Vicks VapoRub, a common cold remedy, may create respiratory problems in infants and small children. Scientists found that the problem could particularly affect children because they have smaller airways than adults.
They said that those who use the product inappropriately, by applying it directly under the nose, can cause a young child’s tiny airways to swell and fill with mucus, triggering severe breathing problems. “Infants and young children have airways that are much narrower than those of adults, so any increase in mucus or inflammation can narrow them more severely,” explained Dr. Bruce Rubin, from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Centre in North Carolina, lead-author of the study.
The scientists decided to study the problem after a girl suffered breathing problems after the product was applied directly under the nose. Only 18 months old, the girl suffered serious breathing problems as her family looked on the emergency department. The patient had not responded to treatment, so her doctors and family tried to find out an explanation. The grandparents, who were with her when she struggled to breathe, mentioned that they put the product under the girl’s nose and later on wondered if that could have been the cause of the crisis.
The scientists only tested the Vicks product, but Rubin said similar products could have the same negative effects in infants and toddlers. According to the study published in the journal Chest the lotion increased the amount of mucus created in the airways and cut the rate at which it was cleared by the windpipe.
For the study, researchers used ferrets, which have an airway anatomy similar to humans. In the animals with a chest infection, the product increased mucus secretion and decreased the animal's ability to clear mucus.
As a conclusion, scientists recommend never putting Vicks in, or under, the nose of a child. They say problems are unlikely in adults because their airways are bigger. Dr. Robin suggests the best treatments for congestion are “saline (salt water) and gentle rubber bulb suction, warm drinks or chicken soup, and, often, just letting the passage of time heal the child.”
On the other hand, a spokesman for Procter & Gamble Co, which makes Vicks VapoRub, defended the product, saying that it “has a long-standing history of being safe and effective when used according to package directions.” He said the label mentions the fact that the product should not be used in children under age 2 without a doctor’s advice, and it should not be applied under the nose. “P&G works with the regulatory agencies and paediatric experts to make certain that parents of young children know how and when to use OTC cough and cold medicines,” the company said.
Dr. James Mathers, president of the American College of Chest Physicians, advised parents to consult their doctor before giving any over-the-counter medication to infants and young children.
