Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Hot on Facebook
Man Tries to Order Priciest Starbucks Drink Ever Total cost: $23.60 »

Cold Meds Land 7,000 Kids a Year in the Hospital

Report tallies ODs, bad reactions

By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 29, 2008 4:43 AM CST

(Newser) – More than 7,000 American children a year end up in emergency rooms after taking over-the-counter cold or cough medicines, the federal Centers for Disease Control reports. Most of the children take overdoses of the drugs on their own, but a quarter have bad reactions to normal doses given by their parents, according to the study of kids under 12 published in Pediatrics.

The federal Food and Drug Administration has warned against giving cough suppressants, antihistamines and decongestants to young children. Doctors say packaging of the cold medicine should be changed, both to make it more difficult for children to get into and to make it less appealing to youngsters attracted by bright colors. "Parents need to be vigilant about keeping these medicines out of their children's reach," warned a doctor.

Pedia Care Infant Drops Long-Acting Cough and Concentrated Tylenol Infants' Drops Plus Cold & Cough are shown in a medicine cabinet at the home of Carol Uyeno in Palo Alto, Calif., in this Oct. 11, 2007 file photo. Parents should not give babies and toddlers over-the-counter cough and cold medicines...
Pedia Care Infant Drops Long-Acting Cough and Concentrated Tylenol Infants' Drops Plus Cold & Cough are shown in a medicine cabinet at the home of Carol Uyeno in Palo Alto, Calif., in this Oct. 11, 2007...   (Associated Press)
Parents have been warned against giving cough and cold medication to very young children but surveys show many will persist in giving them to their kids. Such medicines haven't even been shown to have much effect on young children's ailments, but the FDA isn't going to take them off the...
Parents have been warned against giving cough and cold medication to very young children but surveys show many will persist in giving them to their kids. Such medicines haven't even been shown to have...   (Associated Press)
The FDA has cautioned against giving cold medication to younger children. Over 7,000 children end up in hospital emergency rooms every year after taking over-the-counter cold or cough medication.
The FDA has cautioned against giving cold medication to younger children. Over 7,000 children end up in hospital emergency rooms every year after taking over-the-counter cold or cough medication.   (Getty Images (by Event))
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
To report an error on this story, notify our editors.
A snapshot of the day's best news stories.
 
COMMENTS
Be the first to comment on this story.

More Newser Stories

Strep Throat Linked to OCD, Tics

Insurers Cave on Covering Sick Kids Now

Half of US Kids Will Get Food Stamps at Some Point

Vicks VapoRub Dangerous for Babies: Study

Medicaid Spends Millions on Drugs FDA Never Approved


NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
Other Sites We Like:   24/7 Wall St.   |   Betty Confidential   |   BuzzFeed   |   Cracked   |   Fark   |   Timelines   |   The Frisky   |   Geek Sugar   |   NewsOne