What Medication Do You Give Your Kiddos When They Have a Cold?

Updated on April 26, 2007
S.R. asks from Lake in the Hills, IL
12 answers

Our 4.5 yo has a horrible cold. What is your favorite OTC medication for stuffy nose, sore throat, etc? Thanks!

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

Featured Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.W.

answers from Chicago on

Hi
I use CounterAct Children's Fever Reducer & Pain Reliever and also CounterAct Cold & Cough from Melaleuca. We get the preferred customer pricing so it's economical and it works faster than OTC brands. I don't have to buy a cold and cough for my little ones...it's safe for the whole family which means it saves us money. That's always a plus.

~M.

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.L.

answers from Rockford on

Tylenol cold and cough

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.

answers from Chicago on

One thing not mentioned that has worked really well for us is the Pedicare Plug-Ins to help vaporize the room.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.K.

answers from Chicago on

Ask your ped. before using anything so called natural....the FDA does not regulate these products and my Dr. told me to stop using a product that I thought was natural and so it could not hurt...not the case.

We use the vaporizor/humidifier, plug ins that smell like vicks and vicks on the chest....at bedtime I use triaminic cold and cough...which does not include the drug included in one of your other responses.
Good Luck!
K.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.S.

answers from Chicago on

I also use the Tylenol brand. But my main focus is to get whatever medication is specific to his symptoms. Check out this website (if you have not already) I have gotten alot of info on there....http://www.askdrsears.com/html/8/T089900.asp

when my son gets sick that is the first place I look for what to give him or how to treat him.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

B.P.

answers from Chicago on

Children's Dimetap. Our prediatrician recommended this and it works very well. It does make them fall asleep though. The other one I like really well is Children's Benadryl D. Be sure it's the Benadryl "D" - that one reduces the swollen nasel tissues too. It can be hard to find sometimes. It's behind the pharmacy counter. It too will cause of drowsiness.

Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.C.

answers from Chicago on

My new favorite thing is the Triaminic thin strips. They are little strips that you just have them put on their tongues and they disolve almost instantly. They think they are cool, and don't really mind the taste. They have always stopped runny noses, which in turn stops coughing most of the time. (These strips were not on the list below and I checked the label too.) The only thing they don't do is to reduce fever. For for a fever with cold, we have always relied on Tylenol products and had pretty good success. For sore throats, camomile tea (with lots of honey of course) is something my kids (ages 7 & 3) actually ask for that does work for a little while. I've also recently had a conversation with our Pediatrician and he doesn't like giving the kiddies anything but says that the most important thing is to not mix any medicines because mixing has been linked to several deaths by overdose since parents didn't realize both medicines had some of the same ingredients. The other thing he preached was to have a clean humidifier in their room. Hope your little one feels better soon! ~ K.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.C.

answers from Chicago on

The doctor probably tell you not to give your child anything, but I am a fan of sleeping at night. I suggest a dose of the Tylenol Multi-Symtom for one or two nights. I usually try not to give more than two or three doses because doctors say something about overdrying the membrane can cause an ear infection. I also use the saline spray to keep everything moist. Hope this helps, it has been working for me and my three year old.:)

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.D.

answers from Chicago on

I can give you this much info,

Hi Everyone

I am passing this email forwarded to me this morning. It's about a
medication that is familiar to many of us. Note also the FDA 's comments at
the end of the message.

I received this information from a friend whose mother recently passed away.

Apparently, this was caused by a medication that is deadly. Here are the
details and I suggest you pass it on to your loved ones and others.

Subject: Phenylpropanolamine (PPA)

I would like to thank those of you who expressed condolences on the
recent passing of my mother. She suffered a hemorrhagic stroke while she
was driving home from my house on 7/30 and passed away on 8/3. My mother's
stroke and passing wa s an enormous shock to my family because she did not
have any symptoms or risk factors for a stroke. Just the week before she had gone to her doctor for a check up and received a clean bill of health. She did, however, develop a cold while she was visiting me and had
taken Alka Seltzer Cold Plus for 3 days. Since her passing, we have learned
that Alka Seltzer is one of the many cold medicines that contains
Phenylpropanolamine (PPA) which can cause hemorrhagic stokes or cerebral
bleeding even with the first use. I am forwarding a list of other
medications that currently use PPA. These medicines are supposedly being
recalled but my mother just purchased this medication less than two weeks
ago. Pharmaceutical companies have known about this danger for years, we
unfortunately, did not.

I urge you to review the list of medicines with PPA listed in detail below and avoid these
medications. All drugs containing PHENYLPROPANOLAMINE are dangerous. You may want to try ca lling the 800 number listed on most drug boxes and inquire
about a REFUND. Please read this CAREFULLY. Also, please pass this on to
everyone you know. STOP TAKING anything containing this ingredient. It has
been linked to increased hemorrhagic stroke (bleeding in brain) among women
ages 18-49 in the three days after starting use of medication. Problems were not found in men, but the FDA recommended that everyone (even children) seek alternative medicine.

The following medications contain Phenylpropanolamine:

Acutrim Diet Gum Appetite Suppressant

Acutrim Plus Dietary Supplements

Acutrim Maximum Strength Appetite Control

Alka-Seltzer Plus Children's Cold Medicine Effervescent

Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold medicine (cherry or or ange)

Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold Medicine Original

Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold & Cough Medicine Effervescent

Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold & Flu Medicine

Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold & Sinus Effervescent

Alka Seltzer Plus Night-Time Cold Medicine

BC Allergy Sinus Cold Powder

BC Sinus Cold Powder

Comtrex Flu Therapy & Fever Relief

Day & Night Contac 12-Hour Cold Capsules

Contac 12 Hour Caplets

Coricidin D Cold, Flu & Sinus

Dexatrim Caffeine Free

Dexatrim Extended Duration

Dexatrim Gelcaps

Dexatrim Vitamin C/Caffeine Free

Dimetapp Cold & Allergy Chewable Tablets

Dimetapp Cold & Cough Liqui-Gels

Dimetapp DM Cold & Cough Elixir

Dimetapp Elixir

Dimetapp 4 Hour Liquid Gels

Dimetapp 4 Hour Tablets

Dimetapp 12 Hour Extentabs Tablets

Naldecon DX Pediatric Drops

Permathene Mega-16

Robitussin CF

Tavist-D 12 Hour Relief of Sinus & Nasal

Congestion

Triaminic DM Cough Rel! ief

Triaminic Expectorant Chest & Head

T riaminic Syrup ! ! Cold & amp;am p; Allergy

Triaminic Triaminicol Cold & Cough

I just found out and called the 800# on the container for Triaminic and they informed me that they are voluntarily recalling the following medicines
because of a certain ingredient that is causing strokes and seizures in
children:

Orange 3D Cold & Allergy Cherry (Pink)

3D Cold & Cough Berry

3D Cough Relief Yellow 3D Expectorant

They are asking you to call them at 800-548-3708 with the lot number on the box so they can send you postage for you to send it back to them, and they will also issue you a refund. If you know of anyone else with small
children,

PLEASE PASS THIS ON. THIS IS SERIOUS STUFF!
I checked this out on truthorfiction.com. Everything is true except the refund for any of these products,RA
DO PASS ALONG TO ALL ON YOUR MAILING LIST so people are
informed. They can then pass it along to their families.

To confirm these findings please take time to check the following:

http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/ppa/

I know it is long, but i think people should know about this. I give my kids robitussen. You will have to look on the box for the dm orsomething else. there is one for colds and being stuffy. It always works on my 3 and 5 year old. I hoped that works for you. Please let me know if it does. My email is ____@____.com luck.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.J.

answers from Chicago on

try something homeopathic like COLDCALM. Any health food store would be able to help you pick something out that is suitable for a young child. They work really well when you use the right thing, and they are the safest thing out there. Worst case scenario, it doesn't work, you can also give your child a conventional decongestant without worrying about drug interactions. Also, holding a towel over your head over some boiling water works like a charm! For the sore throat try slippery elm. There are products out there that make it taste pretty good, like cherry or something and it is not as sugary and actually helps the throat. Good Luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.S.

answers from Chicago on

I like Tylenol Cold-It helps with everything you mentioned. I have used it for my son since he was 3 years old, and it always seems to work for us.
~J.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.U.

answers from Chicago on

It sounds like Little Remedies has a medicine, just for what you explained. I don't like to give medicine for symptoms that they dont have.

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions

Related Searches