Dead Sea Herbs

Research has shown that OTC cough and cold medicines have led to poisoning or death in kids under age 2.  As a result, the FDA said in 2008 that OTC cough and cold products should not be given to children in this age group.

Matthew Davis, MD, associate professor in the Child Health Evaluation and Research Unit at the University of Michigan Medical School, and colleagues wanted to see how well parents and doctors were heeding recommendations to avoid the use of OTC cough/cold medicines in children under age 2. In January 2011, they polled randomly selected parents in the U.S. with children 6 months to 2 years old.

“Unfortunately, this latest poll indicates that the FDA warnings have gone unheeded by the majority of parents, and surprisingly, many physicians.

“Physicians are a valuable source of information for parents about this issue, but it appears that physicians are not heeding FDA warnings about OTC cough and cold medicines either. Kids will be safer when parents and doctors are all on the same page in limiting these medicines to older children.”

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On January 12, 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) and the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) released a report of a study where they investigated infant deaths due to cough and cold medicines. In 2004-2005, more than 1,500 children under age two were treated in U.S. emergency rooms for problems caused by cough and cold medications, and in 2005 three infants ages one month, three months and six months died as a result of being given too much cough and cold medicine.

In all three cases, the infants had abnormally high levels of pseudoephedrine, a nasal decongestant, in their blood samples. The pseudoephedrine concentrations of the three infants who died ranged from 4,743 ng/mL-7,100 ng/mL, more than ten times the recommended amount for children ages 2-12 (180 ng/mL-500 ng/mL). The six-month-old infant had been given prescription and over-the-counter cough/cold medications, both of which contained pseudoephedrine. And, two of the infants also had detectable levels of dextromethorphan, a cough suppressant, and acetaminophen in their blood samples. None of the children had a heart condition that might have attributed to their premature deaths, though two of the children were found to have had respiratory infection.

The bad news for parents: No home remedies or cold medicines will make a cold go away faster; they usually run their course in seven to 10 days. At best, some medicines will relieve symptoms. But even that is in question, says Sheela R. Geraghty, MD, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Ohio. She recommends fluids, reducing fever to make a child comfortable, and keeping noses suctioned so babies can eat comfortably.

“To be honest with you, that’s about it,” Geraghty says. “Time is what helps with colds.”

Prevention: breast feed as long as possible.