Infant Cold Medicine Recall: It's Back to Chicken Soup

With the recent withdrawal of dozens of over-the-counter cold medicines for infants, my life may become a bit easier. Or, will it? The medical profession has always been well aware of the limited value of cold medications, and of course, the hazards of using them inappropriately, such as an accidental overdose. The biggest advantage of some of those medications was that it bought us time while nature orchestrated the cure. Parents desperately want to do something. Did I use them with young patients? Yes. Did I experience any problems with them? No.

Colds are going to last a week if you aggressively treat them; and about seven days* if you leave them alone. (*Symptoms can last longer in infants). For the first six months of life, nature has provided infants with some borrowed immunity. The umbilical blood supply provides babies with a healthy dose of Mom's circulating immunities. Breastfeeding can add to the immune response. However, when the baby turns six months old or so, the maternal immunity fades and the baby will have to start fighting them off themselves. Nature has provided about 200 or so different strains of colds to help jump start an infant's immune system. By getting little colds, babies will be better able to fight off other, more serious, infections. Nature provides an ample supply of human viruses and people provide the transport system so we can freely share them.

New parents are not prepared for snotty noses, coughing, and fever, especially in an infant. As a matter of fact, ANY fever tends to freak out novice Moms and Dads. Fever is the body's most primitive immune response and need not be feared. It should be viewed as an expected and welcomed response. When your body raises its temperature, viruses find it more difficult to replicate. If we keep loading kids up with acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), we are really defeating this beneficial fever response. If the kids are handling the fever well, it is often better to leave them alone. However, is perfectly fine to treat misery. Colds can cause body aches and headaches and babies do not understand discomfort. It is okay to treat for comfort, but don't let the thermometer tell you what to do.

Except in very rare occasions, fever is not dangerous and will not cause brain damage (at least in kids). Inexperienced parents, on the other hand, seem to get brain damage when their child becomes ill. If a parent has one child, they can only tolerate about 100 degrees of fever (the normal rectal temperature is 99.6!). If they have two children, they can handle about 101; three children, about 103. After four children, a feverish kid would need to have smoke coming off of them, before parents would panic.

Parents prepare for MONTHS in childbirth classes, but very few are prepared for the dozens of colds and other childhood maladies are just around the corner. Babies that are placed in day-care at this early age are being subjected to an unbelievable array of infectious organisms, transported baby-to-baby, or from child care provider to baby by hands and respiratory droplets. It only takes a few days in a busy day care for an infant to get their first cold. I guess since colds are really beneficial, day-care providers may want to start charging for this extra service.

Colds will occur with or without these recalled medications. Children will get better, with or without these recalled medications. Yes, they may be a more stuffy, and you will need to use some saline nasal spray and the feared, nose-sucker (nasal aspirator), but they will get better. Children may cough a bit more, but coughing helps clear a mucous-filled airway. You may have to get out that cool mist humidifier again.

And, finally, you may need to make some homemade chicken soup, often called Jewish Penicillin. If you can't, there is always Campbell's. Chicken soup not only hydrates and warms those mucous membranes; it tastes great, and will give you something to do while nature orchestrates that cure.

My fear is that a return to chicken soup may work so well, that if (or when) these recalled medications return to market (they were a several billion dollar a year business), that we will start seeing new Triaminic with Chicken Broth, Dimetapp Chicken Plus, or PediaCare chewable chicken soup tablets.

Moser's WebMD Decongestant Chicken Soup

Put one cut-up chicken in 8 cups boiling water (easy, huh!). Cook until chicken is falling off of the bones. Removed cooked chicken and allow it to cool. Remove all of the bones and chicken skin; cut or shred chicken meat into small pieces and return it to the chicken broth.

In a separate skillet, add some olive oil and sautè about two chopped onions, some diced carrots, a few stalks of chopped celery, and a few cloves of chopped garlic (substitute garlic powder if you are lazy or sleep-deprived). After they're cooked, add to the chicken broth.

Now, add some fresh thyme (about 3/4 tsp) or about a 1/2 tsp of dried thyme, two bay leaves, a sprig of fresh rosemary (that you really should have growing outside; or a little dried rosemary if you don't), and a little salt and pepper.

Simmer slowly for about an hour, or until you can't stand it anymore. Taste it. If it is a little weak in flavor, add some chicken bouillon or two cans of prepared chicken broth. Although this may shock the homemade chicken soup purists, it does boost the flavor. Add the fresh, chopped parsley just before serving.

Variations: Pour chicken soup over cooked noodles, or cooked rice. A little soy sauce and fresh ginger will give you that wonderful Asian flavor.

Warning: May cause nose to freely run. Have plenty of tissues available. Will not cause hyperactivity.

Related Topics:

• Fact Sheet: Flu and Colds in Children
• 10 Questions About the Common Cold

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