By Colleen Hurley, RD, Certified Kids Nutrition Specialist Back in January of this year, Mum Mums reported a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued public advisory on the use of over the counter cold and cough medication for children 2 years of age and under. The advisory warned parents not to give over the counter meds to children under 2 due to potentially life threatening side effects. Now, those medicine manufacturers have decided to voluntarily change their product labels to err to the side of caution. Announced Tuesday, manufacturers of pediatric cold and cough medicines will change their labels advising their products not be used by children under 4. The announcement follows an FDA scientific panels testimony on the issue just last week. In addition, FDA safety experts recommended banning the use of over the counter cold and cough medications for children under 6, with an advisory panel in full agreement. Vowing to fight further restriction, manufacturers initially agreed only to advise against the products use in children under 2. After listening to the FDA experts the manufacturers conceded, adding that they are trying to reduce any medication errors and that new product labels would be a step in the right direction. Even though 39% of US households use pediatric cough and cold products, recent studies found they have no therapeutic effects on the symptoms but merely act as a sedative. An increasing number of studies have found the medications not only to be ineffective, but also potentially dangerous including the risk of hives and neurological problems. Products containing certain antihistamines will also have a revamped label advising parents not to use them simply to make a child sleepy. While some parents attest sleep is good medicine, medical experts advise against sedating a child as it can worsen the breathing conditions caused by a cold or cough. What You Can Do Consumer Healthcare Products Association, a trade organization that represents makers of over the counter medications, stated that the majority of the injuries from the medication occurred in children under 4, thus the new regulations would eliminate the majority of the problems. Many injuries also occurred from accidental overdose by children who got their hands on the bottles without their parents knowing in addition to parents giving too much medication when either confusing the dosage or giving 2 different products that share similar ingredients. As a parent, make sure all medications are out of reach of your little ones at all times. Also, be sure to check with your pediatrician before giving any over the counter mediation to your child.
译文:
儿童咨询( 意见书) 中增入小儿感冒药的改进
根据儿童营养鉴定专家Colleen Hurley, RD对今年一月的回顾，Mum Mums发表了由食品及药物管理局公布的公共健康报告，内容是关于对2岁及以下儿童抗感冒与咳嗽药物使用。这份报告告诫家长们不要给2岁以下的孩子们使用非处方性药物，因为那样会造成潜在的副作用。现在，那些药物生产商们已经打算自发地更改产品的标签，改正需要警惕事项的细节。据公告称在周二，治疗小儿感冒和咳嗽的药物生产商将会更改标签，建议人们不要将其药物用于四岁以下的儿童。该公告是紧随着上周食品及药物管理局科学专门小组发表的一项证明发表后公布于世的。此外，食品及药物管理局的安全专家们还建议对六岁以下的儿童禁用非处方类的抗感冒及咳嗽药品，这项建议获得了（咨询）报告小组的一致同意。为了抵抗进一步的（药物）限制，生产商们起初只同意建议二岁以下的儿童不要使用此药物。在听取了食品及药物管理局专家的意见后，生产商们做出了让步，其同意将增加此事项：他们会尽力减少任何药品过错，而新的药品标签将会标志着这是迈向正确方向的一步。虽然39%的美国家庭使用小儿感冒与咳嗽药品，但最近的研究发现这些药物对病状并没有有益的治疗功效，而仅仅只起到镇定剂的作用。越来越多的研究表明，这些药物不但不起作用，更会造成包括麻疹和神经性问题在内的潜在威胁。含有抗组织胺药成分在内的药物也将会被贴上更改过的标签，建议家们不要使用它们单单只为了让孩子入睡。虽然一些家长声称这对睡眠是相当有效的药物，但医学专家不要用于使孩子镇定入睡，因为它会使由感冒或咳嗽引起的呼吸问题进一步恶化。“你能做什么”消费者保健产品协会作为一贸易组织，代表抵抗性药物生产商们表示：大多数由于药物引起的伤害发生在四岁以下的儿童身上，这样，新的规则就会消除大多数的这类问题。许多伤害也同样发生在孩子在家长不知情的情况下拿取了药物瓶从而过量使用药物的情况中，此外就是家长在搞混了给药量或者给孩子吃有同样成分的两份不同药物的情况下造成了涉入药物过量。作为家长，必须确保把所有药物始终放在小孩子接触不到的地方。同样也要保证在给孩子吃非处方性药物前和儿科医生核实一下。