OTC Cold and Cough Medicines Dangerous for Kids - 3.8B Doses Given Each Year

Mike Ferrara

Attorney
(877) 245-6841 Ext 650

0 CommentsPrint ArticleSubscribe

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is cracking down on over-the-counter drugs for colds and coughs for children. A prior warning last October didn't reach enough parents, so the FDA will issue get tough guidelines later today, reports cnn.com. and the AP. The drug industry estimates about 3.8 billion doses a year are given to children and say they are safe for children over 2. This warning applies only to infants and toddlers and the FDA is studying the effects on older children and a report is expected later in the year.
For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Drugs, Medical Devices and Implants.

The bottom line if you are a parent is this. It is just a cold and your child will get over it in due course. Why risk the potential harm from these OTC medications? The advice from here: just avoid them. They are too risky. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last year reported that more than 1,500 babies and toddlers wound up in emergency rooms over a two-year period because of the drugs.