It was just last week when the FDA rejected an immediate ban on cold and cough medications for young children, citing concerns that parents would instead give adult medicines to their kids, which could lead to serious side effects. Today, in a voluntary concession to pediatricians, drug companies are advising that children under 4 should not be given over-the-counter cold and cough drugs, in addition to antihistamines. These drugs can cause side effects ranging from hives, drowsiness, to unsteadiness. Leading pediatrics groups have been advocating the ban of these drugs because there is no evidence that they work for children under 6. US families spend over $286 million each year on these remedies, which lead to 7,000 emergency room visits per year due to side effects. Read more. Share your perspective.
Tags: ban, children, cold, cough, drug, FDA, kids
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Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.