FDA warns of increased child poisonings from cough medicine

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MoneyWatch Updated on: November 15, 2022 / 7:14 PM / MoneyWatch FDA warns of rise in child cough medicine poisonings FDA warns of rise in child cough medicine poisonings 00:25 More children are overdosing on the cough suppressant benzonatate as prescriptions for the drug — sold under the brand name Tessalon — have increased, a study released Tuesday found.
"Accessibility to medical products at home presents a risk for unintentional ingestion in young children as oral exploration is a normal part of development in infants, and young children may be enticed to consume objects that resemble candy," they wrote.
Prescribed to treat coughs that come with getting a cold or the flu, benzonatate is not approved for those younger than 10 years of age, the study noted.
Calls to poison control for both intentional and unintentional ingestion of cough suppressant benzonatate have been rising in recent years as prescriptions have increased, according to a new study from @US_FDA in @aap_peds.