by Playfuls Staff |
12th January 2007
Cough and cold remedies sold over-the-counter can be harmful, even deadly, to infants and toddlers, a U.S. government health [more] report said.
Health officials said three children under the age of 6 months died from taking the medications last year, HealthDay News said. From 2004 to 2005, more than 1,500 children under age 2 visited emergency rooms for problems related to taking cold and cough medicines, the study said.
"Cough and cold medicines can be harmful, and even fatal, and should be used with caution in children under 2 years of age," said study lead Adam Cohen of the Epidemic Intelligence Service at the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. "They are drugs, so they have risks as well as benefits."
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration only approved using over-the-counter cough and cold medicines for children over age 2.
"Parents should never give medicine without consulting a healthcare provider, even over-the-counter," Cohen said. "Many over-the-counter medicines may be marketed for infants and there are no approved dosing recommendations from the FDA for this age group. There's very little evidence that they help in children under 2."
© 2007 UPI
