Articles
Cold medicines for kids: What's the risk?
Content
What's the concern about cough and cold medicines for kids?
What about antibiotics?
Can any medications help treat the common cold?
Is codeine OK?
How can I help my child feel better?
What's the best way to prevent the common cold?
What's the concern about cough and cold medicines for kids?
Over-the-counter cough and cold medicines are intended to treat the symptoms of coughs and colds, not the underlying disease. Research suggests that these medicines haven't been proved to work any better than inactive medicine (placebo). More important, these medications have potentially serious side effects, including fatal overdoses in children younger than 2 years old.
Don't use over-the-counter medicines, except for fever reducers and pain relievers, to treat coughs and colds in children younger than 6 years old. Also, consider avoiding use of these medicines for children younger than 12 years old.