Cough Medicines and Children: What You Need to Know

When our children get sick, we want to do everything we can to make them feel better. Many times, the first thing we think of is to give them medications to treat their symptoms. But what is the best treatment for your child if they have a cough or cold? According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), you should not give children younger than two years of age cough or cold medication, as it could do more harm than good.

A recent report by the Pediatric Cough and Cold Safety Surveillance System, which tracks fatal child poisonings, found 40 deaths linked to medications. Of these medications, they found that the most concerning ones contained diphenhydramine, a common antihistamine found in cough medicines. This medication has a tendency to make people tired, but when given to young children, it can sometimes have an adverse reaction and act as a stimulant.

Medications with antihistamines should not be given to young children because there is very little evidence suggesting that it helps their cough or cold, and instead can cause dangerous side effects. For that reason, it is usually best for parents and caregivers to let the cough or cold run its course instead of using cough or cold over-the-counter (OTC) medications.

If you are concerned your child is not getting better, please contact your health care provider for more information. If you think your child might have accidentally taken too much medication or is having an adverse reaction to anything taken, please do not hesitate to call the Texas Poison Center Network at 1-800-222-1222. Nurses and pharmacists are available to answer your calls around the clock for anything involving poisons.  They are always there to help you when you need it the most.