Overdose fears with childrens cough medicine

A number of cough remedies for children under the age of 2 years old have been removed from the shelves of pharmacies.
The action has been taken following fears of accidental overdose.

The remedies are not being removed completely, but will be kept behind the pharmicists counter and should not be administered to
people who wish to treat children under the age of 2 years.

The products which are being removed include

Asda Children’s Chesty Cough Syrup
Calcough Chesty
Boots Chesty Cough Syrup (one year plus)
Children’s Chesty Cough
Boots sore throat and cough linctus (one year plus)
Buttercup infant cough syrup

More remedies which are aimed at the over 2s will be removed until they contain warnings about the dangers
of administering them to children under 2.

It’s a precautionary measure, to avoid dangerous situations where the medicines are used in the wrong quantity
for the wrong age group. It is to avoid overdose especially when they are given to very young children.
This action was taken when it was found many parents were unwittingly overdosing young children with cough
remedies.

Paracetamol and ibuprofen medicines, vapour rubs and simple cough syrup such
as glycerol, honey or lemon are recommended instead of the cough remedies for their young children.
More details on AFP.com