When your little one is keeping you awake almost every night, it can be tempting to reach for the cough syrup, or even a sleeping drug, so you can all get some shut-eye. Not a good idea, according to experts, as there are all kinds of risks involved. Take action: Steer well clear of the following: medicines, such as painkillers and some cough syrups, containing codeine - these can be addictive; sleeping pills - these can delay physical and mental development; syrups containing antihistamine - these are used to treat allergies and can make some children drowsy, but it's not a way of getting a child to sleep; medicines containing caffeine or pseudoephedrine - they could keep your child awake; and any medication that's not specifically marked as "paediatric" medicine. If your child isn't sleeping well, there could be a physical cause - seek help from a paediatrician
