Parents warned not to give their children decongestant medications

Experts are warning parents not to give their children decongestant medications as it may do more harm than good.

Medical experts have spoken out about the lack of evidence there is to support nasal sprays and similar medications actually having any effect on common winter ailments. In fact they think that these medicines will cause more harm in the long run. Only the other day I was searching the shelves of my local shop looking for a decongestant to give my children to relieve their head colds. According to researchers from the University of Queensland in Australia and the University of Ghent in Belgium though, this is the wrong way to treat this illness. According to The Daily Mail Professor Mieke van Driel, of the University of Queensland, said;

"There is no evidence that these treatments alleviate nasal symptoms and they can cause adverse effects such as drowsiness or gastrointestinal upset."

This is something I was not aware of and I'm sure there many other parents who had no idea that these off the shelf products could have adverse side effects. Other side effects from these medications can include insomnia and headaches and researchers recommend that they not be given to children under the age of 12.