http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21247580/wid/11915773?GT1=10514

I actually saw this while I was getting ready for work this morning and finally had a chance to check it out. I thought it would be a good thing to post as a lot of you have been dealing with sick kiddos.

Enjoy the afternoon....

So this really goes back to the debate about whether or not infants should get cold medicine. Frankly, I disagree w/the research as I do see a difference when my kids are severely congested and can't sleep due to coughs/congestion. I use only the dose my dr. prescribes and use it only when all other home remedies have failed.

And I don't get how they expected a product called "infant" drops to contain a label stating that it's not to be used in infants. That doesn't make any sense at all. If they really think it's not safe and shouldn't be used (and not effective according to some) why don't they just pull it off the shelves?

I personally think the real issue w/the danger of the cold medicine has to do with the administration of it not the drug itself. I think that the dr. quoted in the article about parents thinking a drop isn't enough and a drop or two more won't hurt, hit the nail on the head. That is about overmedicating your child, not the med itself. And this can happen with a lot more meds than cold meds, it just that these are OTC so their more widely used.

My pediatrician has always recommended using Pediacare as needed for severe congestion. I used the amount he says and no more. I have never had an issue with any adverse effectives, certainly not anything that come close to life threatening.

I have found that it hleps my kids when they are really bad too. It bothers me that becuase some people can't follow directions they make is seem like it is bad for all kids.

Here is an article today that confirms my thoughts, they are pulling them off the market b/c of the stupid parents who can't follow dr.'s instructions about how much to give their kids. I am glad my boys are almost 2 so this won't be an issue for us much longer. It was hard enough to find something that did work for them and now it's not going to be available (we use the Pediacare decongestant).

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-071011cough-syrup-withdraw,0,7796836.story

"CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta said over-the-counter cold medicines can cause side effects such as sedation, irritability, allergy and heart abnormalities.

Instead of the drugs, Gupta said, parents of sick infants can use vaporizers or hydrators, saline nose drops, rubber nose bulbs, and chicken soup and other fluids to keep an infant hydrated"

http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/10/11/infant.drugs/index.html



My thoughts:
Not to be crass – but if you are an intelligent enough parent to use “alternative” means of treating your child – then over dosing is not an issue – and that make me a little irritated as well that they are removing these items from the shelves. I had to jump through too many hoops to get her meds for her GERD - I don't want to have to do the same thing everytime her cold progresses past "just the sniffels"

I will admit , that one of my biggest fears as we head through the rest of fall and into winter is Maddy getting sick. At our last visit Our Ped gave us a dosing chart – one that is weight based – and made it clear, that we could give the drops as we felt necessary. This was after I discussed even the slightest chance that she would have any kind of drug interaction with the Prevacid. (granted she looked at me a little crazy –but being a new mom, I would rather address it than just assume).

Additionally, I like to think that I am “alternative medicine/common sense” type of mom. I personally, try to stear clear of meds (for myself) and use the methods of hydration, rest, chicken soup, etc. Mainly because I have allergic reactions to many of the remedies out there on the market – particularly prescription remedies. And the last thing I want, is to put something in my little girls system and for her to have an adverse reaction to it.

(I must apologize, if I seem like I am rambeling, then I am sorry – I am having a day from hell here at the office – and 5pm does not seem to be coming fast enough)

Heather, I think the problem is that there appear to be a few too many parents out there that don't think like we do. Tragically, this has resulted in infant deaths, totally preventable if caution had been used when giving these meds to their kids.

Oh man...we've got a handful of the drugs listed on their recall. I've been using them, with the dosage given by the Dr, and they work well. With that said, I use the mininum dose and only when he really needs it. A humidifier with Vick's is running in his room during naps/bedtime too.

Like you wise ladies have already said, it gets back to the parents being aware of the dosage instructions and not overdoing it. I do think it's somewhat contradictory on the packaging. They call them "infant drops" but the dosage instructions say contact your Dr for under age 2. Ok...so if it's for infants, then it should have the proper infant dosing based on age/weight and so on - or just don't call them infant drops. I think that's part of the issue behind the recall. They are being recalled not b/c the medicine is bad or tainted, but b/c people can't follow the instructions.

for any of you that need something my pedi had told me the lowest line on the reg tylonal dropper is enough to give them of reg childrens cold tylonal... as the infant type was concentrated...what about the people who used that type because of it not having corn syrup... as reg infant tylonal did.... ????

This short video on MSNBC really explains things well....
http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=en-US&brand=msnbc&vid=323b897c-c030-4142-9d8c-6f76fe68ba08

Makes more sense to me...explains how it makes a big impact on kids under 2 vs kids over 2.

She says throw them away...I don't know. :dontknow: I've got a kid over 2 and I'm giving him a dose on the smaller end, not even the full dose for his age.

We have used the Triaminic strips and still have some Pediasure Cough medicine here for Noah. They do market them towards infants, even though the bottle says to contact your dr. under the age of 2. What we do is cut the dosage into 1/2 or even 1/4 and give it to him. Although at his weight, he could quite possibly be given a higher dosage. We just don't take that chance. Now I've never bought Benadryl because I worried about giving him something that would make him tired. Then the ped told us today to give him children's Benadryl. He told us the correct dosage though (and was more than I would have thought), but I still kinda feel funny giving it to him.

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN1133248720071011?pageNumber=1

Bear in mind, this is a voluntary recall.

To give a quick reference on medications affected: (read the article for details)


Medicines that are being recalled from the U.S. market include: Concentrated Infants' TYLENOL Drops Plus Cold; Concentrated Infants' TYLENOL Drops Plus Cold & Cough; PEDIACARE Infant Drops Decongestant (PSE); PEDIACARE Infant Drops Decongestant & Cough (PSE); PEDIACARE Infant Dropper Decongestant (PE); PEDIACARE Infant Dropper Long-Acting Cough; PEDIACARE Infant Dropper Decongestant & Cough (PE) products; Dimetapp Decongestant Plus Cough Infant Drops; Demetapp Decongestant Infant Drops; Little Colds Decongestant Plus Cough; Little Colds Multi-Symptom Cold Formula; Robitussin Infant Cough DM Drops; Triaminic Infant & Toddler Thin Strips Decongestant and Triaminic Infant & Toddler Thin Strips Decongestant Plus Cough.

FYI - I moved this to the Product Recalls forum.

Personally, I've been using Children's Triaminic (the Target generic) for Brenna based on our pediatrician's recommendation. He has also given me a dosage chart. I do know he doesn't recommend the infant/children's meds on a regular basis, due to stupid parents, but cuts me slack based on our professional relationship rather than our doctor/patient mommy relationship. I also use children's motrin and tylenol for pain relief, also with the doctor's permission and dosing chart.

This voluntary recall is TOTALLY due to stupid parents, not drug interactions, etc. Unfortunately, all will have to suffer through it. Unfortunately, this is a really bad time of year here in North America to start doing this. Frankly, I'm sure there will be some store brands left on the shelves at least for awhile. Maybe it's stock up time?!

Ugh, I saw this on the news last night and I was peeved.

Really, I've always thought it was incredibly stupid/misleading to label medications as "infant" when, in fact, they are intended for children over the age of 2. Granted, these are weight sensitive and nobody wants to overdose their kiddo; however, the vast majority of us do check with our docs first for correct dosage and I'm so sad that we have to stoop to the lowest common denomonator and pull these from the shelves. :angry7: Instead of pulling all the drugs, why not label them "toddler" or "young children" meds...or begin giving infant dosage charts based on WEIGHT?

I'm here to tell you that there are parents out there (and have been in the past) who will simply begin giving their kids smaller doses of adult remedies when the infant stuff goes away. What's next? I can't use NyQuil anymore when I have a cold because someone thought it would be a good idea to give it to her baby? :angry7: :angry7:

Oh, and like many of you, I have also seen some of these drugs give my kids relief from their worst symptoms. I've never found PediaCare to be all that effective; however, they Triaminic infant strips have worked wonders for us. Not only does it keep B from suffering from nasal congestion, it greatly reduces the amount of nasal-congestion-related-barfing. :-( *runs to go buy these before they're all pulled from the shelves*

Just went to drugstore.com after posting...the stuff's already gone/unavailable for purchase. :sad2: :sad2:

I think that it isn't always about overdosing on the label, but adding in other medicines, so people don't understand that cold and flu remedies also contain acetominophen, so they give tylenol and robotussin and thus they overdose.

Acetominophen overdosing is really, really bad, it is one of the worst ways that adults commit suicide as it shuts down the organs slowly and there is nothing you can do.

Most cold and flu remedies are a decongestant and a pain releiver, so you can still get the decongestant, get a day and night one, and then you can give the tylenol as needed.

The other thing they could do is dilute the cold and flu formula so that it isn't such a small dose, also less chance to overdose. We have infant drops and you don't have to give much, but once they are over one, it is like 7ml of tylenol per dose. A pain, but pretty sure you won't overdose by confusing .7 with 7ml KWIM?

I don't give the kids cold and flu remedies, they are not very popular here, and I am not even sure if we have them.

"I personally think the real issue w/the danger of the cold medicine has to do with the administration of it not the drug itself. I think that the dr. quoted in the article about parents thinking a drop isn't enough and a drop or two more won't hurt, hit the nail on the head. That is about overmedicating your child, not the med itself. And this can happen with a lot more meds than cold meds, it just that these are OTC so their more widely used."

My husband was classic for wanting to give the kids more than called for....he thought it would work better ...I would get so damn mad at him for thinking like that.....my kids had dimeatap and robbatussin...given to us by my FIL the Dr.

But the people who "overmedicated" with the infant meds, will now probably go out and buy the children's and/or adult stuff and give it to the children....

It's a damn shame that everyone has to pay due to the stupidity of some people not reading and following directions.

Maybe it's stock up time?!

I think so...with what we can find anyway. As of yesterday, Target still had some (I bought 1 box) but said on the news that they had not yet pulled it b/c corporate office had not told them too yet. I'm sure today things are different. I'll be curious to see how things are at my Walmart when I got to work this weekend.

Mary you make a very good point about the weight, that is really one of the major factors. I know that some of it has to do with liver function too, that the parents dosing too much can really be jeopardizing liver function since kids under 2 typically don't have totally mature livers (as per my very good friend who is a pharmacist).

I didn't even think about these same idiot parents actually going out and giving their kids the meds for older children and adults,that is just freaking scary.

Keep in mind though, this is for kids under 2 (given that their weight is okay).

I'd say they are just pulling the ones that say "Infant" on the box and will reprint the boxes to say "Toddler" or "Childrens". KWIM?