Over the counter cold medications are no longer being recommended for children under the age of four. This article in SF Chronicle outlines the new agreement between drug companies and the Food and Drug Administration. Pediatricians have been concerned with the use of these over the counter medications in children ages two to six because there is no validity to symptom reduction and young children are at risk to adverse reactions.
This article seems to suggest that the greater concern by pediatricians is a parent's misuse of the medications, fears of overdose, or the risk of a child taking the medication accidentally. Especially at risk are children age two to three.
Cold medication as with any medication, or potentially poisonous substance, should be safely out of reach of children. Parents need to check with their pediatrician for treatment recommendations and when to seek additional care, regardless of the latest cold symptom pitch.
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