Cold Medicine

Cold medicine is not recommended for young children, especially infants due to serious risks. The best thing is to suction the baby's nose as often as you can and use a baby saline spray to help thin the secretions. Also, a humidifier in the baby's room when he sleeps helps him to breathe. You can also put a rolled towel under the mattress to raise it up so he's not laying flat. Hope this helps!

My pediatrician always recommends the child "wait it out" instead of taking meds for a cold. They say to give tylenol, and keep them hydrated, but that colds meds shouldn't be used with young children even if the bottle says it is.

Hi S.!

I have a 4 year old as well. Our pediatricians don't recommend using cold or cough medicine at all. My little one was recently sick, and I just gave her Jr. Motrin to keep her comfortable, and I resorted to the old standby--chicken soup! I swear it helps. I used popsicles to soothe her throat too. In my opinion, I think its better to just let the illness run its course. Good luck!

Children's Sudafed decongestant is still on the market although sometimes they keep it behind the counter. I still use it with my daughter.

As for the OTC medicines being pulled. That seemed to be the combination ones for cough and cold. Not the plain decongestants.

You got good responses so far,I add a few drops of tea tree oil in the vaporizor with my kids and it works great.We do use Dimetapp for stuffy noses when they need it.The problem with the OTC medicines,is many parents didn't read the label for the ingredients and many cough/cold medicines have acetophimin in them and then were also giving a pain reliever separatley,basically overdosing their children.With the Dimetapp,you can give a pain reliever when necessary.

Be careful with the Vicks Vaporub,it is poisonious if ingested,keep out the reach of your kids.

S.,

I have been learning alot about essential oils and using them, so I feel that is the way to go. Since you don't have any on hand tho they are not going to help immediately. For now I would recommend getting him to drink alot of water and eat as healthy as possible.

Feed him whatever fruits and veggies he will eat and cut out the breads and sugars(white foods).

Going forward try to get ahold of some therapeutic grade essential oils, for a decongestant, one that is recommended is called Eucalyptus globulus and diffusing it is a good way to use it for a young child. There is alot to share about oils so I can't do it all at once, I have an Essential oil desk reference and can look up most questions there.

Let me know if you have any more,
Take Care,
M.

I feel safest using vicks vapor rub on their chest and back. They even make a gentler scented kind for younger kids. I've heard you can put it on their feet if they don't like it on their chest but i haven't tried that myself to see if it works.
Hope your family feels better soon.

I'm leary about cold medications (my son is 2)
for our little ones, so I try some natural ideas. I give him a teaspon of honey a few times a day - it is a natural decongestant. Also, if he is up at night coughing I put vicks vapo rub on the bottom of his feet as well as his chest. This is an old remedy that I even use on myself. It's a bit goofy, but it has helped us in the past, although not every time...but it isn't going to hurt. Lastly, I run a vaporizor in the room too.

Hi S.,
I don't think they are really supposed to take any OTC medications now for colds. I would check with my pediatrician to see what they recommend. I used to like Little Colds decongestant, but now have a hard time finding it. Saline drops are a good, healthy choice to use for stuffed noses, too--if your son will cooperate--mine won't but I use saline drops myself. I would give him LOTS of clear fluids to loosen congestion (less milky stuff to drink), popsicles, jello, juice, soup, etc etc. Also, try the children's Vicks rub or the plug-ins. Run a cool mist humidifier in his room at night and try to prop him up on a few pillows so he can breathe better. Good luck--hope he feels better soon.

They say not to use cold medicine on little kids anymore but I still use Pediacare products on my children if it is really bad. Otherwise I just use saline nose sprays and that makes a world of difference coupled with a vaporizer in the room.

Hi S.. I have always used Dimetapp Products (Cold & Cough or Allergy) for my girls. The only side effects I have noticed from it is that in two of my girls it makes them sleepy (they will take a nap after getting a dose) or energized (it does that for my youngest!). Also, if you get really conjested you should try Mucinex DM (it has a cough suppressant too). My Dr. used to give me a percription for it (before it was OTC) and it works really really well! I think there is a children's Mucinex available now and if it is half as great as the adult strength you might want to try that. Summer colds are the worst! I feel for you, I just got over a really bad summer cold myself! Good luck and best wishes.

Rather than give cold medicine which can be tricky to dose a child so young, I suggest getting baby vicks. It is different than regular vicks, not as strong. I used this with my baby over the winter when he had a cold and it worked great. You rub it on his chest and back before bedtime and it helps them breathe.

w.

I would strongly suggest that you just go with the vaporizer in the room, vicks rub on the chest and back if needed, lots of fluids and the saline solution in the nose really helps. Both of my kids, ages 2 and 5, have stuffy noses and cough right now, but I am only giving them saline in the nose. Although they have a little noisy breathing when they sleep, they are doing fine. Hang in there. Maybe a littel Tylenol if he complains of headache.

I've read thru all the responses and am surprised that no one suggested the one medicine our pediatric practice has always sworn by- Benydryl. Even before the FDA recently made a statement about the ineffectiveness of childrens' cold medicines, our peds were against them. Benedryl works to dry up all of the secretions that cause the congestion, throat irritation and then the dreaded cough regardless of whether or not the cause is allergy related. It can also make them sleepy, which is usually a good thing when they are sick because they need their rest and usually have difficulty sleeping with a bad cold. However, my son is 2 1/2yrs. and can take it during the day without a heavy drowsy effect. I always felt safe with Benedryl for my kids, knowing that it was also one of the few things I was allowed to take myself when I was pregnant and had my own issues with congestion!

Benedryl comes in grape chewable tablets, too if you have a kid like mine who hates to take liquid meds. He thinks it's a Sweet Tart!

call the pediatrician about this. make sure to give him lots of liquids,especially water. when it comes to medicine call his doctor.

I've always either used Tylenol, Triaminic, or Dimatab. Sorry, I'm not sure how to spell those, but I'm sure you know what I mean. Actually, it's most times a generic brand of those if one's available. My daughter will be 4 in a month and I've given her those a few times now with no problems. She has allergies, so right now it's benedryl most nights so she doesn't wake up stuffy!

Hello S.,
The best thing you can do is using saline nose drops and a good mucus pump. Unless you child has fever, Tylenol for infants, in a recommended dosage, is appropriated. Always consult with your child's pediatrician to give any medication to your child. I had to do the saline drops and mucus pump for around two to three weeks and at night time I plugged one Baby Vick to relieve the congestion during sleeping time. In addition, elevating the head with a baby pillow during sleeping time and giving plenty of fluid during the day time will help, as well.It worked for me. Physicians, rarely, will tell you to use any medication, but let the cold go by itself.