SUNDAY, March 17 (HealthDay News) -- It's the time of year when
cold season and allergy season overlap, and parents need to know
the active ingredients in the medicines they give their children
for these conditions, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
warns.
Taking more than one medicine at a time could cause serious
health problems if the drugs have the same active ingredient, which
is the component that makes the medicine effective against a
particular condition.
For over-the-counter products, active ingredients are listed
first on a medicine's Drug Facts label. For prescription medicines,
active ingredients are listed in a patient package insert or
consumer information sheet provided by the pharmacist, the FDA
said.
Many medicines have just one active ingredient. But combination
medicines -- such as those for allergy, cough or fever and
congestion -- may have more than one.
Antihistamine is an active ingredient found in cold and allergy
medicines. Too much antihistamine can cause sedation or agitation.
In rare cases, it can cause breathing problems.
"We're just starting allergy season," Dr. Hari Cheryl Sachs, an
FDA pediatrician, said in an agency news release. "Many parents may
be giving their children at least one product with an antihistamine
in it."
Over-the-counter antihistamines include diphenhydramine
(Benadryl), chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton), clemastine (Tavist),
fexofenadine (Allegra), loratadine (Claritin, Alavert), and
cetirizine (Zyrtec). Parents need to be cautious if they're also
giving their child medicines to treat a cough or cold.
"It's important not to inadvertently give your child a double
dose," Sachs said.
Other active ingredients that can be found in both allergy and
cold medicines include: acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil
or Motrin), and decongestants such as pseudoephedrine and
phenylephrine. All can cause serious health problems if children
take too much of them.
Parents need to keep track of every medicine and the active
ingredients each contains, Sachs said. She recommended making it a
habit to write down the name of any over-the-counter or
prescription medicine given to a child.
"It's really a good idea to carry that list with you when you go
to see your pediatrician or even when you go to the pharmacy,"
Sachs said.
Parents should also make note of any vitamins or supplements a
child is taking, as these can also have potentially harmful
interactions with certain medicines.
More information
The Nemours Foundation has more about
children and medication safety.