| An advisory panel of scientists and doctors advised | | | | long term studies done to show that these |
| the FDA to recommend that over the counter cough | | | | medications are safe and effective for what they |
| and cold medicines should NOT be used for children | | | | claim they are safe and effective for. |
| under 6 years old? | | | | So, while their is ZERO evidence that cough and cold |
| It's true. They determined that their is no scientific | | | | medicines work for children and there is ZERO safety |
| evidence of their effectiveness and that their | | | | data on them, doctors continue to recommend them |
| effectiveness on children was "assumed" because of | | | | to parents while claiming that everything that they |
| studies done on adults. | | | | do has a scientific basis to it. But if you think that |
| The FDA, the agency that was created to protect | | | | these medications have been used by thousands of |
| us- took this information from its advisory board and | | | | parents for years without any problem, think again. |
| made a formal announcement. | | | | Many of these over the counter medications have |
| They recommended that these medications not be | | | | put plenty of children in the hospital with normal use. |
| given to children under 2 years old! | | | | And do you remember Reyes Syndrome? Reyes |
| Not 6 years old, as the evidence showed, but 2 | | | | syndrome is a serious disease that was given to |
| years old. The 'evidence' for THIS recommendation | | | | children when parents gave them aspirin for fever. |
| was borne simply out of thin air and not science.In | | | | That's why so called "baby aspirin" is not given to |
| the meantime, Canada has made a formal statement | | | | babies anymore. There were thousands of children |
| that they do not recommend using these medications | | | | that became ill with Reyes Syndrome after parents |
| on children under 6 years old as the evidence bears | | | | gave their children with fevers a "baby aspirin" to |
| out. | | | | bring their fever down. The 'traditional' wisdom was |
| So, what does this mean for you and your child. This | | | | wrong then, is it wrong now? We don't really know, |
| means that you are absolutely putting your child at | | | | but what we DO know, is that we don't really know |
| risk if you give them cough and cold medicines if | | | | much about how these medications effect children. |
| they are under 6 years old. You are essentially | | | | Just another reason to make sure that you do your |
| gambling as to whether these medications could | | | | OWN research when it comes to the health of |
| cause your child harm or not. There have been NO | | | | yourself and your children. |