Hi, My kids all have colds. I usually give them (only at night) a childrens antihistamine and a decongestant that I brought with me from Australia called Demazin.
This has almost run out and I now need to get something from the farmacista here.

Does anyone know what brands are available here?

I will take my current bottle to the chemist but I don't know what to ask for. I had tried once before and the chemist gave me a product that had chloroform in it so when I read the ingredients I felt I shouldn't use it. Wasted my money and still couldn't help my sick child.
Thanks for your help.

Okay, learned this lesson last year in Trieste (we are from the States and we were used to using compound children's cold medications): basically they do not sell multi-symptom cold medications for children, at least for kids up to 12. The government authorities on this matter declared these unsafe, and of course I was disappointed since I never really found a replacement med. that worked. With that said, my mom is a Pediatrician back in the States and she said that new research showed that many of the over the counter cold med.s for kids are very unsafe and that for years we've been overmedicating our kids ( ). SOLUTION??? Well, I give my son regular ibruprophin, which can be bought in Italy. You could also just describe the symptoms to your local pharmacist, and this time maybe just ask to read the igredients first. Probably the best solution is to ask a pediatrician what is best.

Thanks Jenna, I usually use ibuprofen if they have fever, but if they have blocked nose, I give them this antihistimine/decongestant (without ibuprofen or paracetamol) to clear their nose to help them sleep. Otherwise they wake during the night unable to breathe properly and miss a good nights sleep, slowing down their recovery. I'm sure you know what I mean.
I don't really want to make a trip to the Pead. just to ask about what medication to give them. They are not so sick that they need to see a doctor or have antibiotics or anything.
If there is nothing available here that is safe, we will have to go without. Very disapointing though. I can't think of anything else that will get them a good nights sleep. I try to add a pillow to prop them up a bit, but the wriggle around during the night so it does no good.
Thanks for the help and advice. I had read that these medications were out of favour, but I only ever use one dose per day (at night) so I never felt that I was overmedicating.
Thanks again ...

I understand completely... my son was restless all last night with his cough even though the painful part of his cold has passed- so obvioulsy he needed a decongestant and not pain killer. I bought one congestion product last year but it tasted so bad my son couldn't take it without gagging! I bought a throat spray called Gola Spray and it worked great for numbing the throat and my son loves it, but it only seems to have a maximum effect for about 15 or 20 minutes. I always mean to ask other mothers what they use... if I manage to get any good advise later today I will pass it on. I know lots of good products for adults sold in Italy, but all of them say "consult your doctor before administering to children under 12".

Okay, in the UK we have a product called Medised that is accepted as safe and it MAY be possible to buy online if you are here long enough i.e. Jenna. It is Paracetomol with an antihistamine/decongestant. It is one of the very few that is sold over the counter in the UK like this. I can take 4 5ml spoons when I have a cold, and it knocks me out cold for the night!

A friend used to use an antihistamine product for colds and also knocking her kid out (at the, then, Dr's suggestion. This was when my son was a toddler, he is now 13. When we were still in the UK I requested this product in Boots pharmacy and was told it is no long legal to sell it over the counter, as parents were over medicating with it. So it sounds like similar legislation, Therefore, if you CAN get the Medised I would! It's the mother's little helper of the 00's! My OH always brings a bottle or two back at this time of year!

When I left the UK to come here I was working in Boots. Yes Medised is coveted because of the wonderful way it does knock kids out, it contains paracetamol and the antihistamine diphenhydramine. I used something similar occasionally when mine were small too.The paracetamol will lower a fever and of course the antihistamine will help to some extent with the bunged up nose and so help sleep but it's more likely to be the SIDE EFFECT of the medication that does that i.e. the drowsiness. I'd be very surprised if you can get any online because of the pharmacy-only restrictions PLUS I think I'm right in saying that now the recommendations have changed and you shouldn't give it to kids under 2 despite the fact the packaging still says it's ok from 3 months up. If the pharmacy staff are doing their job correctly they should now be checking that parents are aware of this and not knowingly selling for under 2's.

Thanks so much for all the input.
The medicine I currently use has chlorpheniramine maleate and phenylephrine hydrochloride in it. I don't really need a paracetamol as they don't have fever, just stuffy, runny nose when they lie down to sleep they start to cough.
My kids are all over 3, so I guess it would be okay to use something like that. I am not looking to knock them out as much as getting them comfortable and ensuring a good nights sleep to help them recover.
Seems like there is no good option here in Italy other than having someone bring it in from OS.
Thanks for the help. I'll look out for that UK product.

I didn't know that Valli! Thanks, I recommend it to all my friends here and sometimes bring it back for them. Now I know about the under 2 thing I will be careful who I recommend it to!

HopefulTraveller - I realise this medication is still okay in Oz but the fact this type is not readily available in Italy or the UK, and the one I use has had the age limit increased, I would be looking into the one you like, to see if it is still the one to use? Trying not to sound either preachy or patronising, but when two countries take a stand against using something there is normally something in it!

Thanks for the input. I really appreciate it.
I don't use medications unless I really think it's needed. The one I have been using is supposed to be safe from 2 months but I have never used it on my children under 1. My doctor ok'd it as good for helping keep them clear at night and also as one of my sons suffered reoccuring ear infections.
If I wanted to use a sedative I would use the stronger antihistamine that I have for my son's peanut allergy. That does knock them out and is sometimes used by some parents as a sedative for travel (I have even heard of some doctors saying it is okay for this purpose). I don't believe in using medications for anything other than what they are made for.
I am struggling at the moment as I know they need a good nights sleep and they are not getting it.
I really want something with only a decongestent and antihistime, they don't need paracetamol.
They have a nice hot bath before bed and I try to clear their noses completely then, but later in the night they are wakeing, crying, coughing and blocked up.
It looks like there is nothing here in Italy and I couldn't get the UK Medised anyway.

Have you looked for a vaporizer here? Our doctor was always a big fan of those for congestion - helps keep the air moist while they're sleeping. We had both a cool-mist one and a steam one at different times. I was happier with the steam one, but worried about it when the kids were mobile (i.e. not infants) that they would get too close and burn their hands. We used a cool mist one then.

Also, when I was a kid in the states, we had Vicks Vap-O-Rub and Mom rubbed that on our chests before bed. Don't know if that's available here or not.

I used to be a big fan of Children's Motrin COLD formula which I would bring over from the States It's powerful stuff, probably too powerful as it lasts for 12 hours, but it was always great for overnight.

Anyway, we're all out and my son has a cold.

I started using CALYPTOL inalante. You pour a tiny glass vile of it into very hot water and then breathe in the vapors. It works like a charm! My son has never slept so well with a cold as he had with this treatment. Of course, with littler kids (my son is almost 10) you would have to carefully monitor that they don't get burnt or spill the water. It appears that the ingredients are all natural (eucapytus, pine essence, thyme essence, rosemary essence). I really love it and just today bought another box (10 to a box, use 2-3 per day, as needed).

For coughs we always use grindtus sciroppo bambini. I don't have my glasses, so I can't tell you what's in it, but it is for children 2 years and up and doesn't taste bad, as I recall (honey base).

quote:

I realise this medication is still okay in Oz but the fact this type is not readily available in Italy or the UK, and the one I use has had the age limit increased, I would be looking into the one you like, to see if it is still the one to use? Trying not to sound either preachy or patronising, but when two countries take a stand against using something there is normally something in it!

I reckon so Alyson. I think some of the evidence was based also on the fact that there is such an array of preparations available containing drugs in the same "family" that children were inadvertently getting a bigger than recommended dose of similar things. Like you say, there's no smoke without fire and there will have been good reasons for the change.This explains things a little www.nursezone.com/Nursing-News-Events/more-news.aspx?ID=17935

quote:

am struggling at the moment as I know they need a good nights sleep and they are not getting it.
I really want something with only a decongestent and antihistime, they don't need paracetamol.
They have a nice hot bath before bed and I try to clear their noses completely then, but later in the night they are wakeing, crying, coughing and blocked up.

This is interesting....you never know it might help. www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/12103186.html