USA TODAY: The number of babies and toddlers who go to the emergency room because of cough and cold medicines fell by more than 50% after manufacturers stopped selling products labeled for children under 2, a study shows.
Manufacturers agreed to pull over-the-counter cough and cold products for those ages in October 2007 because of concerns about safety and effectiveness, says Daniel Budnitz of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He compared children’s ER visits for 14 months before the withdrawal with the 14 months after…
The Food and Drug Administration has warned that babies and toddlers can suffer “serious and potentially life-threatening side effects,” sometimes even when the meds are used according to instructions. Because kids’ respiratory systems are still developing, the meds can cause abnormal heart rhythms and seizures, or cause kids to stop breathing… (more)
