Vicks VapoRub May Cause Breathing Difficulties in Infants and Toddlers

According to a new study from Wake Forest University, the popular cold medicine Vicks VapoRub may cause airway inflammation, and result in breathing difficulties in infants and toddlers.

The study appears in this month's issue of Chest, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians, and reports that the product may stimulate mucus production and airway inflammation, which can have severe effects on breathing infants or young children because of the small size of their airways.

The study results show that mucus production was increased in both inflamed and normal airways, and that the rate at which mucus was cleared from the trachea was actually reduced when the medicine was used.

The findings support the current product labeling which indicates that Vicks Vaporub should not be used in children under the age of 2, however many parents may still use the product on their children when they are sick.

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Published on Jan-13-09