Drugs for colds that are sold without a prescription can be potentially dangerous for infants, according to a study conducted in the United States.

When conducting tests for the substance, its concentration in the blood exceeded the permissible value 9-14 times. In some cases, this was due to the fact that the parents gave and the drug that they bought themselves in the pharmacy, and the medicine prescribed by the pediatrician.

About 1,500 children under the age of two years were taken to the intensive care unit due to complications associated with taking cold medicines.

The US Department of Medicines and Products Control allowed the use of these drugs only in children over 2 years of age, because in the group of children younger than this age - the effectiveness of this drug group was not greater than the effectiveness of placebo.

According to experts, preparations containing pseudoephedrine, a substance that helps to eliminate nasal congestion, should not be used in children under two years of age, since they do not have any advantages in pediatric practice with obvious side effects.

That is why, alone to give to young children over-the-counter medicines or teas from colds without consulting a doctor - you can not in any case. In addition, although these drugs can be labeled "allowed for use in children under 2 years of age", precise safe dosages of these drugs are not defined.

In addition, it is very important to inform the doctor about all the medicines that were given to the child - only in this way you can protect him from an overdose of unwanted medicines.

Medicinform. Net.

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