October 06, 2008 12:51 ET

Survey Finds Nearly Two-Thirds of Parents Considering Changing the Way They Treat Kids' Colds Due to FDA Warnings About Children's Cold Medicine

Parents Looking to Natural Remedies to Soothe Sick Kids

SOUTHBOROUGH, MA--(Marketwire - October 6, 2008) - When asked what they dread most about winter, 74 percent of parents said colds and flu. The current cold season will be particularly challenging for parents seeking to provide relief to their children after recent Food & Drug Administration (FDA) warnings about the safety of children's cold medicine. In fact, as moms and dads prepare for cold season, many are looking to natural remedies to soothe their children's symptoms.

In January, the FDA recommended against the use of over-the-counter cough and cold medication in children under the age of two due to serious and possible life-threatening side effects. This came after a voluntary recall of these products by drug makers. The FDA is now considering rewriting federal regulations.

Safety concerns about children's cough and cold medicine leave many parents of infants and young children weighing options for treating cold symptoms. Currently, 70 percent of parents with children under the age of four said they give their children cold medicine when they are sick, as do 74 percent of parents with kids under 6 years old and 80 percent of parents with children 7-12 years old. When asked if they plan to change the way they treat their children's colds this season due to the FDA warnings, more than half (64%) of parents who currently give their children cold medicine either plan to stop (34%) or are considering it (30%).

"It's best to avoid giving oral cough and cold medications to babies and children because clinical studies have not been done to prove the benefits of children's cold medicine," explained Dr. Jamie Freishtat and Dr. Rachel Schreiber, cofounders of www.MommyDocs.com. "Since no parent wants to feel helpless when their little one is sick, some things every mom and dad can do are: give lots of TLC and ensure their kids get plenty of rest and fluids. To ease congestion and coughs naturally, run a humidifier, which may help kids feel better faster by keeping dry and irritated nasal passages and mucous membranes moist, and by helping to break up mucus for easier clearance."

The Mayo Clinic recommends using a humidifier to maintain daily moisture levels at 40 to 50 percent in the home. When children are suffering from a cold or cough, a higher humidity level will often increase their comfort and help ease congestion. Thirty-five percent of parents of young children have used a humidifier in the past year to help prevent or treat their children's cold symptoms. Due to the FDA warning, more than half (52%) said they plan to use a humidifier the next time their child gets sick.

Vicks, the leading brand of humidifiers, offers a variety of humidifiers to help parents and kids get through this cold season. The Vicks GermFree Warm Mist Humidifier features a dual action UV light and boiling system that kills up to 99.999% of bacteria, molds and spores in the moisture it expels into the room. The Vicks Cool Mist Humidifier is perfect for nurseries and provides an invisible cool mist for easier breathing.

When it comes to colds, mom knows best. The very best thing parents can do is to help keep kids from spreading germs and getting sick in the first place. In fact, when asked what advice for avoiding or treating colds was passed down from their mother, 85 percent of parents said "cover your mouth when you cough so you don't spread germs," 83% percent said "drink plenty of fluids," and 67% percent said "wash your hands frequently." Still, not everyone listens to mom, with only (19%) reporting they cover their mouth when they cough, (25%) saying they drink more fluids, and (30%) saying they wash their hands more frequently.

"In the case of colds, prevention really is the best medicine," said the MommyDocs. "It's hard to keep kids from sharing toys and germs, but cleaning shared toys and washing little hands more often can help reduce the number of colds kids catch."

For more tips on natural remedies for treating children's colds, including advice from the MommyDocs, visit www.coldandflucentral.com. For more information on Vicks humidifiers go to www.kaz.com.

Survey Methodology

Survey.com conducted an online survey of 606 parents with children under 12 years old. The survey was conducted from June 12 through June 19, 2008. The margin of error is +/- 4%.

About Kaz

Kaz has been a partner with The Procter & Gamble Company since 1995, bringing Vicks Home Health Care products to parents everywhere. Advanced technology, simple operation, and dependability help to assure customers are helping their families feel better. Today, Vicks Humidifiers and Thermometers are #1 in each of their categories and are available at most retailers. Visit www.kaz.com/vicks or www.vicks.com for more information about these and other quality products for home health, home comfort and insect control.