The medicines’ watchdog in Ireland is recommending that children under the age of six years should no longer be given over the counter (OTC) cough and cold medicines.

-Team@CMHF

• The Irish Medicines Board (IMB) said it was making this recommendation following a review of the safety and effectiveness of these medicines. However, it stressed that people who have used these products in the past should not be concerned.
• The review found no robust evidence that these medicines work effectively in children under six however there have been some reports of side-effects, such as allergic reactions and drowsiness associated with their use.
• Given there are few benefits for children under six years in taking these medicines, but there are some risks, the IMB is recommending that they should no longer be used
• The IMB advices that these medicines can continue to be used by children aged between six and 12, but it warns that care should be taken to ensure that the maximum daily dose is not exceeded and that no other cough or cold medicine is taken at the same time.
• Coughs and colds occur frequently in children, especially in younger children, but they generally resolve within a number of days.
• Using simple measures such as plenty of fluids and rest to ease the symptoms are likely to be effective, but paracetamol and ibuprofen can be used to assist in reducing the temperature if needed.
• Cough and cold medicines can continue to be used in children over the age of six because the risk of side-effects is reduced in older children due to a number of reasons, including the fact that they weigh more and tend to get fewer coughs and colds.

For further reading log on to   http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=19766