Infant Deaths Associated with Cough and Cold Medications --- Two
States, 2005 Cough and cold medications that contain nasal
decongestants, antihistamines, cough suppressants, and
expectorants commonly are used alone or in combination in
attempts to temporarily relieve symptoms of upper respiratory
tract infection in children aged <2 years. However, during 2004
--2005, an estimated 1,519 children aged <2 years were treated
in U.S. emergency departments for adverse events, including
overdoses, associated with cough and cold medications.* In
response to reports of infant deaths after such events, CDC and
the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME)
investigated deaths in U.S. infants aged <12 months associated
with cough and cold medications. This report describes the
results of that investigation, which identified deaths of three
infants aged <6 months in 2005, for which cough and cold
medications were determined by medical examiners or coroners to
be the underlying cause. The dosages at which cough and