As of December 2008, Health Canada is advising parents to stop giving cough and cold remedies to children under 6. This follows initial recommendations from the FDA to stop administering cold remedies to children under 2, as well as information released by the CDC that approximately 7,000 American children under the age of 11 are treated each year in hospital emergency rooms because of problems with cough and cold medications.
What parents haven’t known is that these medications can be deadly. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has advised parents to stop using cold medicines with young children since 1997 citing that there can be serious side effects in young kids, including death. Incorrect dosing is a big issue: in 2005 three infants ages one month, three months and six months died as a result of being given too much cough and cold medicine.
It’s not just that these medications can be harmful. The AAP also notes that children’s cough and cold medicines are just not that effective. Given that they don’t work that well, why would we put dangerous drugs into our kids’ bodies?
This raises a particular issue for parents of children who could be allergic. A seasonal allergy can mimic a cold very closely, even to the point of lasting only a two-week period (depending on the nature of the allergy). As a result, it’s possible that the cold you are trying to treat is really an allergy – and no cold medication will actually do the job.
How do you know the difference between an allergic cough and a viral or bacterial cough? The major clues that you are dealing with an allergy rather than a cold are:
- The child is running a fever. (Fever usually indicates a viral or bacterial agent, although some people with allergies can also run fevers.)
- The time of year when the cold occurs. For instance, if your child typically develops a cold in the spring, summer or fall as certain plants begin to pollinate, you should suspect allergies.
- If the mucus from the nose or throat is runny and clear, allergies are the likely culprit. A cold will often result in coloured or thicker mucus.
- If all symptoms occur simultaneously, you should consider allergies. Most colds move through a progression of symptoms, with different ones taking precedence as your body works to eliminate the virus.
Treatment of an allergic cough is very different from treatment of a viral or bacterial cold. Your main medicinal agents in managing an allergy will often be over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamines. For seasonal inhalant allergies, you can employ a number of non-drug approaches that will help, from avoiding the allergen by staying indoors to running a bedroom air purifier that will reduce your symptoms. (Our article on Managing Seasonal Allergies will give you 12 tips to save you from watery eyes and a running nose.)
If you suspect an allergy, try giving your child a dose of a safe children’s antihistamine. Many effective formulations are on the market. Often, they are in a pleasantly flavored liquid form. If the antihistamine works to control symptoms, you can be pretty sure that you are dealing with an allergy.
If you have any concerns, always consult with your family physician. They know your unique particulars best.
Sources: BNet.com, US News & World Report, Health Canada website, Be Allergy Wise
