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October 5, 1994, Vol 272, No. 13 >
ARTICLE | October 5, 1994

Rational Use of Over-the-counter Medications in Young Children FREE

Anne Gadomski, MD, MPH
[+] Author Affiliations

Author address: Department of Pediatrics, the Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital, One Atwell Rd, Cooperstown, NY 13326-1394 (Dr Gadomski).


JAMA. 1994;272(13):1063-1064. doi:10.1001/jama.1994.03520130101040
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Article
References

The study by Kogan et al1 in this issue of The Journal documents the high nationwide prevalence of over-the-counter (OTC) drug use among young children. More than half of all mothers surveyed in this nationally representative sample had given their 3-year-olds an OTC medication, primarily Tylenol or cough or cold medicines, in the past 30 days. Given the high incidence of febrile illnesses and upper respiratory tract infections in young children, the frequency of Tylenol and cough or cold medication use is not surprising. However, we have no assurances that these medications are used correctly. Moreover, the use of cough and cold medicines is increasingly being called into question due to the striking absence of efficacy data on cough and cold medicines in children.2 The efficacy of cough and cold medications was the focus of a recent congressional hearing,3 during which the chairman commented: "The sad fact

REFERENCES

1 +
Kogan MD, Pappas G, Yu SM, Kotelchuck M.  Over-the-counter medication use among US preschool-age children. JAMA . 1994;;272:1025-1030.
2 +
Smith MBH, Feldman W.  Over-the-counter cold medications: a critical review of clinical trials between 1950 and 1991. JAMA . 1993;;269:2258-2263.
3 +
Human Resources and Intergovernmental Relations Subcommittee Hearing, April 8,1992 . Cold medications: health care or hype? Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office; 1993;.
4 +
Gadomski AM, Horton LA.  The need for rational therapeutics in the use of cough and cold medicine in infants. Pediatrics . 1992;;89:774-776.
5 +
Sorofman B.  Drug promotion in self care and self medication. J Drug Issues . 1992;;22:377-388.
6 +
Hutton N, Wilson MH, Mellits ED, et al.  Effectiveness of an antihistamine-decongestant combination for young children with the common cold: a randomized controlled clinical trial. J Pediatr . 1991;;118:125-130.
7 +
Leibowitz A.  Substitution between prescribed and over-the-counter medications. Med Care . 1989;;27:85-94.
8 +
Gadomski AM, Rubin JD.  Cough and cold medicine use in young children: a survey of Maryland pediatricians. Md Med J . 1993;;42:647-650.
9 +
Flannery DB.  Parents knowledge about acetaminophen. J Pediatr . 1981;;98:851.
10 +
Ames JT, Hayden GF, Campbell RE, Lohr JA.  Parents' conception of their use of over-the-counter medicines. Clin Pediatr . 1982;;21:298-301.
11 +
Maiman LA, Becker MH, Katlic AW.  Correlates of mothers' use of medications for their children. Soc Sci Med . 1986;;22:41-51.
12 +
Schmidt B.  Fever phobia. AJDC . 1980;;134:176-181.
13 +
Roberts NJ.  Impact of temperature elevation on immunologic defenses. Rev Infect Dis . 1991;;13:462-472.
14 +
Nizet V, Vinci RJ, Lovejoy FH.  Fever in children. Pediatr Rev . 1994;;15:127-135.
15 +
Kramer MS, Naimark LE, Roberts-Brauer R, McDougall A, Leduc DG.  Risks and benefits of paracetamol antipyresis in young children with fever of presumed viral origin. Lancet . 1991;;337:591-594.
16 +
Szilagi PG.  What can we do about the common cold? Contemp Pediatr . 1990;;7: 23-49.
17 +
Walson PD.  Coughs and colds. Pediatrics . 1984;;74( (suppl) ):937-940.
18 +
Committee on Drugs, American Academy of Pediatrics.  Use of codeine and dextromethorphan containing cough syrups in pediatrics. Pediatrics . 1978;;62:119-122.
19 +
Pruit AW.  Rational use of cold and cough preparations. Pediatr Ann . 1985;;14: 289-291.

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Country-Specific Mortality and Growth Failure in Infancy and Yound Children and Association With Material Stature

Use interactive graphics and maps to view and sort country-specific infant and early dhildhood mortality and growth failure data and their association with maternal

1 +
Kogan MD, Pappas G, Yu SM, Kotelchuck M.  Over-the-counter medication use among US preschool-age children. JAMA . 1994;;272:1025-1030.
2 +
Smith MBH, Feldman W.  Over-the-counter cold medications: a critical review of clinical trials between 1950 and 1991. JAMA . 1993;;269:2258-2263.
3 +
Human Resources and Intergovernmental Relations Subcommittee Hearing, April 8,1992 . Cold medications: health care or hype? Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office; 1993;.
4 +
Gadomski AM, Horton LA.  The need for rational therapeutics in the use of cough and cold medicine in infants. Pediatrics . 1992;;89:774-776.
5 +
Sorofman B.  Drug promotion in self care and self medication. J Drug Issues . 1992;;22:377-388.
6 +
Hutton N, Wilson MH, Mellits ED, et al.  Effectiveness of an antihistamine-decongestant combination for young children with the common cold: a randomized controlled clinical trial. J Pediatr . 1991;;118:125-130.
7 +
Leibowitz A.  Substitution between prescribed and over-the-counter medications. Med Care . 1989;;27:85-94.
8 +
Gadomski AM, Rubin JD.  Cough and cold medicine use in young children: a survey of Maryland pediatricians. Md Med J . 1993;;42:647-650.
9 +
Flannery DB.  Parents knowledge about acetaminophen. J Pediatr . 1981;;98:851.
10 +
Ames JT, Hayden GF, Campbell RE, Lohr JA.  Parents' conception of their use of over-the-counter medicines. Clin Pediatr . 1982;;21:298-301.
11 +
Maiman LA, Becker MH, Katlic AW.  Correlates of mothers' use of medications for their children. Soc Sci Med . 1986;;22:41-51.
12 +
Schmidt B.  Fever phobia. AJDC . 1980;;134:176-181.
13 +
Roberts NJ.  Impact of temperature elevation on immunologic defenses. Rev Infect Dis . 1991;;13:462-472.
14 +
Nizet V, Vinci RJ, Lovejoy FH.  Fever in children. Pediatr Rev . 1994;;15:127-135.
15 +
Kramer MS, Naimark LE, Roberts-Brauer R, McDougall A, Leduc DG.  Risks and benefits of paracetamol antipyresis in young children with fever of presumed viral origin. Lancet . 1991;;337:591-594.
16 +
Szilagi PG.  What can we do about the common cold? Contemp Pediatr . 1990;;7: 23-49.
17 +
Walson PD.  Coughs and colds. Pediatrics . 1984;;74( (suppl) ):937-940.
18 +
Committee on Drugs, American Academy of Pediatrics.  Use of codeine and dextromethorphan containing cough syrups in pediatrics. Pediatrics . 1978;;62:119-122.
19 +
Pruit AW.  Rational use of cold and cough preparations. Pediatr Ann . 1985;;14: 289-291.

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