Written by Neela K. Sethi, M.D.

There has been a ton of press regarding the recent cold medicine recall. In August of 2007, the FDA released a warning statement and recalled a series of over-the-counter cold medications for children. But how is this pertinent to you and what does that mean for this winter’s cold season?

Though every pediatrician may vary in their views, most of us have adopted the policy of NO COLD MEDICINE UNDER TWO YEARS OF AGE. Now, of course this is not a universal statement, but only your doctor should recommend anything otherwise. The reason for the recall was for a few reasons:
- Many OTC cold medicines contain anti-cough ingredients that may affect your child’s breathing pattern. Some of them can sedate a child too much, and even slow down breathing, with the risk of stopping breathing completely.
- Some of the OTC cold medicines contain multiple ingredients such as acetaminophen (a.k.a Tylenol) or ibuprofen (a.k.a Advil/Motrin). Parents may not be aware of this and may give Tylenol/Motrin/Advil with the cold medicine, which can lead to overdose and organ damage.
- Many parents do not pay specific attention to dosing and may accidentally overdose their child on a specific medication which may be harmful.

I think it is important to remember that it is important for the body to run a natural course though an illness. Though it can be frustrating, a cough or runny nose may be protective in some way. They can help clear an airway of mucus and help a child breath with ease…(read more)