Clearing up confusion over cold medicines

It's the heart of cold and flu season and almost every parent can relate to that feeling of helplessness. It usually gets worse at night. That rattle in the chest. Gasping for air. Coughing uncontrollably. It could be the common cold or allergies, but to moms and dads, it can sound like their little one may lose a lung.

That familiar dread has escalated in the last couple years, after Federal health experts determined over-the-counter cold medicines for children under 6 are ineffective and possibly harmful. So what's a parent to do? Vitamins or vapor rubs? Honey or humidifiers? Tea or tea tree oil?

Get any group of expert parents together and you'll get some advice. Teresa Matthews of Virginia Beach says to make sure the child's head is elevated to breathe better. In Chesapeake, Cassandra Latney swears by vitamin supplements, honey and cinnamon.Geraldine Wells recommends taking your little one into the bathroom and letting a hot shower fill it with steam. Elizabeth Allen says warm water and salt for a sore throat

Sometimes doctors and nutritionists agree. Sometimes they don't.

"Their nasal passages are smaller than adults," explains Dr. John Harrington, Director of General Academic Pediatrics at Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters. "If you want to have flow of nasal discharge, you want it to be as thin as possible to get through the airways. A decongestant sucks out a lot of the moisture and makes the mucus thicker and more likely to extend the symptoms."

Even worse, Harrington said the phenylephrine in decongestants along with guanefesin to prevent cough can give some children under 6 a dystonic reaction, including headaches, nightmares, even the feeling of bugs crawling on their skin and hallucinations. Harrington says it's pretty rare, but any emergency room in the winter has had at least one case.

Parents might not like to see their child's nose running, but Harrington says that's what should happen."If it's running, that's good. You're having clearance of the virus, a better immune response and the child will get better quicker."

Grandma must have been right about letting the cold "run out of your body." What about her recipe for herbal teas, lemon and honey? Dr. Harrington gives that advice a strong maybe.

"There's not a lot of evidence that shows they're helpful beyond the placebo effect.

It's the fragrance for many people (especially grandmothers) who believe if it smells like Vicks, it must be working."

Harrington's best advice with colds is to let it flow. That requires plenty of moisture by drinking liquids like water, broth and tea. He also recommends humidifying the air with a home system or just by turning down the heat, bundling up and opening a window about 1 inch. Applying 5-10 nasal drops can be helpful too, he says.

"I recommend the chewable Vitamin C to boost a child's immune system," said Anya Wolfenden, Director of Communications for The Heritage Store in Virginia Beach, one of Hampton Roads' largest centers for holistic health and natural foods. "It's a natural antihistamine, so it helps with the flow of mucus. It's something kids really need, especially during the winter months. If you can keep them from getting congested, you keep them from getting infected in their sinuses."

She says vitamin D is crucial too."I use vitamin D gummies. It's important because they're not getting as much sun in the winter months and they're all wrapped up, so it's not getting to their skin as much."

Wolfenden is the mother of two, as well as an avid believer in homeopathic remedies for cold and flu symptoms and probiotics to support immune function.

Also in her all-natural medicine chest

n Mullein garlic ear drops."Within 20 minutes, it soothes an ear ache.It's amazing."

n Alka-thyme for congestion "It's like a naturalmenthol and eucalyptus mouth wash and it's so soothing as a poultice on their chest, throat and forehead. They'll ask for it."

n Natural cough syrup

Wolfenden's recommends household staples include honey, lemon, herbal teas, ginger ale and chicken soup or root soup for vegetarians. She strongly advises parents to stay away from sweets, dairy and processed foods during periods of congestion..

Most studies on herbal remedies for children are not conclusive, so talk to your doctor before giving your child anything more than the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of any vitamin or supplement.

All health experts agree prevention is key, but not always possible.The average child will get up to eight colds a year, according to KidsHealth.org. It's the number one reason kids visit the doctor and stay home from school.Like most virus infections, colds just have to run their course, but you can't go wrong by letting your child get plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids and stay calm.Chances are they won't huff and puff and blow your whole house down.

By Bonita Billingsley Harris

Source: Tidewater Parent Magazine