I'll admit I get a little OCD about that stuff. I check and double-check to make sure I'm reading TSP instead of TBSP before putting anything in my kid's mouth (or my own, for that matter). And honestly, when you've got a sick toddler who can't stop coughing, what are you supposed to do? Just pat them on the back? Ridiculous.

so I guess it does happen.

Sadly, I think it does - BUT there are thousands if not bazillions of cases where it doesn't. I shuddered when I read your post, but it also frustrated me because if you read the labels (and all the dosing instructions are different, so you have to read), know how much yoru child weighs, and use the right spoon/dropper/thingy - which we keep rubberbanded to the bottle, because those are all different too - you can, amazingly, get it right.

A quick count of the number of dropper/thingies in our med cabinet would reveal too many - and it's hard to keep them straight unless you police them like whoa... that may be part of the problem?

ETA - that, and the fact that you're usually holding a screaming/unhappy child, trying to read 3pt type on a cylindrical bottle, and it is 3 am. ei. I usually read the thing 23x and then ask DH: "this is right, isn't it?"

totally scary, the whole thing. I don't know what is the right decision. I just know what made I. better, so that she could breathe/ breathe and sleep at the same time. Humidifiers & steam showers only go so far.

Most of the overdosing comes from not using the dispenser or dropper included with the medicine and with overlap from care providers (babysitters, grandparents and even two parents who aren't communicating about when the last dose was given). Or by using multiple medications with the same ingredients (using Tylenol cold WITH another decongestant or cough medicine).

My doctor told us it was ok to give Owen & Olivia 1/4 teaspoon of decongestant when they were over six months old. But I don't think people realize just how tiny a dose that really is.

Oddly enough, I think the cold medicines (we used Triaminic Nighttime) worked with Owen but never with Olivia.

With ear infections lately, they sometimes don't even prescribe antibiotics right away (unless it's a severe infection). They'll just recommend Tylenol for the pain and fever and wait to see if the infection clears up on its own. If it doesn't, then they prescribe ABs.

Did Verizon buy some other company out, or was it a name change? I've never had them, yet I got a $14 check from them out of some class-action suit. It's not much, but, hey, money!

I'm just worried that with them pulling the children's versions that some parents will dose their kids with the adult versions. "If we give them a small dose, it will be ok".

And honestly, when you've got a sick toddler who can't stop coughing, what are you supposed to do?

whiskey. My friend's grandmother used to dip his pacifier in whiskey when he had a cold. He's a big time lawyer now, so I guess it was okay.

Did Verizon buy some other company out, or was it a name change? I've never had them, yet I got a $14 check from them out of some class-action suit. It's not much, but, hey, money!

You'll have them in the future and they'll give you bad service, and for tax reasons it will be cheaper for them to send money back through time to you....

So true, Suzi.

Oh, Vortex. Silly woman. Whiskey's for teething!

I usually read the thing 23x and then ask DH: "this is right, isn't it?"

Ha - this is totally me. I try hard to buy just 1-2 brands to reduce the dropper options. Then, I'm on the Dr. Sears site (which lists dosages and weights and describes the bottles and so on) to make sure. Of course, it's different now that Ellie's 24 lbs and not 10.

This is the slowest day ever. Yeah, I've done *nothing* but still the day is dragging.

Jess - was the Tylenol prescribed? I thought it had all been taken off the shelves which is why I'm asking.

Oh, not Tylenol Cold, just plain old acetomeniphen.

I'm not a big believer in OTC cold meds generally - I just don't think they do any good (except for the PM ones if your cough is so bad you can't sleep). But I'm a big believer in pain relief.

There was a study recently that showed that honey was as effective a cough remedy as any OTC cough syrup out there. (I'll do a quick Google for the link in a sec.)

[eta: Here's an article about it: [link]

And here's the actual study: [link] ]

[eta2: And before anyone jumps on me, I know you can't give honey to babies under 12 months.]