The Dangers of OTC Cold Medicines for Children

By Honey Don't Cough

Every year, thousands of children are rushed to the emergency room as a result of overdosing on cough and cold medicines designed for their symptoms. Some of those children die.

While some of these cases are the result of unsupervised dosing, a substantial amount of these children overdose on OTC medications even when given the "recommended dose" by parents or caregivers.

The FDA recently ordered manufacturers of children's cold and cough medicines to update labeling to reflect usage recommendations. All labeling must carry a 'do not use' statement for children under four years of age.

While the updated labeling for children's cold and cough medicines now carry the "do not use in children under four years of age" warning, some medical experts recommend never giving these medications to children under 6 years old.

Early signs of overdose:

Stomach Ache	Vomiting	Less Energy	Lethargy
Irritability	Fast Heart Rate	Fast Breathing

Late signs of overdose: Irregular heartbeat, seizures, coma, death.

NOTE: It is difficult even for doctors, to tell the difference between the early signs of overdose and “the normal” symptoms of a child being sick — always tell the doctor if you have given over-the-counter cough and cold medications to your child.

For more information on the CDC's position on cold and cough medicines for children, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/Features/PediatricColdMeds/.