Placebo treatment may quiet kids' cough

Giving young children a natural sweetener or a placebo treatment of flavoured, coloured water or drink with no medicine value both appear to help reduce cough symptoms at night more than not giving any treatment, according to a new study published in the journal JAMA Paediatrics.
Researchers said that giving a sweet liquid placebo is preferred for families and children than doing nothing or, even worse, taking an unnecessary antibiotic.