Friday, August 17, 2007

FDA Warning on Cold Meds for Babies

I heard this on the radio yesterday AM, and my cousin just sent me a link to the FDA Public Health Advisory (thanks, Sam!). And while I'll freely admit my parental dependency on Dimetapp (stops non-asthma-related coughing, promotes sleep) I doubt I'll give the stuff to Ig anymore.

Honestly, I find that Dimetapp is the only thing that works. Pediacare, Benadryl and Claritin have all been pretty useless for us. And of course, I can't ever give them cough supressants...

Anyway, here are a few highlights from the FDA Advisory:


FDA announced today that, in October, the Nonprescription Drugs Advisory Committee will discuss the safety and effectiveness of cough and cold drug product use in children. Questions have been raised about the safety of these products and whether the benefits justify any potential risks from the use of these products in children, especially in children under 2 years of age. In preparation for the meeting, FDA is reviewing safety and efficacy data for the ingredients of these products...

What should parents know about using cough and cold products in children?

  • Do not use cough and cold products in children under 2 years of age UNLESS given specific directions to do so by a healthcare provider.
  • Do not give children medicine that is packaged and made for adults. Use only products marked for use in babies, infants or children (sometimes called “pediatric” use).



Read the entire Public Health Advisory from the FDA site.

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