I think every parent knows that you don’t give cold and/or cough medicine to your baby if they’re under 2, and if you’re not sure - It usually says it right on the package. But with all the recent press about babies and toddlers getting sick from being over medicated by OTC medicine, the FDA has changed its guidelines and will be adding new warning labels stating that children under 4 should not get OTC cold or cough medicine. (You can read more here)

Now don’t get me wrong - added warnings and safety measures are never a bad thing! But if we’re talking about parents not reading labels, than that’s an entirely different story.

But how much of this has been proven? Has it been shown that kids under 4 are at risk due to the actual medications or is it more because of parents, too anxious to medicate their children at the first sign of a runny nose or a cough aren’t paying attention to the labels and warning and putting their own children at risk?

Like any medicine, there are always potential side effects I suppose. But if there’s a question regarding any medication, or if I gave my child some OTC medicine for a cough or cold and noticed even the slightest adverse reaction or change in his behavior, I would be on the phone with his pediatrician in a heart beat!

In all, the simple guideline are:

Parents should never:

• Give adult medicines to a child.
• Give two or more medicines with the same ingredients at the same time.
• Give antihistamines to make a child sleepy.

Parents should:

• Give the exact recommended dose, using the measuring device that comes with the medicine.
• Keep OTC medicines out of sight and out of reach.
• Consult their doctor if they have any questions.