At work this past weekend, I saw three families who made me wonder: when we talk, what do parents hear? The same could be asked for when TV reporters talk or when authoritative figures like the FDA or the American Academy of Pediatrics talk. Do parents even listen? And, more importantly, do they listen enough to follow the advice given? Thankfully, most parents do listen but a number do not and those are the parents I am wondering about today. The three families I saw this weekend all had one very important thing in common: they were all there for colds in a toddler and every family admitted to given their toddler Pediacare, which was recalled the past October.
As you know, for the past year, it's been impossible to turn on a TV, computer or open anything in print without seeing a story about the dangers of over the counter cold and cough medications in children, particularly kids under 6 years of age. Most recently, the FDA’s Advisory finally stated that these medications simply should not be used in this age group.
Each of these families claimed to have "been unaware" of the dangers of pediacare yet looked uncomfortable by the question. That was all I needed to know. I simply reminded them of the recent news and moved on to my typical spiel of how to treat colds (saline, cool mist, fluids, chicken soup). And, pointed each family to some good online information and suggested they do a google search to read all the interesting news from the past year to get caught up and keep their kids safe.
It always troubles me when an issue arises that is clearly, calmly and plainly discussed yet some parents seem to be unable to hear it and follow the correct advice. I just hope that somewhere along the line these parents realize that all the experts can't be wrong - at the same time. Why come to use for care and advice if you are not going to take it??
I would love to know what these parents are really thinking to better understand how to get them to really hear us and listen to our advice. Perhaps there is a lesson learned for how we, the health care community, can communicate better. But, that can't happen if these parents don't talk to us and express their concerns. Until that happens, the ear block will continue and a child's health will be at risk.
In the meantime, parents, please, please, please, with a cherry on top…stop using over the counter cold and cough medications in children under 6 years of age. And, even for kids 6 years and older, the honest truth is chicken soup will get your child further on the mend than anything else out there.
By the way, what parents hear and how they listen is a big theme this week in the news so stay tuned. I’ll have much more to say.
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6 comments:
What are parents thinking? Parents are thinking that they hear your side of the story once a year. They hear the drug companies' side of the story every single day on the TV. Hard to fight that.
If it's over-the-counter, it can't be dangerous.
Right?
Oh, please! It's not hard to see for many of us that this is a huge ploy by Big Pharma to force parents to buy prescriptions. How many babies and toddlers do you know that EAT CHICKEN SOUP? Give me a break already! The bottom line is, the FDA takes this off the shelves, and guess what? Parents are going to give their kids the older kid stuff, because otherwise, they have to go visit the DOCTOR ($cha-ching) and then possibly get a prescription for something else ($cha-ching). It's money, honey, and as a doctor, I would hope you're smart enough to understand that!
I understand the Dr concerns but also understand the root problem with the parents. Mommy who knows better hits the nail right on the head with the root issue.
The sad part is that healthcare can't be free. Well, it could be if Dr's didn't want to be paid, but even a universal plan isn't going to help the way we want it to. We, as a human race, need to stop being so greedy. If you can afford to pay for it but have to forego your Starbucks for a little while, then you ought to. The problem is, Mom really wants her daily Starbucks - or whatever it is that gives her a status symbol in society. We, as a race, have always wanted to have our cake and eat it too. There is no solution - I'm sorry Doctor, but you're going to keep hitting a brick wall on this one. Do what you can and be proud of it. Say what you say and be proud of it. Look down in shame on those who are greediest, but I don't think the appropriate approach is to shame these parents.
My husband went to school for 8 years. If I want a Starbucks, I will darn well have it thanks.
Would I have a Starbucks if I needed the money for medicine? No. Should I go without a coffee so that YOU should have money for medicine? Why?
You obviously have access to a computer and internet. Should you get rid of that to buy another less advantaged individual medicine? If your answer is no, then why?
Those are not the answers to the problem.
I think better labeling is definitely needed. When my oldest was a toddler you could buy infant Tylenol in huge bottles. I see today that the bottles are much smaller. This is a good thing because there is less medication to over dose with.
I'm sure many of these parents are probably trying to use the same formula of medication for different ages of children so they don't have to buy two bottles. This is where the mixup in dosing comes along. Or the child spits part out so they try to put more in and give too much.
I'm a child raised in the 70's. I can remember the good old days when the military doctors would give me codeine syrup to quiet a cough. Aaaaah. ;)
I am not going to even bore you with the story about how my brother was prescribed Bella Donna and my father almost killed him by giving too much. Bella Donna. I know that sounds insane, but thank goodness things have changed a bit since then.
Gotta say, I agree with Mommy Who Knows Better on this one.
In addition...any adult knows that there is no cure for a cold. But they also know that if they take some cold medication, it at least alleviates some of their symptoms enough to allow them to get sleep, which along with liquids, hastens the end of the cold.
Ergo, most parents will continue to give their kids some form of cold meds to alleviate their symptoms and no amount of recommendations will change that. Taking the children's meds off the shelves is simply going to lead to parents giving "mini-doses" of adult cold medications. And if parents can't handle appropriate dosages in kid's medications (which I personally believe is the cause of most of those ER visits -- yes, even those parents who claim they gave the correct dosage -- there's no way they'll be able to handle dosing with adult meds. I predict the ER visits are going to increase dramatically over this whole issue.
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