Cold medicine doesn't work on kids

so what are we responsible parents supposed to do when the kids come home sick with a cough and stuffy runny nose? I am guessing we will now have to call the pedi, take the kid in for a check up. Pay the co payment. get the pedi to "call" the Rx in to the pharmacy. Get back int he car(with sick child) drive to the pharmacy. If you are lucky it will be one with a drive thru window. If not. Get sick kid out of the car. Take sick kid into the store. wait in line at the pharmacy.......... wait in line at the pharmacy.... wait in line at the pharmacy. Get the Rx. Pay $10/15/20 for the SMALL bottle of cough medicine/decongestant. That previously cost $7.99 for the store brand. Get some chocolate for yourself. Wait in line. Put kid back in car. Drive home and give the med to the kid.

So what would have cost said responsible parent a mere ONE trip to the local CVS/Walgreens/Walmart/Target
Now costs a trip to the pedi THEN the pharmacy.
Instead of $7.99 (+tax) This has now cost at least
$25. Not to mention gas and time. All the while having to drag the poor sick kid around. Spreading the cold germs..



NICE. Real nice. I might have to stock up on Triaminic this weekend before the feds invade my bathroom medicine cabinet.

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A cold just went through our family starting two weeks ago and I am the one finishing it up. When my husband let me know that he was getting sick I did stock up on cold medicine for everyone. For our little guy (almost 3) I bought motrin cold (from the pharmicist).

I do think that the medicine helped his congestion. I know that it is not supposed to make it go away but to help ease the congestion and possible pain (sinus pressure, soar throat, etc.)

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I have to agree, and when this recall talk started, I, too, hit the store and bought some cold medicine for my son. I know it will probably expire before I use it all up - I'm one of those 'nonexistant responsible parents' who actually measures out the dose with a syringe. And yes, it has helped relieve his symptoms, allowing him to have a full night's sleep, which, in turn, helped his body to cure itself, thereby shortening the cold cycle.

But yeah, a fraction of parents misuse the stuff, so they'd better take it all off the shelves so NOBODY can use it. I think I'm going to stock up on candy, too, since that's probably the next thing to be recalled for "overuse" by parents.

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Are my children abnormal? Cold medicine totally clears up the drippy snot for a few hours when they take it. Also, in the night, if they cannot quit coughing, childrens cough medicine usually stops it or reduces it greatly.

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[I'm not a doctor, pharmacist, or anything like that.]

Hey people: there's no cure for the common cold.

However this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antitussive is quite ineresting - particularly the chocolate (theobromine) as an inhibitor for the coughing reflex sounds like it's worth a go.

Cough stuff (AFAIK) either inhibits the reflex or induces production of slippier mucus that gets the other mucus moving.

Other research I've seen concludes that colds can clear up quicker with vitamin C but it doesn't stop you from getting them.

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daddytypes.com has a couple of great entries on this topic with a lot more information. http://daddytypes.com/2007/10/20/drug_deal_what_infant_medicines_are_included_in_this_whole_fda_ban_thing.php
http://daddytypes.com/2007/10/19/dt_wonkout_fda_panel_votes_to_ban_cold_medicines_for_kids_06_yes_six.php

Personally, I've never liked cold medicines for myself (they make me very groggy and don't work well) so I haven't tried them on the children. We just use Tylenol and steam.

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While I think the action of the FDA is going to leave children at a greater risk of overdose by the removal of dosing instructions for the little ones, the attention being drawn to OTC meds for kids is otherwise a good thing. All medications have side effects, even over the counter ones. I am an RN and a mother of two, and I have shifted my emphasis for our family to nutrition rather than medications. There are some very good herbal products for colds that can be used for even small children, and they help us to fight illness rather than simply masking symptoms. I find that the herbal remedies both relieve our symptoms and help speed recovery. I have posted them on my blog, where I also have a list of the recalled children's cold medicines. http://jstevens.wordpress.com/2007/09/29/are-you-ready-for-cold-and-flu-season/

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