In the introduction of the The Fly in the Ointment, by Joe Schwarcz, Essay

In the introduction of the The Fly in the Ointment, by Joe Schwarcz, the author notes that real-world chemistry engages the n - Essay Example legion(predicate) cough out medicines use similar ingredients, so analyzing a single brand is sufficient to make assumptions about most of the medicines on the market. One such clay sculpture medication is Triaminic Childrens tatty and Cough. This medication contains 5 mg of dextromethorphan HCL as a cough suppressant, in addition to other active ingredients to act in fate with the pain and congestion symptoms of a cold (Triaminic-Novartis, 2011). It is reasonably effective at stopping a cough quickly, and so parents whitethorn use it for their younger sister while ignorant of, or deliberately ignoring, the recommendations that it not be used in infantren under the age of four (National Center for Biotechnology Information, 2000). What many parents may not realize when choosing to administer these medications to their pre-schooler is the mechanism of action of the dextromethorphan in Triaminic Cold and Cough. Dextromethorphan reduces coughing by actually decreasing electrical activity in the brain, specifically in the parts of the brain responsible for the cough reflex (National Center for Biotechnology Information, 2000). This reflex is situated in the brain stem, a very staple fibre portion of the brain involved in nearly all life-sustaining bodily functions (Shannon et al., 2004). This flirt withs that in addition to suppressing the cough, the medication can also grow disorientation and drowsiness even for those for whom dextromethorphan is FDA approved, and brain toll and death in young children (National Center for Biotechnology Information, 2000). In addition to the possible detrimental effect of dextromethorphan, its effectiveness is actually also in question. Some studies have shown that giving a tablespoon of unprocessed honey to children above age two with age eighteen is more effective at stopping a nighttime cough than medications containing dextromethorphan. The parents of the children in one such study reported that not only did honey produce a similar level of cough suppression as the medication, children had a better sleep quality after discourse with honey and in fact a better sleep quality with no treatment at all. Some side effects of the dextromethorphan, such as restlessness and anxiety, interfered more with a childs ability to fall asleep than did the comfort level of the child during an untreated cough (Paul et al., 2007). If all childrens products containing dextromethorphan, such as Triaminics Cold and Cough, were removed from the market, there would be a definite lack of available over-the-counter treatment for childrens coughs (Maisch, 2007). However, given that there is an available alternate treatment, honey, and the risks of brain damage and even death, parents should be aware that simply because a product such as Cold and Cough is available on the market does not mean they should give it to their children. Even older children can be at risk for serious side effects, and parents should be very careful about making such they provide such medications in the correct dosage for their childs age and weight. There are situations where a cough is severe enough in a school-age child to warrant use of Triaminics Cold and Cough, but in no case should a parent provide a pre-schooler with that or any other cough suppressant medication containing dextromethorphan (National Center for Biotechnology Information, 2000). Any cough that is that serious requires the care of a