What works best for treating children's colds?

School is in full swing, and with it comes a plethora of colds passed back and forth among kids. But parents who want to alleviate a sick child's misery would be best to avoid over-the-counter cough and cold remedies.

decongestants Oct. 10 in the theatrical BMJ.

Thesis over-the-counter (OTC) medications do not effectively alleviate symptoms like a stuffy or runny nose, but do carry dangerous dangerous side-effects for kids, said senior researcher Dr. An De Sutter. She is head of family medicine and primary health care at Ghent University in Belgium.

Some decongestants "can have serious side-effects, such as hypertension, excitement and convulsions," De Sutter said.

The new evidence has been reviewed by the US Food and Drug Administration, and it is expected that these recommendations will be made in the future.

The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends the use of OTC cough and cold remedies for children younger than 4, said Dr. Jeffrey Gerber, medical director of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

"Generally speaking, at best in adults the risks and benefits are probably around equal," Gerber said.

The common cold is usually caused by viruses, and the symptoms are noted in the notes. Children get about six to eight colds a year, compared to two to four colds annually for adults.

Current evidence from clinical trials shows to provide relief for children, the researchers said.

The study authors concluded that decongestants or medications containing antihistamines should not be given to children under 6, and used with caution in children aged 6 to 12.

The tradeoff simply is not worth it, Gerber said, even if the chances of a severe side-effect are minimal.

"You can have interactions that can make your heart race, for example," he explained. "If you had some type of underlying condition, you might know that, you could exacerbate that and cause an arrhythmia.

The OTC remedies do not work much better for adults, the study found. Using decongestants alone or with antihistamines or lozenges can have a small effect on the eye or runny noses, the researchers said.

But adults run an increased risk of side effects insomnia, drowsiness, headache or stomach upset, the findings showed. Ironically, long-term use of decongestants can lead to chronic nasal congestion.

There are also some other commonly used OTC or home treatments, such as steam, heated air humidifiers, analgesics, vapor rub, echinacea gold probiotics, the report said.

Nasal saline irrigation gold drops are a parent's safest way to relieve a child's stuffy nose, according to the report, but these may not work.

Parents can use acetaminophen (children's Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Children's Motrin) to reduce fever, aches and breads in children, and a cool-mist humidifier can help nasal passages, the FDA suggests. In addition, kids should drink plenty of fluids to remain hydrated.