Kids Younger Than 4 Should Not Be Given Cold Medicines

Rest, Fluids is Recommended Treatment for Young Children with Colds

Forget the medicine. Doctors say plenty of fluids, rest and lots of tender loving care is the preferred treatment for kids younger than age 4 with colds. In support of concerns raised by pediatricians, drug companies now agree and say over-the-counter cold medicines should only be given to kids 4 and up. Doctors have been raising concerns about the effectiveness and safety of cold remedies on very young kids, saying that health risks outweigh any possible benefits. If there is concern that a youngster has more than a cold, parents should consult their child's pediatrician.

In addition, drug companies are advising parents not to give antihistamines to children to help them sleep. New instructions with this message are now on packages in stores. While cough and cold products along with antihistamines have been available on store shelves for decades, the medicines were apparently never tested on how well they worked on young children. Side effects of the drugs, mostly due to accidental overdoses, have sent youngsters to emergency rooms each year with symptoms of difficulty breathing, unstable walking, excessive drowsiness and even hives.

Child care providers should take heed of the new industry advice and discuss it with parents who may not be aware of pediatrician warnings and drug company support. While many early educators have traditionally been willing to dispense parent-provided medicines to children while in daycare or family home care settings, providers may want to re-consider.

The new advice may change the drop-and-run practice of working parents with sick kids who don't have a back-up child care plan in place. It is common for parents to give their kids cold medicine before taking kids to daycare to mask symptoms. Then they literally drop off their kids and run out the door before the illness is noticed. Once symptoms return and the daycare calls parents to get their kids, parents have been able to be on the job for several hours. Having a backup plan becomes even more important with the knowledge that your child may be too sick for daycare, and the speediest way to recovery is rest and comfort.

If you opt to give cold medicines to children over age 4:

• Carefully measure the dosage using the device that comes with the medicine and don't just rely on a teaspoon for accuracy.


• Have medicines where they can be accessible by any child in the home. Choose over-the-counter remedies with childproof lids.

Parents and providers should never:

• Give medicines more frequently or in a larger dose than what was prescribed.


• Let children take adult-strength medicines for any reason.


• Mix medicines or combine medicines with the same ingredients at the same time. Some parents accidentally overdose their kids by using different products to treat different symptoms.


• Allow antihistamines to be taken to make a child sleep.
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