I'm convinced cough medicine for kids doesn't work. Whenever my boys suffer with nagging coughs -- the kind that keeps them up at night because they just can't stop hacking -- and I pump them full of any brand of children's cough syrup, it doesn't make a lick of difference. They still hack.

I don't use cough medicine anymore. But apparently, many parents do.

New reports indicate that 10 percent of U.S. kids are dosed with cough medicine every week. Every week? Yep, that's right. About one is ten kids uses one or more cough medicines during a given week, says research from Boston University. Kids ages two to five use the medications most often. But the rate is also high among those under age two. This is scary stuff, especially in light of evidence that proves cough and cold medication use can lead to serious adverse effects, including death.

As scary as it may be, there is a silver lining: The overall use of such medicines declined from 12.3 percent in 1999-2000 to 8.4 percent in 2005-2006.

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Nasty cough, three days of high temperatures, lethargy, refusing to eat -- I swore that the virus causing my two-year-old to suffer last week was the flu. But I had gotten her a flu shot back in October. What gives?

The CDC recently announced that there's a variation of the flu circulating this season that isn't covered by this year's flu vaccine. When vaccines are created, they include the top three most likely viruses to be spread. This year, a fourth bug is circulating that wasn't included in the vaccine. Is that bug the cause of our current woes? I have no idea, and since she's recovering nicely, whatever it was, I'm just glad that it's on its way out.

Does this mean that you shouldn't get a flu shot? Not at all. In fact, if you haven't gotten yours this year, it's not too late. The vaccine will still fight the three targeted viruses, and may even help you fight off this other virus and lower your risk of complications if you do contract it. Read more about this bug and the 11 states that are especially involved here.

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Have you ever gone to Wal-Mart and tried to get a simple cough or allergy medication that required you to jump through hoops to buy it? That's a way for them to make sure you aren't peddling drugs and turning into narcotics. It would be a shame if something like that happened to simple cold medicine.

The reason I pose that scenario is because there's some news out that reveals a scary statistic. Over 3 million teenagers and young adults have used cough and cold medication to get high. The abuse stems from using DXM, which is a suppressant found in 140+ medications. Needless to say, with numbers like these they obviously didn't need a prescription to get it.

According to the article, side effects of taking too much can include disorientation, blurred vision, slurred speech and vomiting. Who would want to sign up for that treatment? Apparently some of the same 12 to 25 year-olds who use marijuana, since over 80 percent surveyed experimented with that stuff too. It's going to be interesting to see the reaction to this, and if any regulation comes from it.

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Part of the fun of writing for That's Fit is searching out interesting health and wellness information. Unfortunately, a lot of the stuff we find can be a bit depressing -- it seems like almost everything causes cancer but even that doesn't matter because obesity is going to kill everyone first anyway.

So when I come across something a bit fun, it's nice to be able to share it with readers. For those of you who want some good news, take a look at this short piece that shares why kissing and chocolate are good for you! Apparently chemicals like oxytocin are released when you smooch a loved one and cause a subsequent feeling of calm. The article mentions that German scientists believe people who get a kiss before heading off to work make more money, take fewer sick days and live longer. Not bad for a quick peck on your way out the door.

As for chocolate, did you know that the tasty dark variety can help soothe a cough? Scientists in Britain believe that dark chocolate is more effective than a codeine-based suppressant at keeping a nasty cough at bay. I don't know about all of you but I think it's nice to hear some pleasant health news from time to time!

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Cough syrup and suppressant products that contain the unapproved hydrocodone ingredient will soon be targeted by the FDA for removal from shelves, according to the federal agency.

The ingredient is included in more than 200 cough suppressants, and it's not approved for over-the-counter drug products. The FDA appears especially concerned about cough suppressant products marketed to kids which contain this component. Why? Well, hydrocodone is a narcotic, naturally.

Ever hear of kids getting high from cough syrup? That's been a well-known problem for years, but for some reason the inclusion of hydrocodone into many easily-purchasable products has not caught the eye of the FDA until now. It's good to know that the agency is catching up with the times, yes?

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It's that time of year again -- where vibrantly green grass and leaves are replaces with yellow and brown ones, a sign of the impending winter season. And you know what winter means -- the season of colds. Of course, colds can happen year-round but I always find that during the changing of the seasons from summer to fall, I end up with a case of the sniffles. But I'm an allergy sufferer so I often wonder if it's my allergies acting up or if it's actually a cold. Do you have the same problem? If so, check out this handy questionnaire from AOL, which will help you determine what ails you.

Turns out my regular Autumn 'cold' might actually be a case of allergies acting up. What tends to separate cold from allergies is that colds are characterized by a sore throat, a low fever, swollen lymph nodes, yellowish nose discharge and an achy, weak, sick feeling -- if you don't have these symptoms, you might just have allergies. What about you? Cold or allergies?

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This is a Listerine ad from 1932, claiming colds could be prevented by gargling twice a day with their product. Go here for the full text, which includes gems like "Wise eating, moderate exercise, ample rest are half the battle in warding off colds. The other half is the systematic twice-a-day gargle with Listerine, the safe antiseptic."

Hysterical. If only this were true!

[via Boing Boing]

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Coughs happen to everybody, all the time. With colds and viruses being passed around everyday, everywhere we go, how do you know when you might have something serious?

According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, there are several symptoms to watch for regarding a suspicious cough: it has lasted for more than three weeks, it includes green or yellow phlegm (or blood of course), or it comes with a fever or night sweats, wheezing when you breathe, or unexpected weight loss. Seek medical help as soon as possible if you're at all unsure -- most of us can tell if it's just a scratchy throat vs something more serious, but you should never take chances with your health.

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At a visit to your pediatrician for your child's recurring cough, you're prescribed...a steroid? If your child is diagnosed with asthma, that's likely the case. Many parents become confused when their child is given a steroid, picturing body builders and giant athletes. This article does a great job of describing the difference between different types of steroids. Parents -- your asthmatic children will not grow up to be muscle men and women -- at least not because of their asthma medication!

Steroids come in different forms and the kind that are used to treat asthma are called anti-inflammatories. They're inhaled deep into the lungs to soothe irritated tissue that causes the chronic cough and wheezing of the disease. There are risks to taking them, as there are with any medication, but most physicians agree that the benefits of controlled asthma far outweigh the risks of the medicine. (These types of medication differ from fast acting inhalers -- such as albuterol -- which are used during an asthma attack. Inhaled steroids prevent an attack, but won't stop one that is already in progress.)

As the article points out, the best course of action is to educate your child and yourself on the proper dosing and use of the medication so that your child can have well-controlled asthma with the fewest side effects possible. That means more time and freedom for playing and having fun!

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Your weekly poker game may be making you sick, and not just because beer and cigars might be involved. You're not only playing chance with your money, but your health as well. In fact, the odds are that you're actually more likely to leave the card table with a new cold brewing than you are with the winning bet. Obviously, this is due to people coughing or sneezing into their hands and then dealing out cards and passing around chips.

Dr. Will Sawyer, who has dedicated his career to the importance of proper hand washing, says that germs can only float through the air about 3 feet. This means they are most commonly spread through direct contact -- such as touching contaminated playing cards and then touching your eyes or mouth. He also goes so far as to say that if people wash their hands often enough and at the right times they can avoid ever getting a gastrointestinal or respiratory illness again.

I do believe in the power of hand washing, but that's a pretty bold claim!

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How do you cough or sneeze in public? If you're like most Americans, you probably cover your nose and mouth with your hands, thinking you're being polite.

Well that's all wrong, according to the Center for Disease Control. To prevent the spread of our germs to other people, the CDC recommends we start sneezing and coughing into a sleeve or other piece of clothing. There's even a new video explaining the technique that's a little funny, a little bizarre, and says the message about 5 times more then I felt was necessary. But honestly, it just make take that kind of repetition to make sneezing into your sleeve acceptable in our society.

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Even though we can shoot ourselves to the moon, delve into the deepest oceans and climb the highest mountains, there is still no cure for the common cold. Sometimes it feels like one of the most groggy feelings you can get. For kids, it can put them on the back burner while they miss school or other activities.

That's why St. Luke's Children's Hospital offered up these helpful suggestions to make it a little bit easier to tolerate while the cold (or respiratory infection, which is a little more drastic) runs its course. After you take them to the doctor, HealthDay says cough syrup is a good place to start, but warm beverages will also help a lot in easing the congestion.

If a dry cough is involved, try a humidifier. The reason is to get some moisture in the room, because dry air makes a cough worse. Speaking of aggravating a cold, they warn that too much activity can be counterproductive. And of course, the age-old tips of getting rest and consuming fluid go for children too. You can find more information on kids and coughs here and here.

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