometimes recommend Prospan Helixia, which describes itself as a cough syrup. What is the difference? It is written on the product that it is recommended from one year old, is it safe to give Prospan Helixia to an 18 months old child? My child has no known allergies, 11.5kg, all fat for 12 hours, congested nose, runny eyes.

Naji-tom Samaha · Accepted Answer

Thank you for your question! This syrup is not contraindicated for children under 6 years old. You can give it to them, but you should not expect it to be very effective. Coughs are most often caused by secretions from the sinuses that run down the back of the throat. For this purpose, the best treatment is nasal hygiene with saline solution such as Hydrasense or Sinus Rinse, which can be done as often as necessary during the day and at least 30 minutes before bedtime, followed by suctioning with a baby fly. This will likely get to the root of the problem I would also encourage you to give her as much to drink as possible. I hope I've been helpful, and I'm available if you have any other questions! Sincerely, Tom Samaha, Pharmacist