Cold and flu season has started and over the next several months it is likely that all of us will be affected by it.  When your child gets a cold you, of course, want to do all you can to help him feel better.  Although there are some things you can do for your child, you need to be aware of risks associated with common over-the-counter cold medications. Scientific studies show that these products are not effective in children under 6 years of age and can have potentially serious side effects. Dosage guidelines for cold and cold mixtures are extrapolated from adult data and thus are often inaccurate for children. 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a public health advisory that states "Over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold products can be harmful if more than the recommended amount is used, if it is given too often, or if more than one product containing the same active ingredient is being used".  In addition to the advisory the FDA is considering banning the sale of these products to children under 2 years old. In light of the FDA advisory McNeil Consumer Health announced that they were voluntarily removing the following products from the market:

• Dimetapp(R) Decongestant Plus Cough Infant Drops,
• Dimetapp(R) Decongestant Infant Drops,
• Little Colds(R) Decongestant Plus Cough,
• Little Colds(R) Multi-Symptom Cold Formula,
• PEDIACARE(R) Infant Drops Decongestant (containing pseudoephedrine),
• PEDIACARE(R) Infant Drops Decongestant & Cough (containing pseudoephedrine),
• PEDIACARE(R) Infant Dropper Decongestant (containing phenylephrine),
• PEDIACARE(R) Infant Dropper Long-Acting Cough,
• PEDIACARE(R) Infant Dropper Decongestant & Cough (containing phenylephrine),
• Robitussin(R) Infant Cough DM Drops,
• Triaminic(R) Infant & Toddler Thin Strips(R) Decongestant,
• Triaminic(R) Infant & Toddler Thin Strips(R) Decongestant Plus Cough,
• TYLENOL(R) Concentrated Infants' Drops Plus Cold,
• TYLENOL(R) Concentrated Infants' Drops Plus Cold & Cough.

So, what can you do to help your sick child?  First of all try to prevent infections.  Frequent hand washing or use of hand sanitizer, coughing into a tissue and throwing it away and getting flu shots will all help.  If your children do get sick try and keep them well hydrated, use nasal saline drops and a bulb syringe to help clear the nose of an infant who can not blow his own nose, and if the congestion is very bad, for infants up to age 6 years, I recommend trying a product called "Little Noses Decongestant Nose Drops" with 1/8% neo-synepherine.  Put 2-3 drops in your child's nose 5-6 times per day (it is best to use just before feeding times).  These drops work very well, work just in the nose (so there are very few, if any, side effects), and have only one ingredient.  Make sure, however, that you only use the drops for 3 or 4 days, if you use them longer than that they have a rebound affect and start making the congestion worse.