Caution Urged When Giving Kids Cold and Flu Meds

Over-the-counter cold and flu medication can have serious side effects in
children under the age of 6

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Jan. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- It's cold and flu
season, which means misery for kids and the parents trying to help them.
But doctors are asking parents to resist the urge to give children under
the age of 6 over-the-counter cough and cold medication.
Such drugs can have serious side effects on the smallest of children, the
Food and Drug Administration warns. Side effects include hives, drowsiness,
difficulty breathing and even death.
"Some 7,000 children end up in the emergency room each year because of
problems associated with these medicines," says Esther Yoon, M.D., general
pediatrician in the Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases at the
University of Michigan Health System.
Roughly two-thirds of incidents occurred after children drank medication
while unsupervised, according to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. Most problems have occurred as a result of dosing errors.
To ease pain from a harsh cough or throat pain, doctors recommend using
over-the-counter acetaminophen and ibuprofen in age-appropriate doses, Yoon
says. To relieve symptoms, doctors recommend the following:

-- For blocked noses, parents should use nasal saline drops and a
bulb suction to loosen up and remove mucus or have the child
blow their nose.

-- For coughs, the child should be given a teaspoon of honey or
corn syrup if over the age of 1. Have the child drink warm
fluids like water, apple juice and chicken broth to help with
coughing.

-- Take the child into the bathroom and run a hot shower. The steam
relaxes the airways and helps with coughing spasms.

-- Increase the humidity in the home to help reduce nasal
congestion and coughing.

Parents can help prevent colds by washing hands frequently, using instant
hand sanitizers, teaching children to cover their mouth and nose when they
cough or sneeze, and making sure children are well hydrated, have good
nutrition and are getting enough sleep.
"Other good tips include disinfecting the home, kitchen countertops, door
knobs and toys," Yoon says. "Children should get plenty of vitamin C and E to
help fight germs and a multivitamin is also helpful."
Cold symptoms caused by a virus typically last between four and five days.
But if they continue for more than five days, Yoon recommends taking the child
to a doctor.
If a child is having difficulty breathing or is wheezing, he or she should
be seen right away. Infants younger than 3 months old with a fever should also
be seen right away.
For more information, visit these Web sites:
-- FDA recommendation:
http://www.fda.gov/Cder/drug/advisory/cough_cold_2008.htm

-- What to do for colds and flu:
http://www.fda.gov/opacom/lowlit/clds&flu.html

SOURCE University of Michigan Health System

Margarita Bauza, mbauza@umich.edu, or Andi McDonnell, andreakm@umich.edu, both
of the University of Michigan Health System, +1-734-764-2220