Getting in line to punch the FDA

Ok Becky, I'm on board. Ava got a little cough last night. Not a big deal, but I went looking for the last of the children's cold medicine that I was hording and...I'm out. I couldn't find any. Now, when I say "not a big deal", I mean not a big deal if I can give her some cough suppressant. Ava has a sensitive gag reflex. She will puke if she coughs too much. So not only is she coughing and trying to sleep and there is absolutely nothing I can do but turn on the humidifier and pray, she is also in MY bed. She likes to come sleep with me when Todd is working. So yea. Here I am with a coughing, gagging 3 year old, no medicine, no sleep and a serious need to punch whoever came up with this new regulation:

FDA panel: No cold medicines to children under 6

Some highlights and arguments from me concerning this article:

"A cold does not kill, so people should just relax," Rausch said. "Kids get sick and there's nothing that people can do about it, but they will get better." Seriously?? Ok, this person does not have children. How do I know? Because, when you have a child, the worst moments in parenting are the ones where there is nothing you can do to ease your child's pain or discomfort.

"Earlier this year, the FDA completed a review that found that between 1969 and the fall of 2006, there were 54 reported child deaths from decongestants and 69 from antihistamines." Ok you you're telling me that in 37 years...since before I was born 123 children have died from taking decongestants or antihistamines? Well, that is awful. And I feel bad for the parents, really I do. But can you tell me how many of those cases are from parents overdosing their children- accidentally or purposefully? Can you tell me how many are from complications of the cold/sickness? Can you tell me how many of the parents are underage children themselves? Can you tell me how many of those incidents are from curious children and keeping the medicine out where children can reach?

Also, did you know that 1449 children died in incidents involving car accidents since 2001?

Did you know that roughly 1500 children die every year due to child abuse or neglect?

Did you know there are about 2,500 deaths per year in the United States due to SIDS?

Did you know that 48,589,993 abortions were performed since Roe vs. Wade in 1973?

I'm not trying to downplay the 123 deaths in almost 40 years. Its awful that that happened to all those children. But what I'm saying is, the FDA is freaking out. They are making a mountain out of a mole hill. They are punishing the children who could benefit from cold medicine because of a handful of tragic deaths- most of which probably could have been prevented by reading directions.

"Panel: No evidence that the over-the-counter medicines help young children" Really? Did you actually conduct these studies on children? Because I can tell you right now they work. Last night, I found a bottle of Robitussin Cough. It wasn't labeled for kids, but it wasn't labeled for adults either. It also gave instructions on how much to give a child under 6. A 1/2 tsp every 4 hours. Perfect! So, I gave that to her. And within ten minutes (after 1 hour of coughing) her coughing stopped. It doesn't help? That's pure BS. I no longer had to worry about her getting enough sleep, I no longer had to worry about her puking all over the bed. She got enough rest and she is fine this morning- no coughing. I know that these cough medicines do not CURE a child of their cold. They help them, and the parents cope with the symptoms. I know that giving more that the recommended dose is dangerous and will not make them better faster. Its common sense and reading directions and following them.

The AAP suggests:
Moisturizing the air with a vaporizer or hydrator Ok, got that. That actually works.
Using saltwater nose drops to dry up a runny nose Sure, try it yourself. The drama that ensues isn't worth it.
Using a rubber nose bulb to clear up congestion Again...drama ensues. Not going to happen
Feeding the child chicken soup Um, did I mention she is a picky eater? So unless I force this down her throat, this is also not going to happen.
Consulting a pediatrician Her doc is closed after 4 and I'm not calling him for a cough.

"Baltimore Health Commissioner Dr. Joshua Sharfstein headed the push that led to the FDA hearing. He became alarmed when four Baltimore children died after their parents gave them excessive doses of cold medicines." Ok, so again, because of the bad decisions of some parents, we all need to suffer? That's like punishing the whole class because one kid didn't do his homework. Grrr.

And so, because of this, some of the leading manufacturers of these medicines have pulled their products in a voluntary recall out of caution. Not because of the dangers of the medicines, but because of the dangers of misuse. I think you are going to find a bigger problem on your hands now FDA. Mark my words, you will now have these same parents who are overdosing their child on children's medicines and you have taken away the kids medicine. They will find a bottle of adult cold medicine and possibly give their child an adult dose. I think this is potentially more dangerous than having children's cold medicine available OTC. What we should be doing is educating parents on the dangers of overdosing their children on cold medicine. That would be logical. But no. Thanks for the additional headache. Way to go FDA.