shes got a cold really bad.... really?? what should i use, i couldnt take her to the doc. they were booked for the day.
Here's an article about it:
In September the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended a complete ban of over-the-counter, oral cough and cold medications for babies and tots under the age of two, and recommended that they not be given to children under the age of 6.
FDA Pediatrician Dr. Dianne Murphy said in the New York Times on October 14 that parents and caregivers should consult their pediatrician, adding that cough and cold medicines only treat the symptoms of a cough and a cold--they play no role in making the viruses go away any faster.
Experts agree that most coughs should not be suppressed, as it is the body's natural way of clearing the lungs," writes Gibb. "A low-grade fever is a sign that the body is fighting an infection-- and the fever is one of the immune system's tools for fighting that infection."
Unless serious complications are present, many hold to the belief that a cough and a cold should just be allowed to play itself out in an infant or small child, with minimal medicinal intervention.
According to Mr. Gibb, suction bulbs can be used to carefully and gently clear an infant's clogged nasal passages. Saline nose drops can help to loosen the thick stuff, so that the nasal passages will drain more easily on their own.
Keep the fluids flowing. When fighting a cold, more is better.
You may recall your own mother rubbing Vick's Vapo-Rub, or some other fragrant cream on your chest as a child, to help with the stuffiness--and menthol chest creams still offer the potential for relief. However, check for age restrictions.
Always, always, read the label.
The recall of the cold medicine for infants came after incident reports of overdose and in some cases, infants have died," writes Mr. Gibb. "Petitions from various medical organizations, including the Maryland chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, made the case that cold medicines and cough suppressants are ineffective in children under two, and they could also prove unsafe - especially given the ease by which unsafe, unhealthy dosages could be administered. The potential for overdose could prove lethal for some infants, and has.
In September, the makers of Dimetapp, Pediacare, Robitussin, Triaminic, Little Colds, and versions of Tylenol that contain cough and cold ingredients voluntarily agreed to stop selling their products.