Cold and Cough Medicine Can Be Dangerous for Young Children

Cough suppressants and cold medicine such as decongestants are not recommended for infants or toddlers. Even medications labeled as safe for children do not have dose amounts for under 2 years of age. Many times parents wrongly assume they can go by weight and half the doses recommended for 24 pound weight for say their 4 month old 12 pound child. Not only is this potentially harmful but it's not likely to do much help anyway. It's always best to get the advice of your pediatrician or health care provider before administering any medication but even with their approval you should be captious and research the risks and potential benefits.

A recent study conducted by the CDC (Center for Disease Control) indicates that cough and cold medicine can be harmful and potentially deadly when given to a young child under the age of two. The most common reason for death was an overdose of common medication used to relieve cold symptoms. Tiny bodies respond differently to drugs and there's a good reason that the bottle says "Not for children under the age of 2" or "Consult a Doctor before giving".

Three infants have died in 2005 as a direct result and it's very likely many more have but the cold medicine was overlooked somehow. Thousands of young children were hospitalized and may very well suffer long term side effects as a result of parents or doctors who thought they were helping relieve their uncomfortable cold symptoms. The infants and toddlers had a high amount of pseudo ephedrine (a common decongestant) in their blood stream, which can cause heart problems and increase blood pressure.

One of the biggest problems is that many cold and cough medications include multiple ingredients making overdose much easier. You may not be aware of exactly what has gone into our child's body, or how they will react as a result.

When using cold or cough medicine for children over age 2 you should still be careful and avoid it unless it's a last resort. Make sure to follow the dosing instructions and consulting your Doctor is still a wise decision before giving any medication. Older children have also overdoses or had adverse reactions including damage to their liver because of the use of drugs intended to provide relief during common colds.

Something else to consider is that cold and cough medication will rarely make any noticeable difference. There have been no studies to prove that cold and cough medication is effective or safe for children to use and yet many times parents reach for it at the first sign of discomfort. If medication is truly needed, Tylenol is often recommended for infants and Motrin can be given for children aged 6 months and up. For stuffy noses saline drops are a safe and often helpful alternative. The best treatment is comfort, plenty of rest and ample amounts of fluids. Staying hydrated and allowing the body to heal on its own is the safest way to combat a cold.