Vicks Vaporub is
one of those products that has caused controversy for years in the
child health world. While some parents swear by it for helping relieve
their children's nasal congestion caused by typical colds and flus,
there's been a lingering concern about safety in the medical profession.
A Wake Forest University study published in Chest
shows that Vicks vaporub may increase mucous in the nose and
respiratory passages. If this is found to be true, the increased mucous
could cause serious respiratory distress in small children and infants.
As reported by the Dayton Business Journal,
the study was done after Dr. Bruce Rubin treated an infant who had
significant respiratory distress after Vicks Vaporub was placed under
his nose. A similar study on ferrets also showed an increase in nasal
mucous production.
Procter and Gamble, the makers of Vicks,
claim its studies show that Vicks is safe in infants and children,
although they do not recommend the product for children under 2 years
of age.
I find the data very compelling and do not feel this
product is appropriate for children under the age of 2 years of age.
Part of my reasoning is we've already seen significant issues with a
similar product in patch form in 2006 - the Triaminic vapor patch.
In that case, the symptoms of concern were very serious and included
possible seizures. Vicks Vaporub and the Triaminc vapo patch have the
same ingredients: Camphor, Eucalyptus Oil, and Menthol so we have to be
realistic that in similar age groups, similar problems are likely.
Perhaps
I'm just old fashioned but I am not a big fan of any of these products
in kids. Sitting in a steamy bathroom, nasal saline, work for all kids.
And, for kids old enough to drink from a cup, soup or tea are great
sources of steam.
Many of these products have some folklore or
what others may call voo-doo medicine behind them. They have a
reasonable safety profile in adults and teens because adults and teens
have larger airways. Infants and kids have such small airways that any
increase in mucous blocks the airways in considerably ways causing
enormous distress, often leading to a doctor's office visit or
hospitalization. Put this way, the means ends up not justifying the end
for using products like this in small children and infants and we don't
end up achieving what we hope. In fact, we end up with an emergency on
our hands instead.
All of us as parents have a strong "need to
treat" urge when it comes to our children. Given how dangerous most
over the counter cough and cold medications are in children under 2
years of age, the only people we are really treating is ourselves and
our need to do something. Our small children are better off with TLC,
time and staying in close touch with our pediatricians for advice.
-----
Click here to read more from Dr. Gwenn.
POST YOUR COMMENT BELOW
As a dad and a doctor, I find children’s cough and cold medications a very scary topic. I used believe the drug companies, and think that as long as my patient’s or I dosed the children’s cold & cough medications right, then everything would be OK. But when I researched this further, it turns out that children have died from “over dose” of ALL THE MAJOR CHILDRENS COLD AND COUGH MEDICINES even when given the correct dose.
The number of infant deaths attributed to cold and cough medicines is dramatically underreported. New research published in the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics demonstrated that there were at least “10 unexpected infant deaths that were associated with cold-medication” in 2006 alone in the state of Arizona. Extrapolated over the US and Canadian population, that would be over 500 deaths a year associated with cold-medication! ( http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/122/2/e318 )
The FDA recently said that they do not want to pull the medications for children under 6 because they are afraid that parents will give children adult doses because “parents would have no other alternatives.” The truth is that the American Academy of Pediatrics has said that buckwheat honey is a safe alternative.
Parents now have a safe, effective, yet natural choice for their children. Recent research from Penn State showed 100% pure Buckwheat Honey out performed children’s cough and cold medicine for children’s nighttime cough.
Buckwheat Honey is considered safe for children 1 and older, so it is the perfect choice for conscientious parents and doctors. Currently, “Honey Don’t Cough” is the only company packaging 100% pure Buckwheat Honey in ready-to-use packets for children. A growing number of pharmacies are providing “Honey don’t Cough,” it is available on Amazon.com. To learn more you can visit Check out http://www.honeydontcough.com /
-Daddydoctor