Parents seek solution for coughs and colds

For years, if a child had a cough or cold, parents could find a wide selection of over-the-counter medications.

But now, parents are being warned against the purchase of these over-the-counter drugs for children younger than 4.

"It's really frustrating; you want to go to the store and get medicines for your children when they're sick, but you don't want to get anything that's going to harm them - or run them to the doctor and you hear that it's nothing but a cold and there's nothing that can be done," said Russellville resident Tessa Rushing, who has a 4-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son.

Dr. Duane Carter said he knows it gets aggravating for parents because he feels that same frustration when trying to care for a child with a cold.

"You have a coughing 7-month-old and the parents want help and there's nothing to do. I know it's frustrating for them because it's frustrating for us as doctors," said Carter, a member of Shoals Pediatrics.

The problem is that a leading pediatricians' group, based in New England, has called for a ban on over-the-counter cough and cold medicines for young children, saying it could cause unintended harm.

The Federal Drug Administration rejected the call for such a ban, but has issued warnings about the use of over-the-counter drugs for young children.

Carter said doctors are constantly getting information from the FDA or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, warning against the use of cough and cold medications in younger patients, particularly those under 4.

Carter said the big concern is medicines with decongestants.

"We're to use nothing with decongestants (in small children)," he said. "And that's because they can have some side effects in children.

"The CDC and the FDA take away something that works, and really they don't put anything in their place."

Carter said about the only over-the-counter medicines parents can give younger children is Benadryl or some with Acetaminophen, which is for pain and fever and found in children's Motrin and Tylenol and similar medications.

He warned not to get cold and sinus medicines, just the plain children's Acetaminophen.

In a published report, the American Academy of Pediatrics say over-the-counter products are ineffective for treating coughs and colds in children under 6 and should not be given because of the risk of side effects.

According to a recently released study, U.S. families spend at least $286 million a year on cough and cold medicines for children.

A study by Boston University revealed that in any given week, the medicines are used by an estimated 10 percent of all children, with the biggest exposure among 2- to 5-year-olds.

Dr. Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said the issue isn't as much an ingredient in the drugs, but dosing errors.

She said pediatric cough and cold drugs are safe and effective when used as directed. She said dosing errors and accidental ingestions are the leading causes of rare adverse effects in young children.

According to the CDC, about 7,000 children under 11 go to emergency rooms each year after taking cough and cold medicines, with symptoms ranging from hives to drowsiness to unsteady walking.

"It's hard to know what to do, but I do what our pediatrician says, and usually it's just plain cough medicine, with no additives," said Stacy Rich, of Collinwood, Tenn., who has a 2-year-old son. "And if there is any kind of question about medicines, I call the doctor. I don't risk giving him anything that the doctor doesn't recommend, especially if it's over-the-counter.

"So basically, if he has a runny nose and a cough, we just hope it runs its course and pray. That's about all you can do."

Rushing said she uses saline nose drops for stopped-up noses as well as a breathing machine for congestion and sometimes uses a humidifier.

"If they don't have a fever and aren't wheezing, they don't really need medicines other than Benadryl and saline drops," she said.

"And really, that's about all you can do. The last thing you want to do is get some over-the-counter medicine that is going to be more harmful than helpful," she said.

Carter said the best medicine is "rest and plenty of fluids."

"The basics, back to the good old days," he said.

"But to be honest, that's about all we can do now. There are some prescription medications that are coming out for younger patients, and there are some drug companies that are trying to develop some alternatives, but right now, rest and fluids is about the best there is."

The Association Press contributed to this report.

Tom Smith can be reached at 740-5757 or tom.smith@TimesDaily.com.