Cough/Cold Medicine for Kids under 6 yr

[Nicsmom]

I'm so confused. Is it ok to give my 3 yr old DS cold medicine. I know that kids under 2 should not take the medicine but I know recently the FDA is recommending that kids between 2-6 not use it because it's not effective and may have dangerous side effects. This is my question: Before the FDA made the statement about the 2-6 yr old, I gave my DS the medicines and it did work for him-calmed his cough and helped him sleep. He had no reaction to the medicine. So, should I continue to use the medicine or am an evil mother if I give it to him? Thanks

 

[jeankeri]

From what I read, the study that was done wasn't clear as to the reasons the cold medicines were unsafe. For example, some cases were from bad dosing. I would talk with your pediatrician. Go with their recommendation. Most docs think cough medicines are ineffective. I've given my boys Dimetap allergy to clear up their stuffy noses so there is no post-nasal drip to make them cough. Also- your best friend in the winter is a humidifier. Moisten the air in the rooms of your house (especially the bedroom). Dry nasal passages (from the heat) make everyone more susceptible to colds.

 

[EthansMom]

I think this is largely a personal decision.

Our pediatrician has always recommended giving the kids ONLY the medicines that they need to treat their symptoms... so an expectorant for a cough/chest cold, decongestant for nasal congestion, Tylenol for fever/pain, etc... She never advised giving one of those flu/cold mixes.

So far, most of the articles I've read about the new FDA ruling cite children getting overdoses of medication as the main problem (either from older kids getting their own medication, parents using utensils to measure instead of measuring devices, or from using more than one medication that contained the same ingredients).

Since, the medications we use do seem to provide relief to our kids and I'm always careful to give the correct amounts, we don't plan to give up the appropriate cold medications for DS6 or DD3.5.

 

[NicoleWisconsin]

The other thing about cough medicine that is bad is that when you are prevented from coughing, your lungs can not expel the "bad" stuff... and you leave yourself more prone to bronchitis and pneumonia.