The FDA is telling parents now to never give over-the-counter cough and cold medicines to children under the age of two unless told to do so by an actual doctor. I am guessing that this advice is for parents like me who routinely ignore the label on such medication and give it anyway but an (estimated) adjusted dosage. But if you have been doing this, STOP, because it's way too easy to overdose. Plus, younger kids react differently than older ones do to medication.
Good thing I don't actually give conventional cough and cold meds even to myself, let alone my kids, but given my predilection for ignoring label advice, if I did stock that type of OTC medication I might give it to a toddler, sure. And you might too. But the FDA says don't.
And it's good to know that decongestants can cause rapid heartbeat in kids, like they need to be anymore wired than they already are, and of course decongestants do nothing for a cough anyway. Some groups are lobbying to outlaw marketing of OTC cough and cold meds to kids under six, and other groups think they should be banned altogether. And the Canadian Paediatric Society advises that over-the-counter cough and cold
medicines should not be given to children younger than three years old
unless prescribed by a doctor.
I'm thinking that with all this uncertainty over age limits and dosages and efficacy, it's probably best, when faced with a cold or cough, to ride it out or explore other remedies and leave the OTC meds on the shelf.
