Caution Giving Children Cough and Cold Medicines
posted in - Health tips, - Palmdoc |Dr. Chin sent this in:
I wonder if you can put this on MMR website. I know I might not be popular with private GPs, but I have children’s safety at heart. I have cared for a few children been ventilated in the past 2 years in Malaysia due to toxicity of cough medicine, although no death as in USA.
KKM has issued a letter this year, similar to FDA warning, not to use cough and cold medicine for under age of 2 years. As I did my very first locum a few days ago, I got hold of all cough medicine drug data in the clinic, in fact, no dosing recommendation for under 2 years on all of them.
Here’s the Youtube video link:
Parents and caregivers be warned. Cough and cold medicines should not be given to kids under the age of 2. These can even be bought OTC (over the counter) and include decongestants, expectorants, antihistamines, and antitussives (cough suppressants) for the treatment of coughs and colds. The reason for this warning is that a wide variety (albeit uncommon) of serious adverse events have been reported with cough and cold products when used in the young. These adverse effects include death, convulsions, rapid heart rates, and decreased levels of consciousness.
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December 15th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Anyone interested in overseas college recommendations:
AAP: http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/ear-nose-throat/Pages/Caring-for-a-Child-with-a-Viral-Infection.aspx
BTS guidelines: http://www.brit-thoracic.org.uk/clinical-information/cough.aspx
KKM warning letter dated July 2009. The following medicine not for use under 2 years and used with caution 2-6 years. I am sure you don’t want to be sued.
Antihistamines- Brompheniramine
-Chlorpheniramine (Piriton)
- Clemastine
-Dexbrompheniramine
-Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
-Pheniramine
-Promethazine (Phenergan)
-Triprolidine (Actifed)
Antitussives- Dextromethorphan
- Diphenhydramine
Decongestants- Ephedrine
-Phenylephrine
-Pseudoephedrine