??? Peanut Butter for sore throat

[Guest guest]

I

just saw a 10 yr old male patient who was seen in the ER on Saturday for acute

pharyngitis. Mom was concerned because the child had not ate or drank

much in the preceding 3-4 days. He was diagnosed with viral pharyngitis

and per the discharge instructions from the hospital he was to eat 1 tbsp of

peanut butter ever n2-3 hours to decrease throat irritation. He was also

given an prescription for Ceron DM and when the mother called back later that

evening because the cough was no better the ER nurse told her to give him 2

Benadryl capsules. To help with his sleep and cough. The mom claims

she asked about the cough medicine he was given and was told to give in addition

to the Benadryl. This little guy weighs 68 pounds and the amount of

Benadryl seems excessive for a child of his weight and the additional use of

the DM cough meds seem to me like it would be making the sx worse instead of

better because of the drying effect both medicines have on the mucous

membranes.

The

peanut butter really perplexed me and I could find nothing regarding this

practice for sore throats. I did a search on Medline and came up

empty? Anyone ever hear of telling a mom to give a child a tablespoon of

peanut butter to treat sore throat?

Beth

Sullivan, DO

Ridgeway

Family Practice

Commerce,

GA 30529