Kid’s Cough and Cold Drugs: Just Say No

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Christopher Gavigan

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Back in October of 2007, an FDA panel concluded that over the counter cough and cold medication didn’t help children under 6 and could actually pose a health risk - an assessment that the American Academy of Pediatrics had already been promoting.

According to the original MSNBC coverage of the issue, “Some of the drugs — which include Wyeth’s Dimetapp and Robitussin, Johnson & Johnson’s Pediacare and Novartis AG’s Triaminic products — have never been tested in children, something flagged as long ago as 1972 by a previous FDA panel.”

It turns out manufacturers assumed that if a higher dose was effective in adults, then a lower dose would be effective in children. But children are not simply little adults. They have delicate and vulnerable developing systems that may respond very differently to medications and other environmental exposures.

By January of 2008, the FDA issued a nationwide Public Health Advisory recommending that “these products not be used in children under the age of two because of the risk of serious and potentially life-threatening side effects.”

And by October 2008, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), an association that represents most of the makers of nonprescription cough and cold medicines in children, announced that its members were voluntarily modifying the product labels to state "do not use" in children under 4 years of age. But, they’re still available and there’s still a good chance parents will continue dosing their children with medications they have been falsely led to believe may help.

A full list of the medications of concern is available at OTCsafety.org, but recent news emphasizes the need to add one more common household cold remedy: Vicks VapoRub, which a new study shows may cause airway inflammation that can restrict breathing in infants and toddlers.

Instead, reach for natural remedies like dark chocolate and Sleepy Time Tea - recommended by our friend and advisor, Dr. Alan Greene.

Posted by HotMama on 10/19/2011 at 06:05 PM

I have had a feeling about not putting Vicks on my kids’ chest for awhile now. (My oldest is 8 and my youngest is 2.) However, I still put it on the soles of their feet when they have really bad coughs and it ABSOLUTELY works to help them get relief from it. I am wondering now, if I shouldn’t do that or is the warning meant more for their chests?

Posted by Graco baby strollers on 07/06/2009 at 10:30 PM

The Consumer Health Care Products Association, a trade group representing over-the-counter drug makers, calls the drugs safe and effective when used as directed….

Posted by Angela Fargo on 04/22/2009 at 01:19 PM

It’s very scary to think of all the different products that aren’t regulated. I recently had a little baby boy and as a new parent I want to protect him from anything that is harmful. In the past couple of years I have gotten rid of all my toxic cleaning products and have an excellent air & water purifier however when my little one gets sick what can I trust that will be safe? Antibiotics are a no go, over the counter is a bit scary as well….There’s always the natural way…thanks for the article!!!

Posted by Mike Ireland on 01/26/2009 at 07:44 AM

This is quite scary! I have to say that I have not heard of this to date - in Europe there has been no highly publicized announcement that I am aware of .

Posted by Chicago shoe girl on 01/21/2009 at 11:42 AM

I had heard about this over the last year or so, but ‘Vicks’?? I grew up with my parents covering me in it when I had a cough. I have recently used it on my own daughter. It seems everything is bad for us now-a-days. Anyhow, thanks for the article.
Janice

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