Study finds parents use cough medicines on under-2s despite the warnings

More than 40 per cent of parents have used cough medicine for children younger than two – even though it is not recommended, nor proven effective for children in this age group, an Australia-first study has found.

The joint University of Melbourne and Royal Children’s Hospital study, surveyed 325 parents at hospital outpatient clinics, maternal child health centres and child care centres about their use of over-the-counter medication for children aged 0-24 months.

It is the first study in Australia examining the use of over-the-counter medications among parents of children in this age group.

University of Melbourne Nursing PhD researcher Misel (pronounced Michelle) Trajanovska will present data from her study at the National Medicines Symposium 2008 in Canberra tomorrow (Friday 16 May).

She found:

-- 98 per cent had purchased an over-the-counter medication in the past year;

-- Paracetamol was the most commonly used drug (95.9 per cent);

-- 47.3 per cent had given their children topical teething gels;

-- Almost half (42.8 per cent) had given their children cough and cold medicines containing anti-histamines;

-- Nearly all parents had used over the counter medications to combat pain and fever;

-- About seven per cent of parents had given their child over-the-counter medication to induce sleep or settle their child;

-- Two parents had given their children paracetamol because they were “cranky”.

Ms Trajanovska said the use of cough and cold medicines on children under two was of particular concern.

“Internationally there have been a number of reports of serious side effects among infants and children given over-the-counter cough medicines,’’ she said.

“There is also a lack of evidence that these medicines are even effective for treating coughs.

“The Therapeutic Goods Administration recommends that these medicines should not be used on children under two, and from September they will only be available to children under two on prescription.”

Ms Trajanovska said the survey results reinforced the need for continued education of parents about the safe use of over-the-counter medicines.

“Despite the widespread use of over-the-counter medicines for young children, they are not without risks such as side effects or poisoning,” she said.

Ms Trajanovska said that in Victoria 0-4 year olds had the highest poisoning admission rates. In emergency departments 16 per cent of these poisonings were due to paracetamol and 11 per cent were caused by cough and cold medicines.

The next stage of Ms Trajanovska’s PhD will investigate where parents get their advice on over-the-counter medications.

Source: University of Melbourne

Related stories:

Pittsburgh cancer center warns of cell phone risks
(AP) -- The head of a prominent cancer research institute issued an unprecedented warning to his faculty and staff Wednesday: Limit cell phone use because of the possible risk of cancer.
ADHD increasingly common in older kids, CDC says
(AP) -- More older children are being diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder while the rate is holding steady for children under 12, according to a government report released Wednesday.
Serious school failure turns out to be a real bummer for girls, but not boys
(PhysOrg.com) -- Adolescent girls who had a serious school failure by the 12th grade -- being expelled, suspended or dropping out -- were significantly more likely to have suffered a serious bout of depression at the age of 21 than girls who did not have these problems.
Robot playmates may help children with autism
Papers delivered at three conferences in the US and Europe this summer report on new research at the University of Southern California Viterbi School of Engineering studying interactions of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) with bubble-blowing robots.
Study: Common wisdom about troubled youth falls apart when race considered
One of the most widely accepted beliefs about the differences between troubled boys and girls may need to be revised, according to new research.
Australia unveils online code of conduct
Australia on Wednesday unveiled a new code of conduct to regulate online and mobile phone content which will call for classifications similar to those for films, a government spokesman said.
Researchers find further evidence for genetic contribution to autism
Some parents of children with autism evaluate facial expressions differently than the rest of us--and in a way that is strikingly similar to autistic patients themselves, according to new research by neuroscientist Ralph Adolphs of the California Institute of Technology and psychiatrist Joe Piven at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Study explodes myths of gang life
(PhysOrg.com) -- Two years of field work with members of six English gangs has produced one of the most revealing portraits of their lives, exploding distorted stereotypes of their culture.

News discussion:

Medicine & Health news