Many Parents Giving Over-the-Counter Medications to Kids: Poll

Children seem to be bringing all sorts of infections that are prevalent in school. On an average, children get about five to 10 episodes of colds a year. It's only natural that parents turn to over-the-counter medication to help them cope with the sneezing and coughing. However, a new poll showed that four in 10 parents give kids medication that is not suitable for them and may lead to some serious side-effects.

In the poll called University of Michigan Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health, more than 40 percent parents said that they had given cough and cold medication to children below 4 years of age. And, about 25 percent of children were given decongestants. The poll included 498 parents.

Cold and cough medications aren't recommended for kids below age 2 years and in 2008, labels on these products were revised stating that the medication shouldn't be used for children who are less than 4 years old. These medications can cause rapid heart rate and convulsions in young children.

"These products don't reduce the time the infection will last and misuse could lead to serious harm. What can be confusing, however, is that often these products are labeled prominently as 'children's' medications. The details are often on the back of the box, in small print.  That's where parents and caregivers can find instructions that they should not be used in children under 4 years old," said Matthew M. Davis, director of the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health.

Other side-effects of these drugs include nausea, constipation, sleeplessness or increased drowsing, slow and shallow breathing, as well as allergic reaction, according to a news release.

Davis said that parents need to be careful about the medication that they are giving their children. "Because young children often suffer from cold-like symptoms, more research is needed to test the safety and efficacy of these cough and cold medicines in our littlest patients," he added.

Check the findings of the report here and a video of Matthew M. Davis where he talks about the current poll here.