Cold and flu season is here, and it's normal to want to soothe our kids when they get sick. What should--and shouldn't--you give them?
"There is no evidence that these treatments alleviate nasal symptoms and they can cause adverse effects such as drowsiness or gastrointestinal (stomach) upset," the authors wrote in their report. Giving kids under two years old the medications have been linked to convulsions, rapid heart rate and death.
They also say that other common over-the-counter treatments--think analgesics, humidified air or eucalyptus oil--aren't supported by enough evidence.
"If parents are concerned about their child's comfort, saline nasal irrigations or drops can be used safely, but this may not give the desired relief," they write. "Based on the currently available evidence, reassurance that symptoms are self-limiting is the best you can offer patients."
This is just one study, of course, but it raises questions that parents may want to talk about with their doctors.
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