Warning: Children's Cold Medicines

So your little one has got a cold and you want to relieve their symptoms as quickly as possible, right? Of course you do, as all parents do; but recent studies have shown that children's cold medicines are NOT safe for children under the age of 6. From what I understand, the drug companies that have marketed these children's cold products were given permission by the FDA to make their own determination as to what age group the medicines would be safe for. As a result, the determination that the drug companies have made is that 4 years old is a safe age to take these cold medicines, but most pediatricians would not recommend giving these products to your children before the age of 6. That's not to say that sometimes it is warranted to give these products to your children, but please ALWAYS consult with your physician before you do so. It has also been found that most of these products are not effective for young children, so there is really no benefit to giving them to your child, in addition to it being risky.

So, please, before you give your child any over-the-counter cold medicines, check with your family physician or child's pediatrician -- it could save your child's life.