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Cold medicines for kids: What's the risk?
Cough and cold medicines can pose serious risks for young children. Know the facts and understand treatment alternatives.
By Mayo Clinic staff
Over-the-counter cough and cold medicines are the best way to help a child who has a cold feel better — right? Think again. Cough and cold medicines aren't recommended for children younger than age 2, and the jury is still out on whether cough and cold medicines are appropriate for older kids. So how can you treat a child's cold? Here's practical advice from Jay Hoecker, M.D., a pediatrics specialist at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
What's the concern about cough and cold medicines for kids?
Over-the-counter cough and cold medicines don't effectively treat the underlying cause of a child's cold, and won't cure a child's cold or make it go away any sooner. These medications also have potential side effects, including rapid heart rate and convulsions. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that parents avoid using cough and cold medicines to treat children younger than age 2.
Are cough and cold medicines a problem for children older than age 2?
FDA experts are studying the safety of cough and cold medicines for children older than age 2. In the meantime, remember that cough and cold medicines won't make a cold go away any sooner — and side effects are still possible. If you give cough or cold medicines to an older child, carefully follow the label directions. Don't give your child two medicines with the same active ingredient, such as an antihistamine, decongestant or pain reliever. Too much of a single ingredient could lead to an accidental overdose.
What about antibiotics?
Antibiotics may be used to combat bacterial infections but have no effect on viruses, which cause colds. If your child has a cold, antibiotics won't help. It's also important to remember that the more your child uses antibiotics, the more likely he or she is to get sick with an antibiotic-resistant infection in the future.
Next page(1 of 2)
- Parenting corner Q&A: Colds. American Academy of Pediatrics. http://www.aap.org/pubed/ZZZN097VA7C.htm?&sub_cat=107. Accessed July 2, 2009.
- FDA recommends that over-the-counter (otc) cough and cold products not be used for infants and children under 2 years of age. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PublicHealthAdvisories/ucm051137.html. Accessed July 2, 2009.
- American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Drugs. Use of codeine- and dextromethorphan-containing cough remedies in children. Pediatrics. 2007;119:405.
- American academy of pediatrics urges caution in use of over-the-counter cough and cold medicines. American Academy of Pediatrics. http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/jan08coughandcold.htm. Accessed July 2, 2009.
- Parenting corner Q&A: Infections. American Academy of Pediatrics. http://www.aap.org/publiced/BR_Infections.htm. Accessed July 2, 2009.
- Giving medication to children: Q & A with Dianne Murphy, M.D. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/downloads/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/UCM164439.pdf. Accessed July 2, 2009.
- Stopping germs at home, work and school. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/germstopper/materials/home_work_school.pdf. Accessed July 6, 2009.
- Get smart: Know when antibiotics work. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/getsmart/antibiotic-use/know-and-do.html. Accessed July 6, 2009.
- Abrams MA, et al. Plain Language Pediatrics: Health Literacy Strategies and Communication Resources for Common Pediatric Topics. Elk Grove Village, Ill.: American Academy of Pediatrics; 2008:151.
- Mozingo TA. RSV: When it's more than just a cold. American Academy of Pediatrics. http://www.aap.org/healthychildren/08winter/HC-winter08-rsv.pdf. Accessed July 6, 2009.
- When to call the baby's doctor: Print-and-go guide. National Women's Health Information Center. http://www.womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/mom-to-be-tools/when-call-baby-doctor.pdf. Accessed July 6, 2009.
- Hoecker JL (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Aug. 3, 2009.
