Got a sick kid? Home remedies may be better than OTC cold medicines

Q: I have read that cold medicines for children continue to be sold even though they have not been thoroughly tested. Sadly, some businesses are quick to put out OTC medications just to turn a profit (and a rather large one at that). After all, if it promises a miracle, what parent of a sick child wouldn't spend money for it?

Unfortunately, I work in a business that uses that trick time and again. I definitely don't like the lack of standards for children's OTC cold products.

A: For years, millions of young children have been dosed with ineffective and potentially harmful cough and cold remedies. Pediatricians have been lobbying the Food and Drug Administration to crack down on the manufacturers of these medications. Under this pressure, the companies recently agreed not to market these products for children under the age of 4.

We're not confident that older children will benefit either. In lieu of drugstore nostrums, home remedies may offer a safer approach. Some pediatricians are now suggesting chicken soup for colds or honey and lemon for coughs.

Q: I'm so irked about erectile-dysfunction ads. I'm a mature adult, married (with adult children), so I'm not ignorant or prudish.

I think, however, that if you have a problem, you know it and should see your doctor. These advertisements are so offensive, considering all the people who end up watching them.

A: Many people are fed up with TV ads for erectile-dysfunction drugs. Only the U.S. and New Zealand permit any prescription-drug advertising to patients.

The law could be changed to restrict such commercials. Let your senator or representative know how you feel.

Q: Can Aleve sometimes cause drowsiness? I only take one, but later I find myself dozing off. Is there a hidden ingredient that causes this? Am I the only one who experiences this problem?

A: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as OTC ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB) and naproxen (Aleve) or prescription products like diclofenac (Cataflam, Voltaren), indomethacin (Indocin) and meloxicam (Mobic) can sometimes cause drowsiness, dizziness or confusion.

You are not the only one who gets sleepy or spacey on medications like Advil or Aleve. A nurse who wrote to us several years ago reported that ibuprofen made her mentally foggy. She feared early-onset Alzheimer's disease but found that stopping the NSAID improved her mental status.

In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them c/o King Features Syndicate, 888 Seventh Ave., New York, NY 10019, or via their Web site: www.peoplespharmacy.org