Children's Sudafed PE, what a joke. Remember when they pulled all the good drugs off the shelves and we could no longer treat our children for the common cold, flu etc for fear of overdose. That alone was a bit frustrating because many of us do follow directions and would not give our children too much medicine and do find that it helps them get better faster and keep us out of the germy Dr.'s office sometimes!
Well, after they pulled the drugs they proceeded to turn around and a put a few new "safe" ones on the market for us desperate moms to use at 3am when your toddler wakes up hacking and sneezing.
On the Dr's orders a month or so ago I picked up some Sudafed for Lauren, it was to help with congestion and actually worked quite well (even though it no longer contains pseudonephrine). Then as we were heading up the hills to Beaver Creek on Christmas day, and Hailey woke up feeling quite stuffy, a bit froggy etc. I decided to give her a dose of the yummy raspberry flavored stuff that worked so well for Lauren! The theory...decongestant would help keep her ears from filling up on the trip up and maybe even ward off her 4th ear infection in as many months.
I carefully read the directions, was thrilled to see dosing for ages 2-6, poured a teaspoonful and gave it to Hailey! All was fine. No creepy side effects or anything, but it didn't help that much. By the next day Hailey was worse not better, but not sick enough to go to the Dr. either (no fever). Family consensus...."decongestant" was all she needed. BUT - I left our bottle at home (along with my camera charger) so daddy went to Walmart to buy some (of each)!
He even called me from Walmart to verify he was buying the right stuff. And he was!
So whats my problem? He brought it home, I opened it, looked at the side to verify the 1 tsp. dose and was utterly shocked to see this
UNDER 4 years - DO NOT USE
OMG...Did I give my 3 year old something I shouldn't have? how could that be? I know I have been scattered lately but come on, really...no, it isn't possible, it has to be wrong - I am not that stupid am I? Seriously now, they are going to have to pull these off the shelves because of people like me...great.
Well, unable to believe it to be true, Grandma went to the store for some groceries and decided to take the box with her and compare it to the ones at the grocery store (oerhaps to see if her daughter needed to be committed or not)
Grandma came home with this one:
That is right, Children 2 to under 6 years of age - one (1) teaspoonful
Now, what is a mom supposed to do? We now have two almost identical boxes with the EXACT same ingredients, all instructions etc. match except the dosing! I mean, DO NOT USE is a pretty strong statement isn't it!
We pondered, we contemplated, we scanned the boxes over and over again...we decided I did not need to be committed - the bottle I had at home had been OK to give to Hailey but now what do we do with this new found information?
At first the only real difference we saw was that the one my mom bought expires in 2009 and the one hubby got expires in 2010. So, the logical explanation is that they are going to PULL this one from the younger set too and they just haven't removed the old packaging from the shelves yet.
The rebel mother in me goes ahead and gives Hailey a dose, the poor girl needed it. She sounded like she swallowed a pond full of frogs and needed to feel a little better!
Later, upon further inspection (because we just couldn't drop it) we noticed another difference on the boxes. Canada vs. USA - Pfizer vs McNeil...
One was made in Canada and distributed by McNeil Consumer Healthcare and the other Made in the USA distributed by Pfizer...What's a mom supposed to do? If I go with Canada my child can't take it, if I go with USA she can.
Well, after they pulled the drugs they proceeded to turn around and a put a few new "safe" ones on the market for us desperate moms to use at 3am when your toddler wakes up hacking and sneezing.
On the Dr's orders a month or so ago I picked up some Sudafed for Lauren, it was to help with congestion and actually worked quite well (even though it no longer contains pseudonephrine). Then as we were heading up the hills to Beaver Creek on Christmas day, and Hailey woke up feeling quite stuffy, a bit froggy etc. I decided to give her a dose of the yummy raspberry flavored stuff that worked so well for Lauren! The theory...decongestant would help keep her ears from filling up on the trip up and maybe even ward off her 4th ear infection in as many months.
I carefully read the directions, was thrilled to see dosing for ages 2-6, poured a teaspoonful and gave it to Hailey! All was fine. No creepy side effects or anything, but it didn't help that much. By the next day Hailey was worse not better, but not sick enough to go to the Dr. either (no fever). Family consensus...."decongestant" was all she needed. BUT - I left our bottle at home (along with my camera charger) so daddy went to Walmart to buy some (of each)!
He even called me from Walmart to verify he was buying the right stuff. And he was!
So whats my problem? He brought it home, I opened it, looked at the side to verify the 1 tsp. dose and was utterly shocked to see this
UNDER 4 years - DO NOT USE
OMG...Did I give my 3 year old something I shouldn't have? how could that be? I know I have been scattered lately but come on, really...no, it isn't possible, it has to be wrong - I am not that stupid am I? Seriously now, they are going to have to pull these off the shelves because of people like me...great.
Well, unable to believe it to be true, Grandma went to the store for some groceries and decided to take the box with her and compare it to the ones at the grocery store (oerhaps to see if her daughter needed to be committed or not)
Grandma came home with this one:
That is right, Children 2 to under 6 years of age - one (1) teaspoonfulNow, what is a mom supposed to do? We now have two almost identical boxes with the EXACT same ingredients, all instructions etc. match except the dosing! I mean, DO NOT USE is a pretty strong statement isn't it!
We pondered, we contemplated, we scanned the boxes over and over again...we decided I did not need to be committed - the bottle I had at home had been OK to give to Hailey but now what do we do with this new found information?
At first the only real difference we saw was that the one my mom bought expires in 2009 and the one hubby got expires in 2010. So, the logical explanation is that they are going to PULL this one from the younger set too and they just haven't removed the old packaging from the shelves yet.
The rebel mother in me goes ahead and gives Hailey a dose, the poor girl needed it. She sounded like she swallowed a pond full of frogs and needed to feel a little better!
Later, upon further inspection (because we just couldn't drop it) we noticed another difference on the boxes. Canada vs. USA - Pfizer vs McNeil...
One was made in Canada and distributed by McNeil Consumer Healthcare and the other Made in the USA distributed by Pfizer...What's a mom supposed to do? If I go with Canada my child can't take it, if I go with USA she can. Of course, I gave it to her...because she needed it. We never had to go to the Dr. she is all better now...I googled it...The Sudafed site says she can't take it...so why are they selling some bottles that say she can? ARGH.
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9 comments:
How frustrating and confusing! I noticed a phone # on one of the boxes - what do they have to say?
This is terrible. I don't know what I would have done...I probably, like you, would have given it to her. What a joke.
That's interesting. They need to figure out which one is correct and take the others off the shelf.
It's probably not a big deal if she takes it.. but why does the Canadian one say that ay??
Bonnie, you made me smile. I am not sure what the problem is and how you can buy it at 3 different stores and get 2 different sets of directions. It certainly is misleading and a problem if you ask me.
That is insane! But I have to say that you guys should become The Emerson Family, Private Investigators Team!! :)
How crazy! I think you're right...it looks like one of the boxes has a copyright of 2006, and I can't read what the other box says, but it's probably later than that? It sounds like that box was supposed to be pulled and wasn't.
That being said, I don't think you did anything wrong. It's no wonder parents are confused!
Can't wait to hear what your doctor says!
I think the simple answer, although frustrating for parents out there who just want their kids to feel better, is that these pharmaceutical companies are COVERING THEIR BUTTS. They've got to pull it if there might be the slightest, slightest chance of a problem. But then packages like the two you got end up on the shelves either before some are pulled or mixed in with older supplies. It's so frustrating.
You my dear, are on top of it and actually READ dispensing directions, so you're definitely ahead of the curve.
Well now that's an intersting story.
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