New Evidence On Cold, Cough Medicine Dangers
Report: OTC Medication Causes Life-Threatening Side Effects In Children
POSTED: 3:07 pm EDT August 6,
2008
UPDATED: 6:03 pm EDT August 6,
2008
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BOSTON -- New studies are renewing concerns about the dangers of cough and cold medication for children. News Center 5's Heather Unruh reported Wednesday on the findings.
VIDEO: New Evidence On Cold, Cough Medicine DangersThere is more evidence that over-the-counter cold medicine is too risky for children and babies. A study by researchers at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh suggests OTC medications can cause life-threatening side effects in young children. According to an article in Pediatrics, researchers performed toxicology tests on 247 children between 1997 and 2006. They found a surprising number of children seen in the emergency room after they stop breathing or lose consciousness took cold medications."About 5 percent of all the babies who came in with these events had a positive screen and that's concerning us. They should have never been given these drugs in the first place," said Dr. Raymond Pitetti, associate director of pediatric emergency medicine at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.The information was compiled before the Food and Drug Administration recommended against giving cold medicines to children under 2, because of potentially life-threatening side effects and evidence that they don't work."These drugs have never been shown to be effective in treating children's colds," said Dr. Louis Vernacchio, an assistant professor of epidemiology and pediatrics with the Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University.Vernacchio is the lead author of another report in the August journal Pediatrics. It found millions of children were being given cough and cold medicines between 1999 and 2006."In any given week, approximately one in 10 children use a cough and cold medicine. And the highest rates of use is in children under 2 and 2 to 5 years of age," said Vernacchio.According to Vernacchio, those are the same kids most at risk. Those risks prompted the FDA to state that no child under 2 should take cold and cough medicines. The FDA is still reviewing whether the drugs are safe for children 6 and under.
VIDEO: New Evidence On Cold, Cough Medicine DangersThere is more evidence that over-the-counter cold medicine is too risky for children and babies. A study by researchers at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh suggests OTC medications can cause life-threatening side effects in young children. According to an article in Pediatrics, researchers performed toxicology tests on 247 children between 1997 and 2006. They found a surprising number of children seen in the emergency room after they stop breathing or lose consciousness took cold medications."About 5 percent of all the babies who came in with these events had a positive screen and that's concerning us. They should have never been given these drugs in the first place," said Dr. Raymond Pitetti, associate director of pediatric emergency medicine at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.The information was compiled before the Food and Drug Administration recommended against giving cold medicines to children under 2, because of potentially life-threatening side effects and evidence that they don't work."These drugs have never been shown to be effective in treating children's colds," said Dr. Louis Vernacchio, an assistant professor of epidemiology and pediatrics with the Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University.Vernacchio is the lead author of another report in the August journal Pediatrics. It found millions of children were being given cough and cold medicines between 1999 and 2006."In any given week, approximately one in 10 children use a cough and cold medicine. And the highest rates of use is in children under 2 and 2 to 5 years of age," said Vernacchio.According to Vernacchio, those are the same kids most at risk. Those risks prompted the FDA to state that no child under 2 should take cold and cough medicines. The FDA is still reviewing whether the drugs are safe for children 6 and under.Copyright 2008 by TheBostonChannel.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
