MELISSA BLOCK, host:
From NPR News, this is All Things Considered. I'm Melissa Block.
MICHELE NORRIS, host:
And I'm Michele Norris. During the winter's cold and flu season, parents may be more confused than ever about how to ease their child's cold. Experts say cough and cold formulas don't work and may even be harmful for children under four. Now a study this week raises concern about the safety of the popular ointment Vicks VapoRub, as NPR's Patti Neighmond reports.
PATTI NEIGHMOND: Researchers examined the safety of Vicks VapoRub after an 18-month-old girl was brought to the hospital ER with breathing problems. Doctors speculated it might have to do with Vicks, a menthol and eucalyptus ointment being rubbed under her nose. To test this theory, they looked at how the ointment affected ferrets, which have airways similar to humans. Scientists concluded it did the opposite of what might be expected, causing more, not less, nasal congestion and inflammation. But pediatrician Ian Paul of Penn State Children's Hospital takes issue with the study because it was based on only a single child and 15 animals. Paul is heading his own study looking at the effectiveness of Vicks in 150 children.
Dr. IAN PAUL (Pediatrician, Penn State Children's Hospital): People for a hundred years have been using Vicks VapoRub, and I hear it from parents that they used it when they were kids, and their parents used it when they were kids. So people asked me the question. So we decided we wanted as our next study to see whether it works or not.
NEIGHMOND: Vicks manufacturer, Proctor & Gamble, has some evidence the ointment might help adults, but there are no recent studies with children. The company is funding Dr. Paul's research, but Paul says the company has agreed to publish findings even if they're negative. Paul hopes to have some answers by next year. Until then, he says, parents should heed current recommendations from both federal government and the industry. Don't give your kids over-the-counter cough or cold formulas if they're four years old or younger. That includes cough suppressants, antihistamines, decongestants, and expectorants. Studies show the medications don't work and in rare cases can cause severe side effects. Dr. Paul.
Dr. PAUL: They can range from mild things like excessive drowsiness to things that are more severe like heart rhythm abnormalities or, especially with overdose, they can even be fatal when people take too much.
NEIGHMOND: So, what can parents do? Wait it out, says pediatrician Daniel Frattarelli of Oakwood Hospital in Dearborn, Michigan. Frattarelli says let your child know the cold will go away in a few days. And in the meantime, he says, use home remedies.
Dr. DANIEL FRATTARELLI (Pediatrician and Advisor, American Academy of Pediatrics): Keeping the children well-hydrated, keeping lots fluid in is good. Some people find that, you know, humidifying the air will help also just to kind of loosen up the secretions and make it easier for the kids to, you know, to clear this gunk out of their noses. Honey has been shown to help also decreasing the frequency of cough, as well.
NEIGHMOND: Frattarelli cautions that babies under the age of one should not be given honey. It can be dangerous for them. As for Vicks, Frattarelli says he'll wait to see the conclusions of Dr. Ian Paul's study. In the meantime, the Vicks label is clear. Vicks VapoRub should not be used in children under two or in the nostrils. The label says it can be rubbed on the chest or throat or aching muscles. Patti Neighmond, NPR News.