A new study found that emergency room visits associated with over-the-counter cough syrup in children three and under declined after safety-labeling initiatives.
In 2007 manufacturers voluntarily pulled a number of over-the-counter (OTC) cough syrups from shelves in order to cut down on the number of accidental ingestions in the under three crowd, a Consumer Healthcare Product Association (CHPA) news release reported.
The products were relabeled as "for children four and over" after encouragement from the Federal Food and Drug Administration. The change in labeling hoped to reinforce safe storage practices and safe use.
"The data show what we know to be true: Education and proactive efforts to help parents appropriately use over-the-counter pediatric cough and cold medicines are working," Barbara Kochanowski, Ph.D., vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs at the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), said. "Through education and packaging and labeling improvements, manufacturers are helping parents choose the right medicine, use the right medicine, and store medicine appropriately to avoid accidental, unsupervised ingestion-the primary cause of the rare reported adverse events involving these medicines."
The researchers believe "education is key to prevention." CHPA Educational Foundation's "Treat with Care" campaign hopes to enforce just that. The initiative works to educate parents on how to safely administer and handle OTC cough syrups; this includes never giving it to children under four years of age.
"Our industry is committed to ensuring the safe use and storage of these medicines," Kochanowski said. "The CDC study published today shows these industry initiatives to enhance the safety and safe use of these medicines have had an impact on both adverse drug reactions in infants and toddlers as well as accidental unsupervised ingestions. Already rare, there have been declines in both."
Other tips the "Treat with Care" campaign stresses include:
"Always read and follow the label; Never give an adult medicine to a child. Always follow the age and dosing instructions as specified on the medicine label and use the accompanying measuring device. Only use the medicine that treats your child's specific symptoms; Never give two medicines with any of the same active ingredients; Never use cough, cold, or allergy medicines to sedate your child; Put medicines up and away and out of sight - EVERY time you use them. Remind guests not to put medicines in purses, coats, or places children can get into," the news release reported.
In case of accidental ingestion, always call the Poison Help Center
(800) 222-1222
