Pantagraph.com | News | Cold meds decision sad reminder for B-N family

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

to: WOW wrote on Oct 19, 2007 7:22 PM:

" Is people stating their opinion really worse than your need to publicly pat yourself on the back in the comments about every story? What is the point of all the people who say nothing more meaningful than "oh ya, I'm even sorrier than this other guy". "

Just a comment... wrote on Oct 19, 2007 7:18 PM:

" So many have stressed the importance of reading the labels, yet most (if not all) medications only give dose recommendations for children 2 and up. For children two and under, no amount is stated and one must seek the advice of their pediatrician. This woman said she gave the dose her doctor recommended. Many simply trust the advice of their doctors. It's so sad to know someone lost their life because of this. After learning of this tragic event, let's just, at the very least, learn from it and not let it happen again to anyone we love. "

WOW... wrote on Oct 19, 2007 4:12 PM:

" Simply, an I am sorry would be enough from each of the persons that have commented on this story, but of couse everyone needs to voice their opinions on here. One thing I know is that no one is put on the earth to judge these parents, or the decisions they made. To the Alvarez/Mehlberg family, my deepest sympathies... "

JD wrote on Oct 19, 2007 4:06 PM:

" Here is why I find it hard to empathize. Would you give your child antifreeze to drink? How about rat poison? Of course not. Both are considered dangerous. So whats the chemicals in cold medicine any different? Is it because doctors (who make millions of mistakes a year) say it is safe? Is it because the government (who make mistakes all the time) says it is safe? I find it hard to empathize with someone who allows others to make potentially dangerous decisions for their child because they choose to not to the research themselves. Again, it all comes down to personal responsibility. I know others will blame the doctors or the government, but ultimate responsibility is personal. "

Chart wrote on Oct 19, 2007 3:45 PM:

" I got the coolest thing from my pediatrician. It is a chart of each kind of Tylenol, Motrin, and Triaminic listed on the top and then the weight and age range of the child on the side. Then it tells me the exact dose for each kind of medicine. This is the same chart my pediatrician uses. I have it taped to the inside of my medicine cabinet. I don't understand why these aren't made available at pharmacys. Information is the key. "

Agree with 12-Foot Midget wrote on Oct 19, 2007 3:14 PM:

" Common sense. What doctore is perscribing this for a 4month old!!!!! Seriously. I feel so sorry for this loss, but why would you give your small child this much medicine? And then listen and DOUBLE it!!!!! Come on, even people without children know this. Most parents dont even bother with the doctor when their children under the age of 2 have a cold because everyone knows you just have to let it run its course and if the fever gets high enough then you call or take them in the ER. I dont know why or how but maybe they need to start talking to more parents about lables on these things for our input!!!! READ THE LABELS, DONT LISTEN TO THE DOCTOR!!!!! "

emt wrote on Oct 19, 2007 2:27 PM:

" You give kids medications by weight, and that only. You have to give it carefully and given carefully and correctly things won't happen. Read the labels and doses and double check them. Just as adults can overdose too. And some of these over the counter meds do work! "

Rye wrote on Oct 19, 2007 2:22 PM:

" If people would read the labels and follow the recommended doses, then peoples lives would be saved. We don't need the Govt. to regulate everything in our lives. We need more common sense and less Govt. regulations. Sounds cruel but it's the truth. "

Noneya wrote on Oct 19, 2007 2:19 PM:

" It bothers me to think that a mother would double a dose. We all can read and these companies put warning labels there for a reason. For what ever reason, I would not double the dose for myself and for that reason, it concerns me that she did for her child. "

Cakes wrote on Oct 19, 2007 2:14 PM:

" I too am a mother, I can not imagine what the family is going through. Hopefully this will come to an end and will not continue to be dragged out. That is the last thing they need. "

Empathy wrote on Oct 19, 2007 1:17 PM:

" Empathy: the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner; also : the capacity for this This is the definition....Maybe JD just mentioned he could not trueky feel their pain because he has not lost a child. "

ummm JD wrote on Oct 19, 2007 1:04 PM:

" dude...sometimes you better learn when to shut up and when to listen, and when to get some class. "

To JD wrote on Oct 19, 2007 10:58 AM:

" It's people like you that are an embarrassment to society. You find it hard to empathize..good for you. Maybe I should send you a plaque, since you are obviously THE perfect parent. Do you even have kids? If so, let's hope they don't hear you speak to often. "

Mother of 2 wrote on Oct 19, 2007 10:38 AM:

" I have to admit that I have given my young children cough medicine as well. You just want so badly for them to rest peacefully at night! I did find, though that the one I used had no effect on my daughter anyway, so I stopped using it. My pediatrician has been very honest with me, though that they are not big proponents of the usefulness of cough medicines for young children and that different children can react differently...although no one ever mentioned the possibility of death! I do feel for the family and what they have been through. I appreciate them sharing their tragedy so that the rest of us can remain informed. "

Snoop Dog wrote on Oct 19, 2007 10:07 AM:

" Ralph Davis a Peoria attorney is an associate at the Janssen Law Center. "

Instruction wrote on Oct 19, 2007 10:01 AM:

" The doctor said give the baby Pedicare....NOT Pedicare Cold and Cough. Read the article again. My doctor told us NOT to give our children a cough suppressant because they did not need it. Children need to be able to cough up the mucus. I am glad my doctor took the time to explain what the differences in the meds were. The meds can be confusing to choose from in the store. "

Lets keep perspective wrote on Oct 19, 2007 9:50 AM:

" I feel sorry for the family. Dealing with the death of a child is something that no person should ever have to do. That said, lets not take away every medicine that has caused a death. If we do that, we will only be left with faith healing. Frankly, I like the advances in medicine and feel that drugs (prescribed and OTC) as a whole do far more good than bad. More children die because vending machines crush them than from this drug, especially when used per directions. "

Be diligent wrote on Oct 19, 2007 9:44 AM:

" I have small children and I have given both of them the same medicine this baby took. You have to be SO careful with anything you give your kids, especially medicine. So many times children are accidentily given double doses of medicine. They are given a cold medicine (which sometimes contains tylenol) and then not realizing the cold medicine contains tylenol, gives them a dose of tylenol as well. I don't think these medicines should be pulled off the shelf. They really do help. BUT, I do think parents need to be educated and read labels thoroughly and consult your doctors before using it. I am so sorry this family had to experience such a tragic accident. "

12-Foot Midget wrote on Oct 19, 2007 9:36 AM:

" Despite this, the number of parents getting mad at me for not prescribing decongestants to their children is amazing. I have had people scream at me in the emergency room because I told them that their 4 month old kid is just going to have to wait for the sniffles to go away, and they accuse me of just wanting their child to suffer despite my going over with them the guidelines for these meds. THIS IS NOT NEW!!! The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended against ALL decongestants for children under the age of 2 for YEARS. "

My Doc... wrote on Oct 19, 2007 9:34 AM:

" Would not allow me to give my son and daughter cold meds until they were 3, there is a reason is says 2 and under contact a doctor. Parents dont think about these things and just assume if they give less the baby will be ok. Sad part is that some doctors prob. think its ok to give them too. If you start giving cold medicine at 4, 6, or even 12 months they will become immune to it by the time they are 2!!!! I feel so sorry for this family so much has change since 2001 we know so much more. God bless them and I will keep them in my prayers!!! "

A lawsuit? wrote on Oct 19, 2007 9:30 AM:

" I'm sorry. This is out of place. Hopefully, the family will not allow a lawyer to drag out their grief for his/her personal gain. "

to JD wrote on Oct 19, 2007 9:09 AM:

" what - you find it hard to empathize!! What is your problem, you cruel person. "

TO: JD wrote on Oct 19, 2007 9:07 AM:

" Are blaming the family. some people listen to the doctor. They don't expect their children to die. Have some compassion!!! "

adults abusing it also wrote on Oct 19, 2007 8:56 AM:

" this is a very bad thing all together. Now teenagers and early adults are buying this stuff and trippn' on it. this is a very very serious issue and needs to be removed from all medication. I'm scared to death of this stuff but kids are doing it like they did acid in the 60's. "

OMG wrote on Oct 19, 2007 8:11 AM:

" that is so sad, to think as an infant my kid took that same medicine. He is five now, but then and now I am a lil weary of over the counter or prescirbed meds. I feel so bad for this family. I could never imagine losing one of my kids! My heart breaks for them. "

Mom Too wrote on Oct 19, 2007 7:15 AM:

" This was 4 days after my son was born and I remember hearing about it. I am very sorry to this family for their loss. I am glad to see these meds being taken off the store shelves. "

Reader wrote on Oct 19, 2007 6:12 AM:

" This is so sad. My heart goes out to the family. "

JD wrote on Oct 19, 2007 5:31 AM:

" Not all medicines affect people the same way. If they did, 20 different kinds of cold medicines would not be needed. Common sense would say that if some cold medicines have no affect on people, other may possibly have serious negative effects. While it saddens me that a family lost their child to a cold medicine, I find it hard to empathize because it should have been a risk the parents thought about, instead of just blindly giving the child medicine for something that, except for rare exceptions, just discomforts the child. Americans need to wake up and start thinking. "

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