BOSTON (CBS) – According to a study published in JAMA Pediatrics, doctors continue to prescribe popular over-the-counter medications for coughs and colds despite little evidence that they help
Back in 2008, the FDA advised against using cough and cold medications for kids younger than 2 because they don’t tend to work and can pose safety concerns. The American Academy of Pediatrics followed suit for kids younger than 6.
Now, researchers at Rutgers University have found that since then, doctors have been less likely to recommend over-the-counter cold preparations for young kids, but instead are more likely to suggest antihistamines, like Benadryl, for kids younger than 12.
Antihistamines treat allergies, but it’s not clear that they help ease cold symptoms and they can make kids sleepy.
