Now the FDA is saying no meds for under 5yrs.

WASHINGTON - Cold and cough medicines recently pulled from sale for infants and toddlers aren't safe or effective in slightly older children either, say doctors lined up to press their case with government health advisers. The expert advisers to the Food and Drug Administration were scheduled to meet Thursday and Friday to consider a petition that argues the over-the-counter medicines shouldn't be used in children 5 and younger.

The meeting opens a week after drug makers pulled from sale oral cough and cold medicines for children under 2. The drug industry maintains the widely used medicines are safe and work but can lead to overdoses when misused in infants.

However the petitioners, including Baltimore city health officials, argue that the medicines not only don't work in children up to age 6 but that they can be dangerous as well.

The drugs — they include some Dimetapp, Pediacare, Robitussin and Triaminic products — have never been tested in children. Drug makers instead have used extrapolated data from studies in adults.

While the focus of the petition and the FDA is on children under 6, the joint panel of experts will be asked if there's evidence that these drugs work in children up to age 12.

The FDA has not acted on the petition, saying it awaits a recommendation from outside experts

Re: Now the FDA is saying no meds for under 5yrs.

My DS is just about 18 months old and my ped has always told me not to use any of this stuff for children under 6. He doesn't feel it's safe. He always said a cold need to just work it's way out. We always just use the vapor plugs and humifier.

Re: Now the FDA is saying no meds for under 5yrs.

Where did you see this??

Re: Now the FDA is saying no meds for under 5yrs.

Re: Now the FDA is saying no meds for under 5yrs.

Re: Now the FDA is saying no meds for under 5yrs.

Im a big advocate for letting things run their course...

My eldest daughter was sick ALL THE TIME..she was constantly on TYLENOL or some type of antibiotic. When I had the twins I kind of just took the mellow approach to things..didnt treat a fever unless it was over 101 (after you have a kid that runs a fever so high it doesnt register on the thermoscan 101 doesnt seem so bad) and treated coughs and colds with humidifiers and vicks...I even let the occassional ear infection correct itself as long as the child wasnt in a great deal of pain..Hot water bottles do work.

These girls are 2 of the healthiest children I know...we even got perfect attendence last year in school...

With all that said can I now "knock on wood???"

Message edited 10/18/2007 9:42:48 AM.

Re: Now the FDA is saying no meds for under 5yrs.

Re: Now the FDA is saying no meds for under 5yrs.

Re: Now the FDA is saying no meds for under 5yrs.

I NEVER use cough and cold medicine so I would never give it to my children. It serves no purpose. Colds are a virus and have to run their course. All cold and cough medicines do is make them tired so they can sleep through the night (or in some cases extremely hyper).

IMO they are dangerous and always have been. Their little nervous systems arent developed enough to handle what's in these things. My dr. also doesnt suggest the use of cold and cough medicine and he does not push for the use of antibiotics unless absolutely necessary. Children need to build up their own immunities. That's why all these strange diseases are forming that are not treatable by antibiotics b/c years ago every time you went to the dr. they gave you a prescription.

Re: Now the FDA is saying no meds for under 5yrs.