three day Consult your doctor before using a narcotic cough suppressant. Expectorants contain ingredients (such as glyceryl guaiacolate. guaifenesin, ammonium chloride, and antimony potassium tartrate) that may make it easier to cough mucus out of the lungs. Antihistamines are used if an allergy is causing the cough. They reduce or counteract allergic reactions. Some cough medicines contain a combination of ingredients and are intended to serve more than one purpose. Many different combinations of drugs are on the market in liquid form or as tablets or capsules. Before purchasing a cough medicine for home use, consult your doctor about the type of cough medicine (if any) that should be used. Remember also that sometimes it is better not to try to suppress the cough. In some illnesses (especially asthma and pneumonia), coughing helps the child get rid of excess mucus in the lungs or air passages. PRECAUTIONS • Do not give cough medicine to a child with croup. • Do not give cough medicine to a child with any breathing difficulty unless it has been approved by your physician. • Do not give cough medicine to a child who may have inhaled a foreign body. MEDICAL TREATMENT Your doctor will concentrate on treating the condition causing the cough, not the cough itself. Narcotic cough medicines and some cough medicines that contain antihistamines must be prescribed by a physician. RELATED TOPICS: Asthma: Bronchiolitis: Bronchitis: Common cold; Croup; Pneumonia; Sinusitis: Viral infections: Whooping cough guick Reference Cradle cap SYMPTOMS • Yellow, scaly, or crusty patches on the scalp • Loss of hair in patches HOME CARE • Mild cases can usually be cleared up by daily, vigorous shampooing. Use soap on a wet, rough facecloth wrapped around your hand. • If regular shampooing doesn't work, try special shampoos that contain coal tar or salicylic acid. • If necessary, apply ointments that contain sulfur, salicylic acid, or coal tar to the scalp daily. PRECAUTIONS • Keep medicated shampoos and ointments out of the child's eyes. • Stop using medicated shampoos or ointments if the scalp or skin becomes irritated or red. a rm'MaSeS °Scradle caP can be cleared, up by daily shampooing. Lather ove b°a? °П aJacecloth and• supporting the baby's head and back r a basin, rub the scalp vigorously. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry. Cradle cap (seborrheic dermatitis) is a skin condition in which yellowish, scaly, or crusty patches appear on the scalp. The crusty patches are made up largely of oil and dead skin cells. Cradle cap is most common in infants, but it is seen in children through age five. Temporary loss of hair is common. SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS The key sign of cradle cap is the yellowish, scaly, crusty appearance of the patches. A greasy scalp film can be scraped off. The patches most often appear on the scalp, but may extend onto the forehead. Patches may also appear in the skin fold behind the ears, on the ears, and in the diaper area. three day