When your little one is sick with a cold, the only thing you can think of is making her feel better. For most parents, that means a trip to the medicine cabinet. But recent controversy over the safety of over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medicines for young children has left many Dr. Moms wondering what to do about soothing the sniffles.
Acting on recommendations from the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, which represents most manufacturers of OTC cough and cold medicines, agreed to modify medication labels last fall to say “do not use” in children under 4. The FDA’s recommendation was based on the number of OTC medicine overdoses in that young age set seen in U.S. emergency rooms.
“The bottom line is there is very little evidence that OTC cough and cold medicines are effective in kids under 12, and they can cause serious harm in kids if overdosed,” says Dr. Early Denison, pediatrician and vice chair of pediatrics at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas.
Denison also says federal health officials were concerned that parents would use adult medications in smaller doses for children, which could cause serious side effects. The FDA says children over 4 may use appropriate OTC cough and cold medicines, but parents should strictly follow the medicine’s label.
“Dosage information for these cough and cold medicines is based on adult experience. However, children are not little adults, and studies show their bodies handle the medications differently,” he maintains.
