What Can Parents Do Without Cold Remedies?

Little kids catch lots of colds. That’s because they’re not very careful about washing their hands or keeping their fingers out of eyes, noses and mouths.

When children catch colds, everyone sneezes. They spread their viruses generously to teachers, friends and family members.

Until last year parents routinely dosed their toddlers with over-the-counter cough and cold medicines. Then a group of pediatricians challenged the FDA’s oversight of such medications. The president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Jay Berkelhamer, MD, said that these drugs have “been found not to be effective in this population at all.”

Pediatrician Joshua Sharfstein, MD, led the charge against marketing these OTC products to parents. As Baltimore’s health commissioner, he not only questioned their effectiveness, but also pointed out that they pose safety hazards.

Eventually, the industry caved in and voluntarily agreed not to sell cough and cold products aimed at infants below two years of age. Infant drops with cold medicine under such familiar names as Dimetapp, Robitussin, Triaminic or Tylenol disappeared.

You might think that would have been the end of the controversy. But Dr. Sharfstein and his pediatric colleagues are still concerned about children between two and six years of age. He recently stated, “There is no evidence that these products work in kids, and there is definitely evidence of serious side effects.”

Roughly 7,000 children under 11 years old are rushed to hospitals every year as a consequence of a bad reaction to a cough or cold medicine. Up to two thirds of these emergencies are due to accidental overdoses. Some, however, are adverse reactions to decongestants or antihistamines, common ingredients in such products.

Although doctors’ groups have petitioned the FDA to ban cough and cold products for children under the age of six, the agency has declined. Instead, the growing furor has led the drug companies to warn parents not to administer the products to children under four.

Of course, this still leaves questions about safety and effectiveness for older children and adolescents. Some pediatricians have even gone so far as to suggest that home remedies, such as honey or chicken soup, might be viable options.

Parents who would like to know more about non-drug ways to ease cold symptoms may be interested in our Guide to Cold Remedies, including a recipe for chicken soup from Joe’s mom.

Last winter, pediatrician Ian Paul, MD, made headlines with his research showing that dextromethorphan, a common ingredient in cough medicine, was less effective than placebo for children’s coughs. His recommendation: try a little honey. In his study, it worked better than placebo. (Children less than a year old should never be given honey.)

Cough and cold medicines do nothing to speed recovery, so it makes sense to play it safe and trust Grandma’s homespun wisdom.