Kids Getting Lots of Cough and Cold Drugs
BOSTON (UPI) -- Despite reports of adverse effects, even death, a study found during any week at least one cough and cold medication is used by 10 percent of U.S. children. Lead author Dr. Louis Vernacchio of Boston University School of Medicine said exposures to cough and cold medications were found to be highest among children age 2 to 5, but was also high among children under 2 years of age. "Given concerns about potential harmful effects and lack of evidence proving that these medications are effective in young children, the fact that 1:10 U.S. children is using one of these medications is striking," Vernacchio said in a statement. The researchers analyzed data from 1999 to 2006 taken from the Slone Survey -- a national telephone survey of medication use in a representative sample of the U.S. population. The researchers considered all oral medicines that are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat children's coughs and colds. Among all the products used, 64.2 percent contained more than one active ingredient. The most commonly used product types were single-ingredient antihistamines, antihistamine/decongestant combinations and antihistamine/decongestant/anti-cough combinations. The findings were presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies & Asian Society for Pediatric Research Joint Meeting in Honolulu.
BOSTON (UPI) -- Despite reports of adverse effects, even death, a study found during any week at least one cough and cold medication is used by 10 percent of U.S. children. Lead author Dr. Louis Vernacchio of Boston University School of Medicine said exposures to cough and cold medications were found to be highest among children age 2 to 5, but was also high among children under 2 years of age. "Given concerns about potential harmful effects and lack of evidence proving that these medications are effective in young children, the fact that 1:10 U.S. children is using one of these medications is striking," Vernacchio said in a statement. The researchers analyzed data from 1999 to 2006 taken from the Slone Survey -- a national telephone survey of medication use in a representative sample of the U.S. population. The researchers considered all oral medicines that are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat children's coughs and colds. Among all the products used, 64.2 percent contained more than one active ingredient. The most commonly used product types were single-ingredient antihistamines, antihistamine/decongestant combinations and antihistamine/decongestant/anti-cough combinations. The findings were presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies & Asian Society for Pediatric Research Joint Meeting in Honolulu.
Copyright 2008 by United Press International
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