Infant cold medicine?

Question

Are there any cold medicines that are safe to give to a 5 month old? I already put a call in to the Dr. and am waiting for a call back but wondered if anyone else knows and what kids are best? She just has a runny nose, slight cough and very low temp.

Answer 1

PediaCare. It is over the counter. You may have to ask the pharmacist for it though, in my state it is kept behind the counter because it can be used to make meth.

Answer 2

Personally, I don't think these products should ever have been made available without a prescription. Infant cold remedies containing decongestants and antihistamines haven't even been proven to work for a cold. Actually, antihistamines can make the cold worse by drying up secretions and preventing them from draining, resulting in a sinus infection or ear infection. A cold is a virus which has to run it's course. It is much safer and more effective to use a humidifier, saline drops in the baby's nose and an aspirator rather than using oral medication. Cough suppressants probably work, but should only be used under the supervision of a physician just in case the baby has an infection which requires an antibiotic. This is usually the case when the cough is waking the baby up at night. Regular Infant Tylenol and Motrin/Advil have not been pulled from the market, only the ones containing cold medicines. Also, it was the manufacturers of the products who voluntarily pulled them from the market to protect themselves from future lawsuits. The FDA did not require them to do it.

Answer 3

I've been using Infant Tylenol and cold. It seems to work well for the runny nose. I know that Robutessin for children or infants?, with the doctor's permission of course, is good for a cough and congestion. That may be a better option. I'm not sure if they make it for infants or children, but I know the boy I used to babysit for took it when he was an infant. The doctor prescribed the appropriate dosage. It really helped his cough and sniffles.

Answer 4

Plain Tylenol. Don't give anything else over the counter to a child under a year without doctor's direction. Many OTC meds can mask other, more serious, symptoms in an infant.

If she's not uncomfortable, there's no need to medicate anyway. Run a cool mist vaporizer in her room (warm can burn) and try elevating the head of her mattress a little (put a folded towel under the head of the mattress) or let her sleep in her baby seat - sometimes they're more comfortable that way.

Answer 5

The only infant medication I know of is Tylenol Infant drops and Motrin. Those don't really help with runny noses and coughs,however, they do help with fevers and aches and pains. Most infant medication needed for cold symptoms requires a prescription. Sometimes doctors can recommend a childrens medication (ie. Dimetap, Triaminac etc.) and tell you the correct dosage to give your child. They can usually do this over the phone.

Answer 6

Just be careful!!!!!!! follow directions by weight not age always give a little less. and ask your doctor too many kids die from over the counter cold medications. if you can get away without meds just clear her nose with a bulb syringe (we call it the bugger sucker). I don't like Deslyn and peds. are pushing that for the fever use tylenol infant drops, make sure you by INFANTS not CHILDRENS big difference.

Answer 7

When my daughter was that age, I just used nose drops (a brand called Little Noses) and ibuprofen or Tylenol for the fever. I was told by every doctor NOT to give cough suppressants. They need to be able to cough that stuff up.

Answer 8

I use Tylenol Cold, just get the correct dosage from your pediatrician. I also use a bulb syringe to clear baby's nose and a humidifier at night which seems to help a lot. Good luck!

Answer 9

I agree with the above, but check with you doc on the motrin, because my doctor said it was not safe until after the baby was 6 months old. Also, do not get the concentrated infant drops in the tylenol. It is too easy to overdose your baby. Get the children's tylenol, and give her 1 teaspoon for the fever.

Answer 10

give her tylenol or baby motrin for the fever, and use some saline solution and a nasal aspirator for her nose congestion. These work the best, since you cant medicate a cold virus, and trying to do so with cough medication and such only prolongs the life of the virus.

Answer 11

The infant motrion or tylonol is o.k. The runny nose and cough will go away on it's own, but the fever needs to be treated.