A CDC survey found three infant deaths in 2005 associated with cough and cold medicines.
According to the report, in the latest MMWR, the infants ranged in age from 1 to 6 months, and all had high blood levels of what appeared to be pseudoephedrine. The survey was based on e-mail queries to medical examiners and a review of news and journal reports, and because the response was low, the CDC cautioned that the total might have underestimated the true number of cases.
An editorial note said proper dosing of OTC cold and cough medicines for children under age 2 has not been studied, and that systematic reviews show that in this age group the drugs offer no advantage over placebo in reducing cough and other symptoms of respiratory tract infection. It said the cases "underscore the need for clinicians to use caution when prescribing and caregivers to use caution when administering" these medicines to the very young.
The note suggested that caregivers "consider clearing nasal congestion in infants with a rubber suction bulb; secretions can be softened with saline nose drops or a cool-mist humidifier."

Published in Physician's First Watch January 12, 2007