Advertisement What’s interesting is that many La Crosse area pediatricians have told parents for years that these cold remedies are not appropriate for young children.
Most pediatricians’ minds have not been changed by the most recent discussions by the Food and Drug Admini-stration and drug companies. The drug companies recently announced they will recommend children younger than 4 not take the remedies.
In January, the FDA issued an advisory that over-the-counter cough and cold medications should not be given to children younger than 2 because of the possibility of serious and life-threatening side effects.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents should not give cold remedies to children younger than 6.
“In my experience, over-the-counter cold medications do not offer any relief of cold symptoms,” said Dr. Elizabeth Hansen, a Gundersen Lutheran pediatrician. “In addition, these medications tend to be sedating or stimulating, which can actually make children feel worse.”
Hansen said moving the age level to age 4 is a step in the right direction, but she’ll continue to recommend parents not use them with children younger than 6. “More needs to be done to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of these medications in children.”
Dr. C. J. Menagh, a Franciscan Skemp pediatrician, said no evidence supports that cold remedies actually do any good.
“They don’t make colds better or get over them any quicker,” Menagh said. “Most of us have been pretty adamant for many years that these medicines don’t work, so why give them to your kid.”
Menagh said cold medicines have health risks, including overdosing, and side effects such as breathing trouble, unconsciousness, a racing heart and increased blood pressure.
Hansen said cold symptoms, especially cough, can persist for up to three weeks, and they will resolve over time.
Children will need more sleep when they have a cold, and they should drink plenty of liquids, she said.
In addition, elevating the head of the bed to minimize nighttime coughing, using a humidifier in the child’s room and even breathing in the steam of a hot shower can help decrease cough and runny nose, Hansen said.
Fever often accompanies a cold and can be treated by acetaminophen or ibuprofen, she said. “Fever is not dangerous and will resolve in several days,” Hansen said. “Babies younger than 6 weeks of age should not be given either of these medications. Ibuprofen should be avoided in the first six months of life.”
Symptoms of a cold can be uncomfortable for kids and inconvenient for families, but if it’s only a cold, it’s better to make children comfortable without medicines.
