Colds, coughs and sniffles are common at this time of year, and if your child has caught a cold, odds are decent that you gave her some type of cold medication to alleviate the symptoms. In fact, a new study by C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital shows that 44% of parents have given their children under 4 years of age a multi-symptom cold or cough medicine. Another 42% admitted to giving their children cough medicine, while 25% gave decongestants.

So, what’s wrong with this picture?. Studies dating back to the 1990s proved that over-the-counter cold and cough medicines are ineffective for young children. Studies conducted in the last decade have gone even farther, finding that cold and cough medications may actually be dangerous for youngsters, causing symptoms that could be much worse than a simple cough.

The Dangers of Cold Medicines for Children

According to Dr. Matthew Davis, director of the National Poll on Children’s Health within C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, children under age 4 can experience symptoms such as seizures, respiratory difficulty, accelerated heart rate, drowsiness and more after taking a cold or cough medicine. Although these symptoms are admittedly rare, Dr. Davis says it’s not worth the risk because these types of medications don’t clear up cold symptoms in children anyhow. Although the reason for this is unknown, Dr. Davis speculates that even after taking medications, children’s airways are simply too narrow for blockages to be released.

Five years ago, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that over-the-counter cold medications should not be used by children under the age of 2. In response, medicine manufacturers began placing a warning label on cold medications stating that they’re not intended for children under the age of 4. Dr. Davis believes this was done out of an abundance of caution, though he also believes 4 to be a more appropriate age than 2 in this case.

However, many parents are still confused – understandably – because these products are often sold as “children’s medication.” Only upon viewing the back of the box do you finally see the small print indicating that the product is not intended for children under age 4.

What to Do When Your Child has a Cold

A previous iteration of this poll, conducted in 2008, found that 60% of parents were treating their children’s colds with cold and cough medications, so it’s obvious that more parents are becoming aware of the clinical recommendations.

So, what should parents do to alleviate their children’s cold symptoms? According to Davis, one of the most important things is to elevate the child’s head as he’s sleeping, with the intention of allowing congestion to drain. It can also be helpful to have the child breathe in warm steam, whether it comes from a humidifier, a hot shower or a boiling pot of water (obviously, close supervision should be applied in any of these scenarios).

The Bottom Line

Giving cough or cold medicine to a child under the age of 4 could result in dangerous symptoms. Although these symptoms are rare, the risks don’t justify the rewards because these types of medications are also ineffective for children under age 4. About 44% of parents do so anyways, according to a recent survey.