OTC Cough and Cold Medicines and My Child: What Do I Need to Know?

Are over-the-counter cough and cold medicines safe for children?

You can buy over-the-counter (OTC) medicines for your child without a prescription from your doctor, but that doesn’t mean they’re harmless. When used as directed, OTC cough and cold medicines are usually safe and may help to relieve some symptoms in children older than 4 years of age. But if they are taken the wrong way, they can make your child feel worse and can even be harmful.

Children process medicines differently than adults. For this reason, some OTC medicines are made just for children or have specific dosing instructions for children. Talk to your family doctor if you have any questions about giving your child OTC cough or cold medicines.

Can OTC medicines cure my child’s cough or cold?

No, OTC cough and cold medicines can not cure a cough or a cold. They can only help relieve your child’s symptoms, such as runny nose, fever and body aches. They also do not shorten the length of time your child will be sick.

What questions should I ask about OTC medicines?

If a doctor, nurse or pharmacist recommends you give your child an OTC medicine, be sure to ask these questions:

Why are you recommending this medicine?
How much medicine should I give my child?
How often should I give my child this medicine?
What effect should this medicine have on my child’s symptoms?
Will this medicine cause any side effects?
Is there anything my child should avoid eating or doing while taking this medicine?

How can I be sure I’m giving my child the right amount of medicine?

Taking too much of a medicine or taking more than one medicine at the same time can hurt your child. Read the directions on the drug label to learn how much medicine to give your child and how often to give it to him or her. If you have any questions about how much medicine you should give your child, call your family doctor or pharmacist.

Following these tips will help you give your child the right amount of medicine:

An OTC label may say to give the medicine to your child “every 6 hours.” This generally means the medicine can be taken 4 times a day. It doesn’t usually mean you should wake your child up during the night to take medicine.
Don’t use an ordinary kitchen spoon to measure medicine. Labels for liquid medicines are typically measured in both teaspoons (tsp) and in milliliters (mL). Instead, ask your pharmacist for a measuring device (such as a spoon made for measuring medicine, a syringe or a cup) that is labeled with both tsp and mL.
Give only the amount recommended on the medicine’s label. Don’t assume that more medicine will work better or quicker. Giving your child too much medicine can be dangerous.
Keep a record (1-page PDF; About PDFs) of which OTC medicines you are giving to your child and when you last gave your child a dose. If you take your child to the doctor, take this list with you.

An appropriate medicine measuring device should be labeled with both teaspoons (tsp) and milliliters (mL).

How do I read a drug facts label?

It’s important that you be able to read and understand the label on any OTC medicine you buy for yourself or for your child. Labels always list the same information in the same order. Use the following as a guide. If you have any questions about a medicine, ask your family doctor or pharmacist.

Active Ingredient. The active ingredient is the chemical compound in the medicine that works to relieve symptoms. It is always the first item on the label. There may be more than one active ingredient in a product.
Uses. This section lists the symptoms the medicine is meant to treat. Uses are sometimes called “indications.”
Warnings. This safety information will tell you what other medicines, foods or situations should be avoided while taking this medicine.
Directions. This section tells you how much medicine your child should take and how often he or she should take it.
Other Information. Any other important information, such as how to store the medicine, will be listed here.
Inactive Ingredients. An inactive ingredient is anything in the medicine that isn’t meant to treat a symptom. This can include preservatives, binding agents and food coloring. This section is important for people who know they have allergies to food coloring or other chemicals.
Questions or Comments. A toll-free phone number for the manufacturer is given in case you have any questions or want to share your comments about the medicine.

Can I share my cough and cold medicines with my child?

Do not give adult medicines to children. OTC medicines intended for adults can be harmful for children. Once your child is a teenager, he or she may be old enough and big enough to take adult OTC medicines, but check with your family doctor first. Always talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions about what medicines you can give to your child.

What should I do if my child has a bad response to an OTC cough or cold medicine?

If your child has a bad response to any OTC medicine, tell your doctor right away. If you keep a medicine log (1-page PDF; About PDFs) for your child, bring it along to your child’s appointment. You will need important information about what happened, including:

Name of the medicine
How much was given
What it was used to treat
The side effects or bad response
Names of other medicines your child was taking at the same time

Should I give my child cold medicine to help him or her sleep?

Some OTC cold medicines may make your child feel sleepy. This is a side effect of some of the ingredients that relieve cold symptoms, such as antihistamines. Don’t give your child cold medicine just to make him or her sleepy. If your child is having trouble falling asleep, talk to your family doctor about other things you can do to help your child sleep better.

What else can I do to relieve my child’s cough and cold symptoms?

There are a number of ways to help your child feel better without giving him or her medicine. The most important thing to do is make sure your child gets plenty of rest and drinks lots of fluids. If your child has a stuffy nose, saline nose drops can be a safe, nonirritating way to fight congestion. Placing a cool-mist humidifier in your child’s room overnight can also help relieve a stuffy nose, congestion or cough. (Just be sure to keep the humidifier clean in order to prevent the growth of bacteria.) Or, turn your bathroom into a steam room by closing the door and turning the shower on hot. Sit outside the shower with your child for about 15 minutes.

Dos and Don'ts

Do look for a medicine that will treat only the symptoms your child has. For example, if your child only has a runny nose, don’t pick a medicine that also treats headache and fever.
Do make sure everyone who takes care of your child (such as school nurses, day care workers, extended family or a babysitter) knows what medicines your child is taking and when he or she should be given a dose.
Do read the medicine’s label carefully. Take note of any special instructions, such as foods or activities your child should avoid while taking the medicine.
Do store medicines in their original packages to keep track of important labels and expiration dates. Store them out of the sight and reach of young children.
Don’t give OTC cough and cold medicines to a child younger than 4 years of age unless your child’s doctor says it’s OK.
Don’t give aspirin or a medicine that contains aspirin (check the "active ingredients" section of the drug facts label) to a child younger than 18 years of age. Aspirin can cause a serious illness called Reye’s syndrome when it is given to children.
Don’t combine prescription medicines with OTC medicines unless your child’s doctor says it’s OK.
Don’t combine more than one OTC cough and cold medicine unless your child’s doctor says it’s OK. They may have similar ingredients that add up to be too much. For example, many OTC medicines contain acetaminophen and antihistamines.
Don’t use an OTC medicine after its expiration date.
Don’t share your adult OTC medicine with your child. OTC medicines intended for adults can be harmful for children.
Don’t wait too long to take your child to the doctor. Cold symptoms should get better quickly, and OTC medicines are only meant for short-term use. If your child has been taking an OTC medicine for several days and his or her symptoms seem to be getting worse, call your doctor.

Source

This content was developed with support from an educational grant from the Consumer Healthcare Products Association.

Written by familydoctor.org editorial staff

Reviewed/Updated: 02/11
Created: 06/09