FDA plans to ban multi-symptom cough and cold medicines
The New York Times reports that the FDA plans to ban over the counter multi-symptom cough and cold medicines marketed to kids. The drug hasn’t been tested children under the age of six yet it’s marketed to kids as young as two. This ban could effect 800 different medications including Toddler’s Dimetapp, Triaminic Infant and Little Colds.
In their 356- page report reviewers wrote that there’s very little evidence that these medicines are effective in young children and they may even be dangerous. Adverse reactions to the drugs, including deaths from both antihistamines and decongestants are reported voluntarily, so numbers may even be underreported.
They also recommend standardizing the droppers, syringes and cups that come with infant and toddler medicines, which would be fantastic, since I was once guilty of overloading my poor son with motrin when I used the wrong dropper. Luckily I caught my mistake after the first (large) dose.
Aside from Motrin (used after my poor little guy broke his leg) and Tylenol (for teething) we’ve never used any over-the-counter medications. I know that this isn’t true for everyone and that not all children (and parents) are so lucky, but I truly believe that breastfeeding has kept Sam healthy. He’s had one bad cold, one stomach virus, and a few runny noses in his 18 months. The cold only lasted a few days, my stomach flu lasted twice as long as his, and I got another one that he somehow managed to avoid. I know that breastmilk can’t be totally responsible for his good health, but considering how much time we spent in germ-infested play areas used by thousands of Philadelphia residents we made out quite well.
I am almost positive that the reason his stomach virus at 11 months was so short-lived is because he was able to nurse throughout. In fact, he stopped eating solid foods entirely for almost a month after the virus, so it was both a blessing (for him) and a curse (for my poor, aching boobs) that he was still breastfeeding. The fact that I got several illnesses that he didn’t seemed like tangible proof that the antibodies were flowing freely along with the milk. I think I got sick so much because I was giving all of my immunities to him. To be honest, I’m pretty sure that he basically sucked my immune system out of me- I spent more time sick since his birth than I was in the five years before it.
My health aside, I feel like Sam is walking proof that breast is best. Kelli’s post about her son’s immunity in April shows her son had similar luck. Now we just have to see how this winter goes, since it seems that Sam’s slowly, slowly (maybe? hopefully?) weaning.
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October 2nd, 2007 at 4:42 pm
I was going to jump in with a Me!Too! comment, but you already did that for me. Thanks!
I have had the same experience with my daughter, thus far. When she was 4 weeks old, we all got cruddy colds, but she got it the lightest of us all.
Also, earlier this year, a gal I know gave her son a cough suppressant and he ended up in the hospital because his lungs filled up with fluid because he couldn’t cough them out.
Overall, the OTC meds bother me because they seem to mostly keep your body from doing what it should be doing, which is producing copious amounts of mucus and coughing to clear the lungs. I use OTC meds only in moderation for myself - only if I absolutely cannot sleep at night.