But doctors say Utah parents continue to give the unsafe and ineffective drugs to their babies.
Sandy pediatrician Jeff Schmidt said parents are using leftover infant decongestants or antihistamines that are no longer sold. Or, more dangerously, he said, they're giving babies medicine made for adults or toddlers in smaller doses, which could lead to unintentional overdoses.
"They say, 'I'll just give a quarter of a teaspoon. [That is] definitely not something that a family should be deciding," said Schmidt.
That's part of the reason FDA officials on Thursday rejected the idea of an immediate ban on cough and cold medicines for children under 6, as pediatricians have demanded. During a public hearing in Washington, D.C., federal officials said they worried a ban would drive parents to give adult medicines to their youngsters.
''That is a concern for us,'' said John Jenkins, who heads the FDA's Office of New Drugs. ''We do not want to do something that we think will have a positive impact, only to have an unintended negative. That could be an even worse situation.''
Instead, the FDA said it needs to gather more data on whether over-the-counter remedies are safe and effective for children ages 2 to 6.
But the American Academy of Pediatrics says it already knows the answer. It wants to see a label on pediatric products that warns parents against using them for children younger than 6: "Serious adverse reactions, including but not limited to death, have been reported with the use, misuse and abuse of this product."
Heading into cough and cold season, Schmidt and other Utah pediatricians are trying to educate parents to try natural remedies, like humidifiers and saltwater nose drops. And to be patient.
"These medicines aren't curing anything," Schmidt said, noting that as long as children are eating and don't have a persistent fever for three days, they're fine. "The viruses take awhile."
Karen Buchi, a South Salt Lake pediatrician and president of the AAP's Utah chapter, said parents who come to her with sick children have already tried OTC drugs.
"I always ask, 'Do you think they help? I don't get a positive answer to that question very often.
The drugs weren't studied in children when they were approved 30 years ago. Studies have shown they don't work, and that the drugs send nearly 7,100 children to emergency rooms each year for symptoms like hives, drowsiness and unsteady walking.
They've also been associated with deaths. The problem is mainly from unintentional overdoses and children using them unsupervised.
"The problem is that they haven't been used correctly by parents," said Buchi. "If over-the-counter cold medicines are still available for pediatric use, parents are going to seek that at the grocery store. It's cheaper than going to the doctor and asking for advice."
U.S. families spend at least $286 million a year on such cough and cold remedies for children, according to the Nielsen Co. market research firm. The industry says OTC medicines have been used for decades and are safe for those older than 2.
Nonetheless, manufacturers are planning to carry out new studies involving the most common ingredients in the medications. The industry also is starting an educational campaign aimed at parents, doctors and day care providers on the importance of following directions and storing medicines away from children.
Naturopathic physician Joseph Humpherys, who runs a pediatric clinic in South Jordan, said he never suggests parents use cough and cold medicine on their children. Instead, he recommends natural remedies like elderberry, buckwheat honey, as well as peppermint, lavender or eucalyptus essential oils in a warm mist humidifier.
"Just treating the congestion and the runny nose is not enough," he said. "We have to get rid of what's causing it, help the body fight the cause."
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
