Cold meds: Still no answer.

The Food and Drug Administration is still not ready to ban cough and cold medicines for young children, according to a hearing on Thursday. Their biggest concern is that a ban on children's medication might result in parents giving adult medication to their children.

The head of the FDA's Office of New Drugs stated, "we do not want to do something that we think will have a positive impact, only to have an unintended negative. That could be an even worse situation." But many pediatricians are urging the FDA to take action as cold season is right around the corner.

The FDA did make a statement earlier this year warning against giving over-the-counter cold medicines to children younger than 2. Yet the agency is currently seeking more advice and research (particularly studies involving children) before making a finite decision on the children's medication. In general, the concern is not low doses of the medication but the risk from unintentional overdoses.

In the meantime, most doctors recommend rest and plenty of fluids to cure the common cold, even in children.