Is It Safe To Give Cold and Cough Medicine to babies?

Introduction 

Most colds occurring in children often don’t result in any major difficulties. But they make the parents anxious and stressed. 

People would want to treat the child’s cold with medication. However, most kids will recover on their own, and taking a cough or cold drugs won’t change the way a cold develops naturally or hasten its recovery.

Certain cough and cold medications can also have side effects, like slowing breathing, which can be fatal, especially in newborns and young children. 

Due to these factors, it’s important to understand when a child requires medication, the best course of treatment, and when to stay away from medication.

Cold and cough in babies 

The common cold, often known as an upper respiratory infection, is one of the most prevalent infections in kids. 

Most kids will get at least 6–8 colds every year. These cases are more common in children who go to daycare or preschool.

The frequency of colds may decline from age 6.

Children are more susceptible to colds throughout the fall and winter.

Cold medicines for babies 

Young children might have side effects from taking oral over the counter (OTC) cough and cold medications. 

Children under the age of four should not take over-the-counter cough and cold medications.

When a child is between the ages of 4 and 6 years old, the use of only doctor-prescribed cough medicine is advisable.

After the age of six, using cough medicines is safe. Just be sure to read the directions on the packaging on the appropriate dosage of medication to administer.

One may also treat young children’s coughs and colds without using these medications.

When to give cold and cough medicines to babies? 

Over the counter (OTC) medications can be used to treat cold and cough symptoms. Since OTC medications have the potential to cause side effects, the FDA does not recommend them for use in children under the age of 2. 

Certain cough and cold medicines have the disclaimer “Do not use in children under the age of four” on the labels.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) only allows children who are at least 4 years old to take over-the-counter cold and cough medications, and even then, only with a paediatrician’s prescription. 

If not, the AAP advises delaying giving children specially formulated cold medications until they are 6 years old (and never without a doctor’s prescription).

Numerous chemicals in OTC cough and cold medications can result in unintentional overdose. 

Children may be harmed by non-prescription cough and cold remedies if

• They consume more medication than is necessary or overuse the medication.
• They use multiple products that contain the same medication. For example, using acetaminophen-containing cough and cold medication along with an acetaminophen-containing pain reliever.

How to treat cold in children? 

Coughing is a common sign of a cold which helps protect the lungs and remove mucus from the airways. Drinking plenty of fluids, especially warm beverages to ease the throat, is one of the non-drug remedies for coughs.

The following recommendations from the US Food and Drug Administration can help children and infants with their cold and cough symptoms:

• Children must be advised and encouraged to drink adequate water to maintain hydration.

• Saline sprays or drops – This helps moisturise the nasal passageways and prevent stuffiness.

• Nasal suctioning with a bulb syringe – Nasal suctioning with a bulb syringe or a similar device, with or without saline nose drops, is effective for children under a year old. Yet, older children also frequently resist bulb syringes.

• A cool mist humidifier – This helps people breathe more easily by reducing nasal congestion. Warm-mist humidifiers should not be used as they can irritate the nasal passages and make breathing more difficult.

• To relieve fever, aches, and pain, acetaminophen or ibuprofen can be taken. A pharmacist or healthcare professional can help with providing the right dosage. A parent should also carefully read and follow the directions on the Drug Information label for the medication.

Home remedies for cold 

If a child has a runny nose, use a bulb syringe to remove the liquid from the child’s nose or have them blow their nose. 

For children aged between three months to one year 

• Infants with a common cold may feed more slowly due to breathing difficulty. To prevent this, try to suction the nose before bottle feeding or breastfeeding.

• Use a damp cotton swab to remove sticky mucus from around the nose if it is sticky.

• Infants under one year old should not be given honey for coughing as it may exacerbate symptoms and result in infant botulism.

For children aged 1 and older

• Use 2 to 5 mL of honey as per the doctor’s suggestion. The honey helps to relax the cough and thin the mucus. According to studies, honey is more effective than commercial cough syrups at reducing the frequency and severity of nighttime coughing.

• One can apply a thick coating of mentholated rub to the skin across the chest and neck (over the throat) of children 2 years and older. As with any medication, carefully follow the instructions and store the medication out of a child’s reach while using it.

Other remedies for easing a child’s cold symptoms

• Drink a lot of water – Make an effort to maintain hydration in a child. When the body has adequate water, the mucus it produces thins, making coughing and blowing the nose easier. 

• When the child has a cold, a parent can keep them hydrated by giving them breast milk, formula milk or water. Breast milk or formula feed is usually sufficient for newborns under the age of six months who have colds.

• Breast milk has significant immunity-boosting qualities in addition to hydrating an infant.

• Use a humidifier at home when the air is too dry. In addition to making the airway less dry, moist air prevents nasal mucus from drying out. Another way to make the air less dry is to give the child a warm shower for a while.

When to visit a doctor? 

A parent might be curious about giving their child cold medicine and when their child requires medical attention for a cold. Set up a consultation with the child’s paediatrician if,

• The kid has breathing difficulty
• Blue lips
• Headache
• Chronic earache
• The child isn’t eating, is underweight or is exhibiting dehydration symptoms.
• The child appears to have an earache or is pulling on their ear continuously.
• A kid has a temperature greater than 101°F (38.3°C) (or for any fever if they are under 3 months old) for more than 24 hours. 
• The child appears to be severely ill, or if the symptoms are too severe or long-lasting.
• The condition worsens or lasts longer than 10 days.
• There is wheezing, rapid breathing, ribs protruding with each breath, expansion of the nostrils, or shortness of breath, which signifies laboured breathing.
• A child shows signs of dehydration when neither eating nor drinking (such as decreased urination).
• Excessive sleepiness.

Conclusion 

Medicine can ease the discomfort of some common cold symptoms but cannot treat the illness. Over-the-counter medications can assist with pain and symptoms of the common cold, such as runny noses, coughs and fevers.

Parents are advised against providing medication for a child’s cold, even though they might offer some temporary relief.

There isn’t much proof that over-the-counter cold remedies are more effective than at-home remedies. A child may face adverse side effects from cold drugs, and the AAP warns against using them in kids under the age of four. 

For children between the ages of 4 and 6, over-the-counter cold or cough medications can be given with a doctor’s prescription.

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