Aaahhhchooo!

Following the recent voluntary recall of Infant Cold & Flu medicines by Tylenol, pediatricians are now urging the FDA to ban cold medicines for children up to six saying, "over-the-counter medicines shouldn't be used in children under 6 because they don't help them and aren't safe". Whether it's safe or not, I can't say - I'm not a doctor nor a scientist. I trust that if I'm using medicines in the normal recommended dosage that I'm in the clear. But whether or not it works - I can say it absolutely does. I don't give my kids cold medicine out of "fear and vulnerability" as the article states. I give it to them because they are miserable and/or can't sleep - not to mention the sheer exhaustion of both of us - and I've seen it work. The snot stops, the coughing stops, they can breathe through their nose and get the sleep they need to fight off the virus that many times turns into ear or sinus infections.

So what do they recommend for kids up to age six (and are pushing for kids up to age TWELVE)? Love and Liquids. Yeah that will work. How about they try that for themselves. Nope, doesn't matter if you've been coughing for three nights in a row, doesn't matter if it feels like your head is going to explode and your nose is raw from the constant stream of snot - have another glass of water and ask someone for a hug. That will get you through.

Of course I'm willing to try more naturopathic remedies, but its not easy to get a one-year old to blow their nose much less gargle salt water or drink more than a sip or two of honey-lemon tea. I will continue my search, but herbal remedies can be just a risky as manufactured drugs.

So what's a mother to do?

I do my best to prepare my kids for the germs they come up against. I feed them a balanced diet including fruits and vegetables - and plan to up their servings of yogurt this cold season, they get daily exercise and adequate sleep. I teach them to wash their hands and cough into their arm rather than their hands, but they are in daycare. Daycare is a giant petrie dish of toddler germs and no matter what I do I can expect at least a cold a month (usually more) up to age two. It then slows down to around three a year once their immunity is built up a bit, but that first couple of years is rough and cold medicine is sometimes your only salvation to a much needed nights sleep and the rest they need to heal.

If they find that its truly not safe, then yes, I will stop giving them the medicine - and hope they provide some real alternatives, but they are losing credibility with me when they say it doesn't work. I've seen the results in my sleeping, easy-breathing children.

See the article on CNN.com here.