NO Cold Medicines For Children Under 6??

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21034121/

I hate when these medical organizations come out with blanket statements like this. Elf is severely asthmatic, and he has been taking Dimetapp and all sorts of other things, in addition to his prescribed medicines, since he was about *3* because our allergist has told us to when he has a cold. And yes, when Dr. S. tells us to do something, we've discovered the hard way that it's best to do what he says. I can't tell you how frightening it is to have your child get breathing problems, and knowing it's because you've slacked off on his medicines because you don't want to put a bunch of stuff into him he doesn't need. It's no time to be a purist and deny him those medications.

He *needs* that stuff. We pay a LOT of money for about 7 or 8 different medicines every month. Now, most of the time our regular physician cannot even tell he's asthmatic by listening to his lungs. It's when the Elf gets a cold that things get very bad. I can't imagine saying "no" to cold medicine or anything else when my child is having difficulty breathing. And the thing about these medications is that they make those bouts of his having a hard time breathing of shorter duration and farther between.

I just wish that when the medical organizations make these blanket statements about the dangers of these drugs, that they were more careful to state that there are exceptions to every "rule." Of *course* Elf was in some danger of dying from the cough medicines when he was younger. But to my mind he was in way more danger of dying from asthma if we left it untreated.

I'm concerned that when reports about the bad effects of this or that drug come out, people who really NEED that drug will be persuaded to stop taking it. OK, I'm off my soapbox... but please... if you are prescribed a medication by a physician you trust, talk to him or her before you stop the medicine. It's not that you need "permission," because it is your body; however, the physician may be able to tell you whether your condition may mean taking the risk is advisable medically.

Just a thought and God bless.