The Cold Facts
Over-the-counter medicines may
do more harm than good
An interview with pediatrician Tatiana Goldstein, M.D.
When your child has a cold, it’s only natural to want to ease their suffering.
So why shouldn’t you use an over-the-counter medication for children?
“Parents may feel they are helping by giving
medications, but they are not always,” says
Tatiana Goldstein, M.D., a California Pacific
Medical Center pediatrician. “Numerous studies
have shown these medications are no more
effective than placebos, and they often are not
worth the risks. Side effects may include agitation,
sedation and changes in the heart rate or rhythm.
In an accidental overdose, the child may become
overly sedated and stop breathing. Some children
have died from accidental overdoses.”
Following FDA Guidelines
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has
banned such products for children younger than
age 2 and does not recommend them for children
younger than age 4. “Nonprescription cold and
cough medications may be used for children older
than 4, but many studies show there is no benefit
for children younger than 12,” Goldstein says.
“Parents of children older than 4 who want to
try cold and cough medications should read medication
labels carefully,” she cautions. “Many
medicines use a combination of drugs to treat
multiple symptoms—a decongestant, a pain
reliever, a cough suppressor and sometimes even
an antihistamine. Do not use a combination medicine
when you want to treat only one symptom,
such as a fever or cough.”
What Can Parents Do?
Goldstein recommends a variety of nonmedicinal
remedies that may help:
- For children older than age 1 with a cough, dissolve a teaspoon of honey in warm water. (Never give honey to children younger than age 1 because of the danger of botulism.)
- For congestion, use a cool humidifier in the child’s room or take the child with you into a steamy bathroom.
- Have the child drink plenty of fluids and don’t worry if he or she doesn’t want to eat much.
- Use saline (salt water) nasal drops to help soften mucus and, if the child is too young to blow his nose or her nose, use a nasal syringe to suction out mucus.
 Tatiana Goldstein, M.D., Pediatrician
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