Children's Medicine Recall

You may have heard the talk for several weeks now; today it is official. Many top pharmaceutical companies have issued a Children's Medicine Recall. Though the companies are participating in the Children's Medicine Recall voluntarily, parents across the nation are alarmed, especially as we are now entering cold and flu season. Johnson and Johnson, Novartis, and the company Wyeth have all participated in the Children's Medicine Recall, and have begun to have their cough and cold medicines pulled from shelves across the nation.

The crux of the concern is that dosing instructions for infants and children under two are not clear and therefore the risk of child overdose is great. Here is a list of the cough, cold, and decongestant products that have been included in the Children's Cold Medicine Recall.

· Dimetapp® Decongestant Plus Cough Infant Drops

· Dimetapp® Decongestant Infant Drops

· Little Colds® Decongestant Plus Cough

· Little Colds® Multi-Symptom Cold Formula

· PEDIACARE® Infant Drops Decongestant (containing pseudoephedrine)

· PEDIACARE® Infant Drops Decongestant & Cough (containing pseudoephedrine)

· PEDIACARE® Infant Dropper Decongestant (containing phenylephrine)

· PEDIACARE® Infant Dropper Long-Acting Cough

· PEDIACARE® Infant Dropper Decongestant & Cough (containing phenylephrine)

· Robitussin® Infant Cough DM Drops

· Triaminic® Infant & Toddler Thin Strips® Decongestant

· Triaminic® Infant & Toddler Thin Strips® Decongestant Plus Cough

· TYLENOL® Concentrated Infants' Drops Plus Cold

· TYLENOL® Concentrated Infants' Drops Plus Cold & Cough

You may be surprised to notice that two Tylenol products are involved in the recall, as well as other name brand products, but personally, I have used Tylenol for the past twenty years with my children. My oldest is 22, and my youngest is soon to be two years old. When I had my first daughter, I was told to give her Tylenol after her first immunizations. However, I did notice that my doctor for my youngest son was adamant that I not give him Tylenol (two years ago), and I was curious back then what had changed.

The subject of child overdose on children's cold medicines has been portrayed in movies. It was depicted in the movie, Freedomland, starring Julianne Moore and Samuel Jackson, and the plot wasn't very far from reality. I think many parents unwittingly are overdosing their children, and it is about time that the FDA stepped in and stopped this.

If you study Alternative medicine or remedies, you'll also see that there are many other theories regarding the best way to treat children's symptoms when they are sick. One of the most important things to realize is that no medicine actually "cures" flues or colds. All they do is address the symptoms. If your child has a cold, be sure to give them plenty of fluids and rest and try to keep them as comfortable as possible. Instead of reaching for cough syrup, you can try running the shower and letting the bathroom fill up with steam. Take your child in the room, and let him or her breathe in the moist air. This is much more effective than using a humidifier and will help loosen any congestion. If your baby has a runny nose, use the bulb syringes to carefully suction out mucous and help him or her breath easily. Nurse and give plenty of liquids frequently and if you ever have any questions or concerns, call your health care provider immediately.

Related Links:

Over the Counter Safety Website: http://www.otcsafety.org/

Image of products being voluntarily recalled

United States Food and Drug Administration Hand Out: Kids aren't just Small Adults