Infant Cold Medicine Recall

It does seem counterintuitive that the reaction to potential misuse is to pull the product from the market. What’s next, selling only precooked ground beef?

http://blogs.webmd.com/healthy-children/2007/10/infant-cough-cold-drugs-withdrawn.html

where do you return this?Or are you just supposed to throw it out? this medicine is not cheap.

I am an LPN and I strongly believe that they should figure out the right doses for these medicines and label the packaging accordingly. I do believe if these drugs are pulled off the market that many parents will try to guess the right dose of medicine that is not intended for infant use. Many parents relly on OTC drugs especially those that can’t afford insurance or proper health care.

I find it hard to believe that in this day and age we cannot take the time to ensure our children’s safety by an appropriate dosage. It saddens me that these companies believe by pulling the products and making a statement everything is well again and forgotten. Where are the genuine people of years ago who actually cared and took consideration for our children. Big company, Big money. No time for our children. Thank you, to those who honestly do care to help them. I pray these companies label correct dosages or there will be far worse concequences.

I am an OTC manager in a pharmacy and I see mothers and fathers buying these medications for their children every day. What will they have to do now? Buy adult medications and try to guess the dosage? This is ridiculious. With the knowledge that we have in our society, I would be ashamed if I couldn’t come up with a better excuse than this.

Is this no surprise? Tylenol had never been a proper medicine to give anyone. One quick dose of medicine in each tablet could stop your heart. They say its safe to take while pg. Not true – I have a child who cannot take medicine at all because of the effect of Tylenol during pregnancy. (Doctor prescribed)

Good riddance to a troublesome medicine.

I think this is ridiculous. The medicine is being yanked because some parents can’t or won’t read dosage charts. When my daughters were babies there was a problem of people giving infant medicine to older children. They were using the dosage chart on the older childrens medicine but using infant meds (which are more concentrated). Nothing got pulled then. People need to take responsibility for their actions and not blame others. Maybe I should sue the paper company because I got a paper cut the other day. It could be dangerous.
I am in no way trivializing tragedy that has happened in peoples lives because of misuse of medicine. I do believe that it is wrong that the FDA is taking medicine off the shelves that they themselves say is safe.

I have a daycare center and parents will authorize us to dispense medication. It is our policy to not dispense infant medication without a legible doctor’s note for the correct dosage. Infants weights are so different and you cannot afford to guess-timate the correct dosage. I have upset alot of parents, but hopefully they understand and will call their physician next time.

I have only used OTC medicines for my infant (over 1 yr. old) using the recommended dosage per his pediatrician. I have even given him “Children’s” Mucinex & Dimetapp with a small dosage recommended by the Dr. It’s also important to note that this recall is “voluntary” for now, it has not been ordered by the FDA…at least not yet.

What are the consequences of this recall? My daughter (23 Months) just went through 2 bottles of Little Colds Multi Symptom Medicine after getting hit with a tough cold. What do I do with the extra bottle I bought? Should I be detoxing my daughter?

My child just turn 1, and I have always use Tylenol and PediaCare brands for all his colds and sickness with his doctor’s approval and correct dosage. I am happy to say I like their products because I always see improvement in his colds. So does this mean that Tylenol and PediaCare will be no longer available to use? I would like to know if I have to switch to Motrin or Robtussin. Anyone??

So does this mean that Tylenol and PediaCare will be no longer available to use? I would like to know if I have to switch to Motrin or Robtussin. Anyone??

Robitussin products have already been recalled too in yesterday’s expanded recalls and I bet a recall of Motrin and every other brand ‘Infant’ cold medicines will soon follow.

And yes, Infant cold medicines that have been recalled will no longer be available for purchase on pharmacy shelves.

some parents can’t or won’t read dosage charts

The problem is that there are no dosage charts for infants and toddlers for most medicines. Triaminic and some other cold medicines used to publish ‘professional dosing guidelines’ for pediatricians, which they could pass on to parents, but most stop doing that last year – I bet because of liability concerns.

I think the doctors will beniefit from this cause now that we have no medicine to give our babies there will be more doctors visits to get prescription medicine for our kids

I have been a Certified Pharmacy Technician for 10 years and a mother for the last 7. I am outraged by this recall. I believe..no I know that parents are going to buy children (not infant) and adult versions of these medications and try to adjust the dosage for infants and toddlers. This is more dangerous than leaving the products on the market in my opinion. I also think this is going to lead to overwhelmed doctors’ offices and pharmacy-when everyone is busting the doors down for inappropriate prescription medication and antibiotics. The FDA needs to quit micromanaging the healthcare system. The charts that the doctor mentioned above are available if you look for them and if you can’t find one-call your PHARMACIST!! Maybe there is an answer right there..why not allow these medications to be available OTC in a pharmacy only- where parents can be counseled and advised on appropriate dosages and not sold in “dollar stores”, convienence stores and gift shops etc. A pharmacist can also help parents find the best OTC product for the symptoms the child is experiencing.
In almost every town there is a forgotten fountain of knowledge-usally in the back of the grocery store in a corner, wearing a white jacket.

This is another attempt to legislate 100% of risk from our lives and a continued dumbing down of America. Those who use these medications properly are punished because a few people can’t. The down side is now medications NOT intended for kids will likely be substituted for the infant versions by the same idiots who caused this problem. I am offended that another choice I should get to make as a parent is taken away by someone else.

I have another idea..why doesn’t the commissioner of the FDA (who is a MD by the way) post his home and cell numbers on his website- so that at 3 am when you kid is up sick, you can give him a call for advice. The only number I could find was for his office. Call Andrew C. von Eschenbach MD at 301-496-4000. Remember he works for us.

It only takes 1/1000 to make people freak out. From sids to meds to babies drinking water. Maybe we should carry them around in a bubble so they’ll never get sick. Everyones worried about covering their behind on the off chance something might happen. Everybodys body chemistry and situation is different. There is no way of knowing things can happen until they do. Bless the people this affected but it cant scare everyone. Otherwise we should never leave our homes because we might get in a wreck or murdered.

My son (turns 2 in December) has been taking regular Children’s Triaminic and Claritin for the last year. The pediatrician was the one to suggest it and gave us the correct dosage, so I feel confident in that I am not overdosing. If anything, I’m UNDERdosing since I haven’t increased the dosage yet.

I’m aggravated at the FDA for putting all the pressure on the drug companies and at the drug companies for caving when it’s the parents who need to take responsibility in this situation. Don’t overdose your child. Ask the child’s pediatrician or a pharmacist for the correct dosage instead of just guesstimating!

I’ll continue to give my son Children’s Triaminic and Claritin unless his pediatrician advises against it.

this is so stupid!!!!!! my baby is sick and i took him to the doctor and he told me to give him Pedicare for my sons cough and runny nose…my baby is doing better now thanks to the medicine…if the parent doesn’t give their child the right dosage..i would go after the parent t not the medicine. For us parents that do know how to use the medicine right i believe it is effective.

i will continue to give my child pedicare even if i have to go to every single store to find it…it has been the only medicine i found that helps him sleep at night and play during the day…i tried the others and they had no effect..why do stupid people always get power..just because of them we have to suffer…

This is ridiculous. As a doctor, and a father of a currently sick 4 and 2 year old, I am utterly amazed. Maybe I don’t have all the data, but 59 deaths from 1969 to 2006 for kids taking decongestants and around 60 for those taking antihistamines. That is 120 deaths for everyone in this country 37 and under. How many million children took the meds? How many died just after eating breakfast in the same time period. Should we ban cheerios? seriously. I am not convinced the data even shows there is a problem. And to say they don’t help? I just sat up all night with a sick child that can’t breathe through her nose. She will have a few words for the “experts” I am sure. There is a difference between clinically signficant and statistically signficant- but I have not even seen that data presented to the public yet. And yes parents, like me, will now try and judge the proper dose from adult medications until there is better data.

To the person who commented that “tylenol had never been a proper medicine to give anyone” and that it’s not safe during pregnancy. I have a 6.5 year old, a 3.5 yearold and a 13 month old. During all three pregnancies I took tylenol for my aches and pains. All three of my children are healthy (with the exception of a head cold from time to time). So maybe it’s just your child’s body chemistry that can’t tolerate these medicines, not because you took them while pregnant. I’m 29 years old and can’t take anything containing pseudoephedrine. It’s not my mom’s fault for that. What about all the people who can’t eat certain foods? Is it because their moms ate them while pregnant? No. It’s their body chemistry. So please don’t blame tylenol for this. Don’t blame anybody for this. It’s nobody’s fault. Every person has a different body chemistry and react differently to everything. We just have to accept that things are as they are, and keep moving forward the best we can. God bless you and all who read this.

Well this is the worst recall.. Myswel take all medicines off the fricken market. As a mother I have given my son many of these medications. Maybe the parents that OD there children just shouldn’t have children? OH wait this is fricken america.. A good amount of people with children dont take care of them and the state dont do a damn thing. AMERICA… thats all i have to say.. .This is plain rotten and I as a parent have chosen to go against this because i know these medications do work when giving correctly will continue to give my child this medication. As someone else said one bad apple ruins it for the whole bunch.. Its rediculous.. Statistics…. This is like saying dont let a baby sleep cause they might die of SIDS… yeah ok.. many kids do and well. yeah enough of me blabbering.. Someone needs to teach this government a thing or two.. Make someone open up to reality…

My son who just turned one has a pretty nasty headcold. My mother-in-law called me thurday morning to advise me that these otc meds are being pulled off the market. in a panic i threw away the brand new bottle of tylenol plus cold and cough I had just bought the day before. That night My husband and i woke up to a child who could barely breath from his nose or mouth at 1 am. Nothing seemed to help him. I wasn’t aware of why these meds were being removed until now. I feel like an idiot for throwing the bottle away. I was providing my son with the correct dosage according to his dr. And now my son has to suffer because parents are too lazy to call their peds. the local drug stores in my area have already removed the meds. WHAT DO I DO NOW?

i understand what there saying but we also have to give proper guide lines on the packages for those who don’t understand them. I agrees docotors will love this, more money for them and less for us. Give better directions on packages and see if that helps first before you pull products that we acually can use for our little ones and it makes them feel better too.

I personally know of a 1 y/o who died from one of these medicines due to I believe a metabolizing problem of the medication. I personally feel there is more to this story that is yet to come out. The FDA was looking into this prior to the drug companies recall. They decided to be proactive because I believe they knew where the FDA was heading on this.

The other thing I read here is that America is hooked on the “give me a pill to fix what ails me” syndrome. Congratulate yourself, you have been programmed by big pharma. You, the lazy American (including myself at times) needs to get off your mental butt and start demanding truth in health. Get knowledgable and question your doctor. There are natural methods and you need to read the research. The problem started with the industrialization of our food (cereal, margarine etc)-> which fed big pharma (due to poor nutrition causing poor health) -> which led to big pharma subsidizing college research with big grants -> which led to big pharma influencing how our doctors are trained (ask your doctor what he/she learned about nutrition in college…close to nothing), while in the meantime top FDA
employees end up working for big pharma and vice versa. Health is about money and being sick. There is no money in being healthy and there is no money in being dead. It’s the in-between and we are the pawns.

That’s the way I see it!

One other thing. Most doctors who do not take the time to learn about nutrition and feel a script is the answer are highly educated lazy ignorant pawns of big pharma.

I wonder if the “new” version of the hippocratic oath will include “I will prescribe the best pharmaceutical that has the least side effects and leave proper nutrition and its benefits to those that seek it because I am too mentally exhausted to learn anything new now that I am hundreds of thousands in debt from medical school”.

This sounds harsh, but if parents are too stupid to follow a dosage chart, then that is what Darwinism is all about.

Now parents are going to bye adult medicine and give it to their children (smart move). Just another way to control what parents can and can not do.

I have raised 4 children, who at times were very, sick and this scares me to think were my asthmadic would be without a decongistive to have helped him. I always talked to my Dr. about what he could or couldn’t take and how much and how often to give it to him. I am so sick and tired of one case changing the whole system we live in! I feel very strongly that if a parent can’t read or have the common sense to call their Dr. to ask the proper questions than they shouldn’t be having children!! I mean come on people this is the year 2007 not 1890’s!!! Sincerely a concerned citizen…

My store has pulled ALL infant cold meds. And now, today, my 9 month old has her first cold and it’s a bad one. Stuffy nose, runny nose, coughing. And I can’t get a thing for her. We tried to find some medicine today but all stores had pulled it off the shelves. So, now, I have to dose down children’s cold medicine that I have for my 3 year old son (obviously I’m going to get the dosage from her pediatrician). See, because of this recall people are going to start dosing down medicines that aren’t made for infants and a lot of parents probably won’t call a doctor first. That will lead to more overdosing and then the children’s cold meds will get pulled eventually. If that happens then parents will try to dose down adult cold meds and the FDA will eventually pull those too. I think the recall is a big mistake.

Well, I just called my daughter’s pediatricain. They told me they’ve been swamped with questions about how to help babies with colds. They said they don’t know how to answer (the doctor is out of town this week) and told me to call the pharmacist. Well, she was no help. She was unsympathetic and she tried to tell me cold medicine didn’t help babies. Well, it’s helped all 3 of my kids and every one else that I know’s kids! She told me to take my daughter to the doctor to get a prescription for her cough. Its not something that needs a prescription! It’s just a cold and the stuffy, runny nose is more bothersome to my daughter than the cough is. She doesn’t need an unnecessary prescription (which helps both doctors and pharmacies). She’s crying because she can’t breathe through her nose. UGH! I’m so angry about this recall.

I am a Pharmacy Technician and mother of two children ages 14 months and 4 years. I truly believe that the manufacturer/FDA needs to determine appropriate dosing for the these medications. I think that this recall is going to cause many parents/caregivers to give their infants or children under 2 years medications designed for older children or even adults where they are GUESSING the dose!

I also agree with having a good relationship with your family doctor or Pediatrician. I do not want to see more antibiotics prescribed as we are overprescribing. I feel this way and it is my job to fill RXs!!!!

The makers of the medications might be saying it’s a dosing issue rather than a safety issue, but the FDA doesn’t necessarily agree and that’s why they are looking into this further. In a CNN article on the topic, Baltimore Health Commissioner Dr. Joshua Sharfstein points out, “There’s no evidence that they actually work. No well-controlled scientific studies were found that support the efficacy and safety of narcotics (including codeine) or dextromethorphan as antitussives in children. Indications for their use in children have not been established.” The same article discusses a 4-month-old baby who died because his body could not metabolize an ingredient in the cold medicine.

Frankly, I’m astonished at the comments here regarding the medicating of infants with colds. There are far less dangerous ways of alleviating your child’s cold symptoms (and that’s all the medicines do — alleviate the symptoms, not cure the cold). Our society is quick to medicate and over-medicate. Indeed, people probably will turn to adult medicines for their children, but I’m not sure how that would be the FDA’s fault.

56 deaths in 40 years? That’s all? I’ll take my chances with those odds over dealing with an infant who can’t sleep and won’t stop crying because they don’t feel good.

My children (1 and 3) have had a terrible upper respiratory infection. I would dare call this a cold. I have been giving breathing treatments around the clock and sitting in the rocking chair with babies that can’t stop coughing and can’t breathe. Today is day seven of this. We have been to the pediatrician twice. I have been giving my 1 year old daughter Donatussin Syrup, which is a prescription medication similar to the OTC meds that have been recalled. Not only have they recalled OTC drugs, but these types of prescription drugs are being recalled also. This has been a miserable week and a miserable existence for my children. We have literally been counting the hours we can give the medication again because IT DOES WORK. It doesn’t last the full 6 hours that the bottle says (hence the waiting), but it is the only time that they can sleep or breathe. I am about to go crazy with lack of sleep and can’t imagine not having these medications for my baby. Last night, my daughter would try to sleep and cough and just squeal in pain. This recall is enough to make me not want to have any more children because I can’t stand to see them suffer like this and this is with symptomatic relief. What would it be like without any?!

I’ve raised 2 kids, never used these cold meds under 2, and used them sparingly over age 2. Frankly they don’t work anyway – absolutely the best thing for colds and congestion is Vick’s vaporub or the “chest patches” from triaminic – and they’re harmless. Children’s Tylenol, vaccinations including a flu shot every year, and plenty of fluids is all that’s needed for coughs and colds unless the doctor says antibiotics. For the rest – yes, get them off the shelves. The drug companies are making millions off peddling placebo meds for kids that can kill. Why should they get away with that?

I also don’t think it’s neccessary to pull them. But children and Mothers weeathered colds long before thee were OTC drugs/. When a pharmacist of a friend of mine asked what he recommended. He pointed to all the OTC items and said “you could take this this or this and in 5 days your cold will be better. Or you could take none of it and drink lots of fluids and in 5 days your cold will be better.”

The warning label on the Vick’s medicine ball that we have is scary. And says not to use around children under the age of three. The Pediacare brand does not have the warning. As a chemist, I can tell you the active ingredient is the same.
We need to advocate for the same level of research put in to children’s dosages as for adults. My toddler can’t fight for equal treatment. As parents, we need to pressure companies to fully understand their products, not simply pull them out because it’s cheaper to remove them than to understand how they work.

I am upset that these meds have been recalled. I have read all of the previous comments and everyone has strong feelings about this topic.
I can only speak from my own experience. I have used these products with both of my children and I have been very pleased with the results. I have always checked with a doctor or pharmacist about the proper dosage and never had a problem. In fact I have been very grateful when the deconjestant/cough med. started working so EVERYONE in the house could go back to sleep. My youngest child sucks his thumb which is a problem when his nose too clogged up to breath. He will cry when he can’t suck his thumb due to his stuffy nose which in turn would make his condition worse!

As for some of the other comments… I see your point. You might be allergic to fish or get chocked on a fish bone. Does that mean that everyone should not eat fish? What about smoking? Research shows that it is harmful both to the smoker and anyone else exposed to the smoke. Why have cigerattes not been RECALLED by the FDA? Now that is something I would support! (I know this is not PC, but I hate smokers and those nasty butts they drop everywhere. There I said it.)

What are the odds of having a bad outcome from using these meds. How would they compare to the odds of being killed in a car accident, being attacted by a shark, or struck by lightening? Understand that there is risk in everything we do.

I know that parents will try to dose down other cold meds for infants. I asked my pharamist today if it could done safely. I was informed that the children’s formulas contained ingredients that were not safe for infants. Some people will run to the doctor with every cough/runny nose. I know that I have done it in the past only to have the doctor tell me to just give OTC meds and then collect my $25 copay + insurance payment. I’m sure the ER will see more babies with cough/runny nose because the doctor’s office is closed or s/he is on vacation.
I think that there will be a loss of productivity and more absenteeism in the work place because parents will be forced to stay home because of sleepless nights and the inability to send the child to day care with severe cold symptomes.
I’m no fan of the pharmaceutical companies. I’m always open to learning good home remedies that really do work, but I want the abilty to choose what is right for me and my children! Put better dosage information and a warning on the product, but GIVE ME the CHOICE.

Ok, so now we all have to let our children suffer because of “them.” Morons! Look at the bloody dosage chart! Is it really that hard??? And guess what the guy in the pharmacy gave me yesterday? A bottle of medicine that specifically states “Do not use in children under two.” My daughter is only 16 months old. And no, I’m not using it for her. Why? BECAUSE I KNOW HOW TO FOLLOW THE STUPID DIRECTIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hate it when stupid people affect my life, primarily when their stupidity affects my freedom because of this stupid nanny state we now live in. I hope they go to the nearest McDonalds and get the hottest cup of coffee they can buy. That’s it…..nice…hot….coffee……

I don’t know why they are pulling these drugs. The instructions on the bottle and from Dr.’s are VERY CLEAR. 2 and UP – the dosage instructions say. There is no dosage for under 2 – from what I am reading about this is that if people were to follow the instructions on the label there wouldn’t be an issue. No pediatrician that I’ve been to would authorize cold medication for my 18 month old and even earlier – the only medication on the market that has a dosage for under 2 is MOTRIN. It’s sad that we have to pull these medications for children that really need them just because people do not read and follow the label. Infants colds heal just fine with time, TLC, sleeping, and vicks vapor rub for infants (what the label says, I believe over 4 months), and keeping the nose clear.

i have 4 chiildren & 2 grandchildren,i have always used otc meds for these children unless they needed to go to their doctor, i beleive that maybe the fda needs to investigate this matter and tell the public the truth, i also believe that a mother or father who reads the back of a medicine bottle and instructions say for 2 years and older then a 3 month old shouldn’t take this medicine and if the parent gives it to them – well then the parent should be held responsible for their neglect actions.
pam

OK – so they pull all the infant cold medicine, so now people are going to buy the child medicine and try to figure out the dosage for their infant! I agree, a parent should be held responsible for neglegent actions AND the drug makers should label the bottle by weight, not age. My pediatrician always gives me a dosage amount based on weight – why can’t the lable do the same thing?

what are parent supposed to do now when their children have colds? Did the FDA or the pediatricians who endorsed this come up with a solution? hoilistic all natural remedies do not work, they need to be consumed before a cold for a specific time period before they do any good. Vicks smells good, but it doesnt help you breathe for more than 2 seconds. I had a terrible cold when I was pregnant and could not take any otc meds. I cried from misery and had to sit up all night just to breathe. No amount of herbal tea or vicks helped to relieve my symptoms, and I could not take my humidifier everywhere I went. And despite all the claims, I have taken antibiotics for a cold and have had great relief. Researchers need to do more effiecient research before they go public with their findings. All they are doing is making parents jobs even harder than it already is. Next year they’ll come out with a different set of stats that show these meds to be harmless.

(He pointed to all the OTC items and said “you could take this this or this and in 5 days your cold will be better. Or you could take none of it and drink lots of fluids and in 5 days your cold will be better.”)

Believe this comment and do some research if you care about your children’s health. Try searching for natural remedies for helping with cold symptoms. These drugs aren’t curing anything, they’re simply helping the symptoms and there are far safer natural remedies for this. If it’s that bad go to the doctor and make sure there’s no bacterial infection that needs to be treated (which the body will eventually fight these off as well), but most are viruses and will need to waited out. Give lots of water and let the body do its job. If you’re nursing, nurse away. This is the best defense. I nursed my first child and she didn’t start getting colds until after a year. Now she’s in school and brings things home to my little one. I have found the best thing is to nurse often, use shower steam for congestion, suction the nose, and keep cool. I think many people just have it in their heads that these medicines are curing the cold, but they’re not.

To the person whose child was exposed to tylenol during pregnancy. i find that to be incredulous at best. we live in a society that always blames for something or the other. as for using cough and cold medications, the restriction of them would allow parents to better observe their children when they are sick.

they need to bring back the meds.

i hope they change the law.

I have a four month old and it is our first. She just got “allergies” so our ped told us to use benedryl. There was no dosing instructions on the bottle for four month olds. So we had to call the doctor and ask him what to do. He told us to use a dropper and a half, not knowing that i use the big dropper that came with our first aid kit. That already measures a quater of a teaspoon. So i don’t think we can always blame this on the OTC companies, yes they need to label it better, but also to the doctors to get all of the facts before they tell you how much to give your child. If you are ever in doubt you can also always ask the pharmacy they know how much your child is suppose to give!

Yes the pharmacies do know the doses to give your babies on meds for children that are older, but most refuse to tell you! They say call your doctor when the doctor sent yiou to them grrrr. If you get a pharmacist you know then they usually will tell you, but if you do not know them personally then they will usually not tell you for liablility reasons.

america seems to be getting dumber by the second! parents aren’t watching their kids, aren’t reading the labels, won’t call the doctors, but when something happens, let’s sue!! my daughter (now 7), grew up on these meds, when needed, and she is absolutely fine, but i attribute that to common sense on my part!!

I agree with person number 53. Common sense has a lot to do with the current recall problem. If you are medicating your child just to get some rest yourself then that’s where the problem lies. I took Tylenol products (the only thing pregnant women are allowed to take) thru my first pregnancy and now in my second. No problems there. I have given infant drops to my 8 month old daughter around vaccination time without harm. But I do not think that shouting and screaming at the recallers is right. They are only trying to keep our children safe. I believe their recall was a very bold move.
Instead of medicating our kids’ symptoms, why don’t we turn towards a more natural solution that actually cures the problem. As an adult, I do not take cold medications. Colds go away with the help of antioxidants and vitamins. When my family gets sick, we consume more water, fruits, and veggies, simple solution that works to help our bodies fight the colds. The colds go away and our bodies are left without damage from unnatural products.

Coughing and stuffy nose, try eucalyptus and thyme. Check out http://corporate-kris.swissjust-usa.com and look at the Eucasol, Eucalyptus bath, Thyme bath and Thyme cream. To help prevent against colds check out the thyme cream and the echinacea bath. There is no cure for the cold, but we can help with the symptoms!

Wow! I have to say I’m pretty amazed with the “outraged” people.

What a pill popping culture! I work for a large pharma company. They do not take drugs off the market unless it’s for good reason. Try thinking about your children instead of your own sleep at night. There are more natural alternatives available. And yes, I have three kids of my own.

i feel that this recall has nothing to do with the safety of our children, i think that this is fully to do with not wanting to be held reliable when something happens! i only give my child meds when needed, like when she’s been up in the middle of the night for 3 hours coughing and has already missed 3 days of school…

My granddaughter gets a cold when ever the weather goes thru a climate change, such as summer to fall. We have given her tylenol cold for infants only when the cold has made her miserable. I don’t think the meds should be pulled, I just think parents should follow directions better and I understand these meds do not cure the cold but they do help with the symptoms. My grandaughter is the love of my life, and we would never give her anything we thought would hurt her. When we took her to the emergancy room once for a cold, they gave her more meds because we were not giving her enough. Now my daughter went today and bought childrens cold meds for her, so her daughter would not feel so bad. She cut the dose in half. She went to three pharmacies and when she asked the pharmacist about the meds and what about her daughter being sick, she was told the child is just going to have to suffer thru it. I believe the dosing label should be more informative and you parent who are not using the meds properly or not reading the instructions, shame on you and cut it out you are making the rest of our infants suffer.

what about the people that don’t have insurance? kids are going to suffer and not get well, and the parent can’t even give them medicine for the pain! what about with the immunizations?!?! i still get them, and i know what my son feels like… yet i won’t be able to give him anything! thanks alot to the parents that don’t read labels and don’t contact their doctors for kids under 2 like it says to do! more ways to upset parents and make kids sicker! just think, little colds that could go away, or fevers that can be reduced with medicine won’t be there! i had to take my son to the hospital with a fever of 103.9 and they gave him motrin and he was all better! RIDICULOUS!!!!

I seriously think it’s a ploy by the insurance agencies and doctor’s offices to get us to have to get prescriptions for the medicines and go see a physician more often. I just called the doctor today to tell her that my daughter had a cold, no fever, and wondered how much musinex i could giver her. Her response was..”Just bring her in for a visit, and we’ll determine what she needs”. HELLO>>NO FEVER>>VIRUS..there’s nothing they can do..infuriates me.

i left this on another recall-all applies,
This is incredibley foolish. If a parent has a question on a correct dosage for there infant or child they should call there pedi and get that info, an irresponsible parent would take risk at guessing. The product is great if not abused, like any other product on the market, i think they should just correct the dosing chart from months and put them back on the shelves.

I have a seriously congested toddler, I gave her a steam treatment (using the steam from the shower and keeping the bathroom door closed) and am amazed at how well that worked to unclog her.

At 1 1/2 she was hospitalized for dehydration due to pneumonia so we jump anytime it sounds like her chest gets congested.

I can not believe the comments that I have read. God created our bodies in a special way to fight off illness. He created doctors and scientists with the ability to help those that are sick. However, those doctors and scientists are only human. Colds are not cured by taking these medications. Some of the symptoms can be eliminated by taking some of the medicines. I rarely gave my children over the counter medicine and they have had very few illnesses. There bodies have amazing little immune systems. I have been blessed.
I would love to be a stay home mom but must work. I have known of one caretaker who believes in giving a lot of over the counter medicine to children. She has even disclosed to me that she gave dimatapp to a child so they would go to sleep. If a recall protects just one innocent life from an incident such as this – it is worth it. Over use of medicines can cause liver damage and even death – it does not matter if it is one death or a million deaths to the person who has lost a child.

How can you ease the symptoms of a cold? There are some things that you can do but they are not as quick as a dose of medicine. What is more important? A lot of people tend to be leaning on quick fixes rather than safety.

To the parent of an asthmatic child, I can’t relate to that scary situation but I feel that if you had a good physician they will be able to help you.

Parents that have lost a child for any reason know the pain and heartache that cannot be felt by anyone. It’s so easy to say that a parent overdosed a child, who’s to say they weren’t following directions. A study needs to be done to see how many sids babies actually had taken any cold medicine before death. When will people realize that the FDA can’t truly say what is good medicine for anyone of any age. Any parent wants their child to be healthy, but also you feel that the FDA should protect any and everyone when it comes to meds. Who is going to be responsible if it is found that hundreds of babies died because of cold medicine and not sids or sleeping on their stomach. Couldn’t it be possible the reason they can’t explain sids is because it was medication prescribed by doctors or over-the-counter. This could just be another cover-up that has been discovered and finally now something is going to be done.

I am so fed up with this recall! I wish I had a number to call at 2 am when no one in our house is sleeping because my baby can’t breath! We have to suffer because people can’t be bothered to red the VERY CLEAR dosing instructions on the label?? And they do work! That little dose of tylenol is the difference between sleep and no sleep for my baby when he has a terrible cold my daughter brought home from school. It should be up to the parents to decide if they wish to refrain from giving the product to their children. What happened to personal freedom? I would like someone to explain to my poor little 10 month old son why he has to be miserable, and to my boss why I called in, and then pay my day care bill for the days he couldn’t be there b/c he was too fussy, but I still had to pay. What a crock of corporate **BS**. And parents WILL dose down meds not intended for infants. I know of several who have already. Seem like this is stupidity forcing desparation, leading to further stupidity. If I had known they were really going to do this (silly me I laughed when it first came up) I would have bought a ton of it and HOARDED IT!!

Anyone want to get rid of those ‘horrible’ meds – in or near S VT, I’ll BUY the stuff from you! My baby needs relief!!

Young children do not need cold medicine anyway!!! The entire purpose of cold medicine is to ease symptoms so that you don’t pass it on at school or work. Cold medicine was not created to cure a cold. You can treat a cold naturally without putting chemicals in your child’s body.

I have already given my child .4mg of children’s cold medicine due to the fact that there is no infant cold medicine out there. It’s unbearable to listen to him unable to breathe when he nurses. My father in law leaves his house on 63 degrees and even though I covered my son up, he still got sick!!

This is crazy…I was up for 3 hours last night with my 3 and a half month old. He screamed for 2 straight hours becuase he is so hungry but can not eat because he can not breath. Adults and older children get relief from there cold symptoms but the infants that dont understand have to suffer. Children should not be punished for some parents stupidity. My oldest is 4 and I have only given her the proper dosage and only at night so that she can sleep…why should my son have to suffer from a cold. Now more people are just going to take there children to the doctors to get perscriptions. That is what I am doing. It breaks my heart to see my son so upset. What is the FDA going to recall next…vitamins because children might overdose on them. They do taste like candy. Oh no better take those away too.

first to ranna a few comments above…otc cold medicines just treat the symptoms to make you feel better. they dont keep you from being contagious idiot. thanks for getting plenty of peoples kids sick by sending them to school or daycare good job. and on the drugs themselves, if used when appropriate and with the help of your dr or pharmacist they can be a great help. and yes im sure there are plenty of naturalistic remedies etc but i have read much more saying that these types of things should not be used in infants and are more dangerous. not to mention that parents should be given the choice just like everyone gets the choice to be vegetarian or not. also sids and cold medicine arent realated. god the need we have to blame something or someone knows no bounds. if you really think that sids deaths are all just cough medicine in disguise than dont give your child cough medicine and let them sleep on their belly and go against the sids rules see how that goes. when are americans going to be held responsible for themselves? its ridiculous. oh yah and for the lady who took tylenol during pregnancy and claims it did all kinds of stuff to her child. shut up. i had more eds while pregnant than anyone i have ever heard of. i had my appendix removed when i was six months pregnant and was on morphine and given oxycontin as well i also got infection caused by the surgery and had to be hospitalized and given iv antibiotics for a week and i was on my epilepsy meds the whole time…and i had other meds given to me as well. my husband and i were worried when they said what they were going to give me and we were told by multiple surgeons and the chief of ob that there are very few things that you really cant take during pregnancy and while you should try to avoid taking much it wont hurt. our daughter was born healthy and beautiful with no problems whatsoever. so find something else to blame lady though it probably is just a natural problem. i am allergic to bee stings and penicillin and i dont think it has anything to do with what happened while my mom was pregnant

I think the recall is absolutely ridiculous! Here’s an idea: STOP marketing multi-symptom OTC medications. Wouldn’t it make sense to just sell the antihisitimines, decongestants, and pain reliever/fever reducers just by themselves? It seems that one of the major problems is the multi-symptom meds is the cause of the accidental overdoses. DUH! Just stop combining the stuff and sell it all separately. Make the dosing instructions in more than 1 language for our other-than-english-language households, offer a phone number on the dang bottle for assistance to parents and put the medicines back on the market. There are so many kids at the pediatrician offices that the doctors are getting overwhelmed, and to top it off, all they can offer is saline nose drops. The saline does help after about a week, but heck the cold is going away after a week, so I can’t comment on that one.

Why not just recall all vehicles? Because there have been cases of parents leaving their children in their cars resulting in death.. So automobiles are just not safe.. What’s next, America?! I’m going to continue to give my child Pediacare Decongestant drops. They do work. You just have to give the right dose. And seriously.. If we’re going to have to suffer because some dumb-@$$ parent decides to overdose their child, then we might as well take the next step and prevent morons from having children…

I have an almost 2 year old that is 34lbs.(the size of 3 year olds)shes tall for her age but not chubby.
I went to target to find her medicine for her cough. All the bottles had for ages 6 plus.
I went to Rite Aid and the pharmacist said they recalled all infants cold medicine.
My child has been up 4 plus times a night for several days with a cough and dry sounding throat and you tell me they recalled these medicines that I have used for 6 years with my 3 children.

What I as a parent will do is give my child comfort when they sleep and treat thier cold which means that if I have to guess at a dosage for a 2 year old from the dosage of a 6 year old then I will.
Get it right and get these back on the market.

I hope that these manufacturers realize the problems, money and major inconviniences that they will cause if they pull these medicines off the shelves. Is it really all that hard to configure the proper dosages and print that on the labels? My 1 year old has a bad cough but it’s not so bad that I think I should take him right to the doctor. What I do know is that he isn’t feeling good and his doctors office is closed for the weekend and I’m not taking him to and emegency for hours, risk him catching something there, all for a litle cough. They really need to stop and think about us mothers who know how to read a label and a medicine dropper and know how to space out the dosages correctly and who know when our child is feeling better and doesn’t need to take anymore!

The infants that died; was that after proper dosing or after a parent overdosed them? I have 4 children and have never had any issues at all.And the medicine usually provided enough cough relief for them to be comfortable.I think this is a great inconvenience for not only mothers, but for doctors as well!And what about the families that can’t afford to go to the doctor?(Most of my family fits into that minority)What exactly are they supposed to do?
Needing answers,
Zena

I’m so annoyed with the pull of infant medicine. The options the doctors give DO NOT WORK (baby vicks rub, humidifiers, saline drops). The idiot parents that od their children will continue to do so with other older childrens medicine and if that’s pulled then adult medicine. I have noticed that my daughters colds last twice as long now because she can’t get any sleep and of course then neither can I. You have sleep deprived infants and parents and colds that last longer. I found one bottle of infant medicine in my medicine cabinet and gave it to my daughter for her last cold and she was able to sleep and was back to her happy self in only 24 hours. We need the medicine back and parents that use the medicine incoerrectly need to be held accountable for their actions instead of punishing the other parents and worst of all the babies!

Ok.. first off all of the people that comment on the parent only using it to get some sleep.. umm nope, I use it so my little one can get some rest which is the number one way to get over a cold. Im guessing none of you have any children of your own. I still don’t get any sleep because I am checking on them often to make sure all is well! It is so they aren’t suffering, do you not take anything to help with the symptoms of things that ail you? Im guessing your answer is yes!

I am quite aware that these medications don’t cure anything, but they can make my child more comfortable and relaxed so their body is able to heal itself in a more timely manner. A crying child for hours and hours because they can’t breathe or is coughing and can’t understand why mommy or daddy isn’t fixing them is horrible and cruel!

Also note that the main death that triggered this recall was due to a mixing of medications, if you google it you can find the exact details.

To the person that stated tylenol isn’t safe.. simply not true. Your child just happens to have a reaction to it.. There are several children that are allergic to peanuts through no fault of what a pregnant mother did or didn’t do.. should we ban all products containing peanuts or traces of peanut?? Let’s get real!

I agree to a point that society is pill popping far too much.. but relieving symptoms of colds and such I don’t think is too much to ask!

One last thing, people stated that years and years ago society dealt with colds and what not without medications.. people also died from simple things like colds etc.. and lived a much shorter life..

Someone needs o do something. Why should my, our, babies have to suffer when they are sick. Sore throat, stuffy runny nose, they cant sleep let alone function. When we are sick we take medicine. Think of how all those babies feel. Something needs to be done SOON. This is crazy that we cant help our little ones feel better.

A parent who is in desperate need of wanting to help thier baby feel better isn’t doing the wrong thing by giving thier baby medicine. Imagine how badly that baby feels. Next time your sick don’t take no meds. See how you feel.

Any parent willing to dose an infant with children’s pharmaceuticals is a selfish idiot. I have 3 kids (4,2, and 1) that all have a terrible cold right now – the youngest kept me up most of the night a couple nights ago. When my older kids had colds as babies and the infant cold medication was available, I admit that I used them. I will also say that I was disappointed with their effectiveness compared to the safer treatments for symptom relief that I use now. If there is any question of safety with these products, whether it is potential overdose or issues with metabolism with young infants, I think it is important that they are removed from the shelves and if parents take a step out back and readjust their selfish attitudes, these products should not be missed. Suffering through a cold without pharmaceutical relief will not result in the DEATH of your child – using these medications (especially the ones for older children) could. It may be a few difficult days, but the cold will pass… and a couple months later, you will go through it all again. My cold relief supplies for infants consist of hydrasense nasal spray, eucalyptis rub, infant tylonol or advil for fever/pain relief, and lots of fluids, love, cuddles, and prayer.

Any parents contemplating the ‘acceptable’ risk of these products as compared to other higher statistical dangers in our society would not be making the same comment if their child was one of the 59 that was buried. No matter how low the risk is, as a loving parent, if I can easily avoid placing my child in this risk, I will.

It is usually harder on the parents to see their child sick than it really is on the child itself. When you are up in the night, holding your feverish, trembling, child – just remember that ‘this too shall pass’. Enjoy this time of nurturing and realize that there are many families out their that would beg to have that time back with their child.

Mom of 3 sick kids: Next time you have a chest that aches because of congestion and you can’t breathe out your nose, don’t take anything to relieve your symptoms! In fact don’t even blow your nose. My poor baby can’t. I have 2 older children who were lucky enough to be provided with symptom relief that helped clear up their colds faster. Now I have nothing to give my youngest daughter. If children don’t have access to a decongestant, they run the risk of progressing to bronchitis or even pneumonia. My baby has an appointment tomorrow where I will ask for something she can have to help her. That’s what this is all about, more doctor’s appointments, more prescription drugs. It’s all about the money and the influence of lobbyists in DC. Those who take medication for themselves yet would refuse to provide their children with the same benefit are the selfish ones.

Yeah right. Now it is the Parents fault again….. Sure!
You know i think Tylenol doesnt work anyways….but what i dont understand is why there are not specific medications for Toddlers. Everything is getting trested with Tylenol or Motrin.A Cough, Sneezing,Fever,….. I am a Nurse myself and i know that Tylenol doesnt help either for cough and Sniffels.It might help minor Pain and Fever but not for a real Cold. In Europe they have Toddler Medication for Congestion and it helps really.And i dont Think either that for every lil Thing they should get Meds, but like a Congetion can easaly lead to bronchitis and the Pneumonia. So just find stuff what really Helps our youngest and stopp make Tylenol ALMIGHTY! And labelt the Meds better unstead of “Children under 2 Yaer of Age ask a Doctor” How many Families cannot afford Health Insurance, so they cannot ask the Doctor.

its absolutely rediculous that u guys think it dumb to remove certain product 4 a childs sake! appearantly none of u have children and if u do then u just dont care enoughn about them!!!!!!

if vicks good for my 2 months old baby that has cough and cold??????????????????

I am concerned that they are taking an effective product off the shelves. When we went to our pediatrician, we were given the dosage information based on weight. This is not difficult to add to the labels. How many children are going to have more severe sicknesses because they cannot countered. Our children have been so congested at times that we have had to keep up on the exact dosage times and use a humidifier and still thought they were going to develop pneumonia. If we didn’t have this medicine to help they would have. Also, how do they expect parents to pay all of the extra money to run to the doctor every time a child is sick. This sounds calculated to me.