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Acute cough remedies for children: so many options, not enough evidence

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Abstract

Acute cough is a common complaint in children and adolescents, with cough remedies commonly self-prescribed by parents/caregivers to manage typically self-limiting illnesses. Drugs that affect mucociliary factors or target the cough reflex have equivocal evidence of efficacy, while non-drug natural compounds such as honey have moderate quality evidence for efficacy and tolerability. Nevertheless, cough remedies continue to be used despite limited data in the paediatric population; further clinical trials are required for the various options currently available. Acute cough management should also include standardized treatment algorithms and increased parent/caregiver education.

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    Connie Kang

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  1. Connie Kang
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Correspondence to Connie Kang.

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The preparation of this review was not supported by any external funding.

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C. Kang is a salaried employee of Adis International Ltd/Springer Nature and declares no relevant conflicts of interest. All authors contributed to the review and are responsible for the article content.

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Kang, C. Acute cough remedies for children: so many options, not enough evidence. Drugs Ther Perspect 37, 358–362 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40267-021-00848-9

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