# Sudafed for 18 Month Old?



## MommaMoo (Nov 16, 2005)

OK, I feel awful giving my son this stuff. I already feel like a bad mom because when he gets a cold it goes on for at least 2 weeks. (I have the dumb notion that "good moms" have kids who are always healthy). He has a stuffy/runny nose for a week, then it escalates to goopy eyes and dingy snot and other lovey true cold symptoms. A cold for him means major upheaval and disruption in our house. Anyway, after 10 nights of struggle and near-tears for me because ds can barely sleep and nurse, (meaning I get about 1 or 2 hours of sleep) I got some pedia sudafed for him. The directions say to consult a Dr. for use in children under 2. However, pharmacists are prohibited by law for giving medical advice about children under 2, and ds doesn't have a pediatrician. I've left 2 messages at the overburdened medi-cal clinic today and I wonder if I'll even get a call back. Oh yeah I've tried all other methods of clearing his nose. Our bedroom feels like a swamp because the vaporizer is on all night, every night, and we try like hell to suction out his nose. DS fights this so hard that me and dh TOGETHER can't even hold him still enough to do this. Has anyone here used sudafed on a toddler under 2? How much?


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## maymorales (Dec 9, 2006)

It's really hard to say because no one knows for sure how much to give a child under two. There are recent reports of fatality for children given over-the-counter cold meds.

I know it's very difficult on you right now. But I'd advise play it safe and not give him anything.

Have you taken him outside? Fresh air calms my ds when he's under the weather.

I'm sooo sorry for your situation. Good luck and hang in there. You are not a bad mommy. Look at all that you're doing for him!!!


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## guestmama9916 (Jun 24, 2006)

Instead of Sudafed, find some sodium ascorbate (a form of Vitamin C). We take a brand called "The Right C". It is awesome! Since I started giving DS just 1 dose a week, he's had no more 2 week long colds or any colds for that matter. I just pop open a capsule and sprinkle some into his drink or applesauce. Its tasteless. It will help your little one get over his current cold quickly as well. When you are sick, you need to take a dose a day or even 2 doses a day of SA because your body will use it all up. Otherwise, just take it as needed to prevent a cold or to thwart one if you start to get sick.

FWIW, here's a link to Dr. Sear's dosage info for all kinds of medicine (just in case). He includes dosage info for children under the age of 2:

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/8/T089900.asp

Kim


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## Gitti (Dec 20, 2003)

I would deffinitely try something else. But we always use natural healing aids.

I am a very good grandmother and my two dds are very good moms but the kids still get sick every so often. LOL So, don't take it personal when your kids get sick, BUT intervene right away so it doesn't get out of hand.

*Here is our trick.*


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## OMama (Feb 18, 2005)

I wouldn't give the sudafed either. We were just talking to our pediatrician the other day about decongestants and he said they often make things worse because they can cause the mucous to thicken (instead of loosen), which of course means it is going to be clogged up in there even more. We had given some to DD before this conversations and I don't think it helped and it made her a little "crazy" too. There are several homeopathic things for kids you can try too.


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## MommaMoo (Nov 16, 2005)

The sodium ascorbate idea is a good one. I just hate the idea of giving ds OTC's that dh and I would never even take. DS gets taken out for a walk once or twice a day, but today is really windy, cold, and rainy. Thanks for the link, Gitti, we do similar things. DH and I are both herb people (we even met at herb school) and ds gets echinacea tincture and herbal infustions when he's sick. I get quite frustrated that nothing seems to make a damn bit of difference, though. I ate an impeccable diet through the whole pregnancy, ds gets no sugar, EVER, and only eats organic foods. It doesn't seem to matter, though







DH works at a hfs, I'll ask him to get some sodium ascorbate.


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## Lynnseedoil (Aug 18, 2005)

I wouldn't give Sudafed. I got the same talk from a doctor last week about decongestants. Ari had a cold that settled in her chest and (long story short) she ended up with "virus induced asthma". the ER doctor told us that you should never give a decongestant because it can lead to more severe illness like pneumonia. He did recommend an expectorant, however (regular Robitussin), because it makes them cough and get the stuff out. Yeah right, I'd like to see anyone try to get Robitussin in a 1 year old who's never had juice









Sorry you're having a hard time, mama.


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## Gitti (Dec 20, 2003)

You have to expect him to get sick every so often, that's how he builds immunity. The immune system must be used in order to get strong. It's one of those things, either use it or lose it.

Perhaps you should avoid dairy products if you are still nursing him?

It could be the problem. OTOH it could be a simple virus that he's got to work on by himself.

*I would not use any allopathic medicine on an 18 mo. old.*

But I would give a few drops of Sambucol every hour.


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## MommaMoo (Nov 16, 2005)

Oh I forgot all about Sambucol. I bet he does have some sort of virus because he had diarrhea today. Lynseedoil, I hope your dd is fine now. Going to the ER sounds quite scary (esp. for someone with no health ins, like me.) I know that cough suppressants can cause terrible problems, it makes sense that decongestants cause problems, too. I'll avoid them.


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## Gitti (Dec 20, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MommaMoo* 
I bet he does have some sort of virus because he had diarrhea today. .

Then you better start *this*


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## Lynnseedoil (Aug 18, 2005)

Thanks for asking, Mamamoo. It was not fun... but she's right back to normal.


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## mavery (Jun 3, 2005)

I DO use decongestants for my ds, but very sparingly. Like, I would give him one dose at bedtime every couple of nights just so we get some sleep. The main problems I am aware of with decongestants are first, that some kids get hyperactive-type symptoms from sudafed, and second that they can cause a rebound reaction (the mucous membranes are dried out and in response get irritated and produce more mucous). For the first, I know my ds does not have any reaction of that kind.

I am guessing that the "decongestants can lead to more serious illnesses" is just that when the mucous membranes are dry, some viruses are more likely to actually take hold in the body. This would be the same as the effect of central heating (drier air).

I agree that there are plenty of better methods to help heal from a cold, but I think the benefits of decongestants can be worth it occasionally.


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