The great cold medicine debate

I was feeling SO wonderful that we made it all the way to December this cold and flu season before we managed to get sick. That that sick was a stomach flu, not our usual stuffy nose, ears infected, hacking cough winter. I mean by this time last year we were working on round two of pneumonia for all FOUR kid, I'd had pneumonia, and was working on bronchitis and laryngitis. It just wasn't fun. But nope, not this year. We've made it all the way into the 20's of January before we've heard our first sniffle. For that fact I am eternally grateful. I don't know if I could have handled sick kids on top of everything else we've had going on. I mean, I would have, but I think that it may very well have been the straw that broke the camels back. Ya know?

Well, that brings me to my next dilemma. Cold medicine. Its a topic on just about every news program you watch now-a-days. You hear how so and so thinks its perfectly safe used in moderation. You have another so and so who thinks all children's cold medicine should be banned because its too dangerous. And you have us mothers here on the side lines watching the match play back and fourth as if we were watching the ball of a tennis match being quickly vollied. Its so CONFUSING!!!! Ahhhh.

Dallas is sick, as is Kaleb and Kendyl. They're congested to the point that at night its darn near impossible for them to breath. When you add the nasty gunky sounding cough that they also produce mostly at night and it just makes for not much sleep. So we give them children's night time meds. And they help. That doesn't make me a bad mom does it? I think that I'm doing right by them in helping them rest to feel better. Now, with that being said we use medication in this house VERY sparingly. We save it for when its truly needed. Night time being one of those times when they're miserable. And if they need anything during the day its usually only one dose of an 8 hour children's cough/cold medicine. Again, does that make me a bad mom?

There are so many out there who would argue for the "home remedies" . Yep, been there, done that. The whole "take your child into the bathroom with you and let them breath the hot steamy air from a shower." Well unfortunately my children inherited my weird dislike of breathing hot air. Its one thing when you're IN the shower getting wet, because the air doesn't FEEL hot then. But yeah, saunas, steam baths, and breathing hot air when cold have ALWAYS been right out for me personally. We've tried with the kids, and they freak. SO I don't see how its worth it to have your child freaking out because they don't like what's happening. We've also done the plug in the wall-fill your room with vapors to help you breathe medicine. But really, are those working? I'm not 100%. We've used vicks (children's of course!), home made saline that the doctors told us how to make, warm tea, the list could go on and on really. And we've not had much luck. So, we've gone with a sure fire relief for the kids. Occasional use of cold meds.

I understand there are parents who maybe use them too much, or for the wrong reason. And I understand that that may be playing a role in why some stores are pulling the meds all together. But what about those of us who use them very sparingly? And only when all other choices have been exhausted? Where is that going to leave our children when they're sick and miserable? I realize they didn't have cold meds way back when, and people made it through. But that's the grand thing about the times advancing. We DO have relief, and we CAN use it.

Now, correct me if I'm wrong. In order to put a medication out there on the shelves for consumers to buy, ESPECIALLY when pertaining to a child, they have to be tested. And they have to be approved by the government. Correct? And to now pull them off the shelves. . .I don't know, it just seems like a waste of research and money. I understand if there is a major problem, or huge unknown side effects surface. But to pull them simply so parents can't administer them to their child incorrectly? Or over use them? I'm sorry but isn't it up to a parent to decide how to raise their child? I'm not siding with people who abuse it here. I'm siding with those like me. The moms out there who use it when their child is totally miserable and can't sleep, breathe, and is suffering.

Its such a hard thing to be a parent these days. Every where you turn there is another study about how you should/shouldn't do this activity because its bad/good for you. And for every study proven good, there will be another immediately following showing that exact same thing to be bad. And vice versa. How are we supposed to weed through it all and keep it all straight?

Well, for now I'll continue to use my cold meds sparingly and give my children relief. I truly believe they're not in danger and that they're not being harmed by the small amount of medication I've given them.