PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Ran D. Goldman TI - Codeine for acute cough in children DP - 2010 Dec 01 TA - Canadian Family Physician PG - 1293--1294 VI - 56 IP - 12 4099 - http://www.cfp.ca/content/56/12/1293.short 4100 - http://www.cfp.ca/content/56/12/1293.full SO - Can Fam Physician2010 Dec 01; 56 AB - QUESTION Owing to Health Canada’s recent recommendations to avoid the use of over-the-counter cough and cold medications in preschool children, I was looking at other antitussive medications for acute cough. Codeine was recommended in the past for this indication. What is the evidence for its use and how effective and safe is it? ANSWER Cough is one of the most common symptoms in children, and the opioid codeine has known antitussive qualities mediated by a central nervous system pathway. However, current evidence finds codeine to be no more effective than placebo for acute cough in children. Its safety profile and recent advances in understanding codeine’s variable effectiveness prohibit recommending codeine for cough in children.