by Amy Spangler
February 21, 2007

Cough and cold medications containing decongestants, antihistamines, cough suppressants, and expectorants are commonly used alone or in combination to relieve symptoms of upper respiratory infection in children under the age of 2 years.

The use of such preparations have reportedly led to the deaths of three infants ages 1–6 months. The dosages at which cough and cold medicines can cause illness or death in children under the age of 2 years is unknown.

In 1997, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued a policy statement advising parents of the risk of adverse events and the potential for overdose.

More recently on January 12, 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a report highlighting the risks associated with the use of cold and cough medications in children under the age of 2 years.

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) there are no approved dosing recommendations for cough and cold medications for children under the age of 2 years. Additionally, due to the risk of toxicity and limited evidence of effectiveness of these medications in children under the age of 2 years, parents and other caregivers should not administer cough and cold medications to children in this age group unless they have been instructed to do so by their health care provider.

Even then, it’s essential that parents carefully follow the instructions from their health care provider for administering the medication. When children have symptoms of upper respiratory infection, parents need to resist the urge to treat the symptoms with prescription or over-the-counter medications, knowing that they are seldom effective and may actually be harmful.