Today I found this article on children's' cold medicine very disturbing. Not so much that I went upstairs and threw out my Triaminic, but I will seriously consider every dose I give my children in the future. The most upsetting new information I found was that pediatric cold medicines have never been tested on children. That seems beyond irresponsible. It's like the FDA said, "Whoops... we forgot to make sure these products are safe for kids. They're ok for adults, so we just assumed smaller doses for children was the way to go. Sorry mom and dad." Now that the FDA has determined these medicines have no real effect on cold symptoms in children, it seems possible the pharmaceutical companies have been conducting tests all along, only it was on the public without our knowledge.
The timing of this article is not well received at our house as we are about to embark on the cold and flu season and with three kids under 8 years old, we have a lot of colds each year. It has also raised my uncertainty on flu shots again. I really disagree with giving my children live flu viruses, especially when the vaccine is based on the flu strains from last year. However, knowing that there won't be anything to alleviate their symptoms if they get the flu, I may just give in and have the family vaccinated.
Having children is an incredible responsibility and requires undivided attention. As I look at my precious babies right now, they are completely vulnerable and trust me for everything that is put in or on their bodies. I feel I may have failed them in not completely researching the over the counter medicines I've given them since birth. It's a scary thought, and one I might have to ask their forgiveness for if they suffer any adverse effects in their future.
Update:
Since reading this article (and calming down a bit) I've done some more thinking about the effectiveness of pediatric cold medicines. As a child, my brother had severe chronic sinusitis and my mom gave him Triaminic to alleviate his headaches. It worked. Fast forward about 30 years to my kids and a cold. The pediatrician recommends Triaminic as a decongestant and I remember, "Hey, my mom used that on us... I can't believe it's still around!" I went to Walmart and voila, there it was! So now I'm thinking, if some of these products have been around for decades and moms are still buying them, they must be doing something right!
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4 comments:
The flu shots are more scary to me than the cold medicine! Here's a link that has some of the info I've learned over the years: http://www.pacifichealthcenter.com/updates/61.asp
Health food stores carry TONS of this stuff called Oscillococcinum. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscillococcinum
Without going into all the ins and outs of homeopathic medicine, it works. And the flu is not such a big, scary thing. Another thing that helps a TON is elderberry - if you take it right when you start to feel bad, it supports your immune system and sometimes you don't get sick at all.
Like you were saying, we all have to make our own choices for our families, but I thought I would share what has worked for us! :)
I've found the best way to combat the run-of-the-mill cold is with sleep, a cold mist humidifier and lots and lots of fluids. However, I did occasionally give my kids a decongestant at night to help them sleep with their mouth closed! I was surprised at how naive I was to just give my kids something because it was on the shelf at the pharmacy.
And I agree, the flu shots are not very reassuring which is one reason we haven't received them in the past.
Thanks for the info... I'll have to make a trip to the health food store soon.
I don't know if they make it for kids but I swear by Zicam for avoiding or getting rid of a cold. It has saved me so many times! As soon as I know I'm getting a cold (aches, sore throat, runny nose) and I start taking it, it gets rid of it within 24 hours. And it's homeopathic.
I love Zicam too. I'll look into it for kids because I know it works!
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