What you need to know about cough and cold medicines for young children (Kids' Cold Medicines)

How sad do you feel as a parent when your little one has a cold, coughs continuously, has a stuffy nose, and has difficulty breathing? So, what many parents do at this time is to quickly go to the nearest pharmacy, buy a cough and cold syrup , and give it to their child. But did you know that these medicines that we give so easily are not very good, especially for children under 4 years old? In fact, these may do more harm than good to the child. Let's talk about this today.

What are these questionable medications?

Simply put, these are the over-the-counter medications that we buy from pharmacies without a prescription. These names may sound strange to you, but if you look at the back of many cough and cold syrup bottles that you give to your child, you will find these names. These can be divided into four main categories.

Why has there been a problem with giving this medicine to young children?

The main reason for this is that many of these medications are tested on adults and the results are applied to young children. But the most important thing we need to understand is that a young child's body is not a small copy of an adult's body. Since organs like the liver and kidneys are still developing in children, the way drugs work and are excreted in the body is completely different.

What are the possible risks of using this medicine?

First of all, the risk of serious harm from these medications is low. However, low risk does not mean there is no risk.

According to statistics, thousands of young children are admitted to the Emergency Department (ETU) every year due to these types of medications. Most of these cases occur because children drink these syrups themselves without the supervision of their parents.

Imagine this scenario. Around midnight, your child starts coughing violently. You get up in a panic and give him a small amount of cough syrup. After a while, when the child's nose feels stuffy, you give him another syrup for colds. You don't know that both types of syrup may contain the same active chemical. What happens then is that the child unknowingly receives an overdose of the medicine. This can cause the child's heart rate to increase and even cause dangerous side effects such as fits.

The doctors' argument is this: If there is no clear evidence that these medications will benefit the child, it is unnecessary to take even the slightest risk.

So what should we do? Isn't it better to give this medicine to the child?

Let's clearly understand the current recommendations in this regard.

• For children under 2 years of age: Do not give cough or cold medicine from the pharmacy for any reason, unless recommended by your doctor.
• Adult medications: Never give adult medications to young children. Always use only medications that are specifically formulated for children.
• Mixing medications: If your child is taking medication for another condition, do not give any new medication without first asking the doctor.
• Dosage: Follow the directions on the medicine box exactly. Use the measuring spoon, cup, or `dropper` that comes with it. Do not use household teaspoons, as they vary in size.
• Medical advice: If the symptoms do not improve within a few days or worsen, be sure to take the child to a doctor.

Well, what can be done for a child's illness without medicine?

There is no magic cure for a child's cold or cough. However, there are many safe things we can do to provide relief to our child.

• For babies under 3 months: See a doctor immediately at the first sign of illness. Children this age have very weak immune systems.
• Treating fever: If there is a fever, ask your doctor for an appropriate medicine (usually `Paracetamol`). Do not give `Ibuprofen` type medicine if the child is under 6 months old, vomiting or dehydrated. Do not give `Aspirin` to small children or young children for any reason. It can cause a very dangerous and rare condition called `Reye's syndrome`.
• Honey: Giving a teaspoon of honey to children over one year of age for coughs and sore throats is very beneficial. However, giving honey to babies under one year of age is strictly prohibited. It can cause a poisoning called `Infant Botulism`.
• Saline drops: Use saline drops or spray to remove thick mucus from your child's nose.
• Fluids: Give plenty of fluids like warm water, soup, and porridge to thin mucus and prevent dehydration.
• A humidifier: It is a good idea to use a humidifier to add moisture to the air in the room where your baby sleeps.
• Elevate the head : To reduce nasal congestion, keep the head slightly elevated when putting the baby to sleep.
• Difficulty breathing: If your child makes a whistling sound (wheezing) when breathing, see a doctor immediately.

The most important thing is to give your child your love and care. A cold is something that will get better on its own in a few days. The medicines we give for it may only put the child at unnecessary risk.

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