Chances are pretty good that you might have had Vicks VapoRub placed on your chest, the soles of your feet or under your nose when you had a respiratory illness as a child. My mother used this product so often on me that the local pharmacist used to put some aside for us whenever a new shipment came in. I’ve used it myself on my children, although only occasionally. And I am sure that we are not alone in using this product. One billion units of Vicks VapoRub were sold in the united states in the last five years.
MSNBC.com is reporting a story that may change all of our opinions on the product, or perhaps not. A researcher who tried the product on ferrets (who have similar reparatory systems to those of infants and young children) claims that Vicks VapoRub may actually make children sicker and aggravate respiratory illness.
The study was spurred on by a case of an 18-month-old girl who needed emergency room treatment after her grandparents used the salve under her nose. And other doctors in emergency rooms reported the same situations. The thoughts are that Vicks VapoRub actually makes the airways smaller and more mucus produced, while fooling the brain into thinking that airways are actually more open. In a young child, this reaction can be especially injurious.
One thing that needs to be mentioned is that the product is not intended for use on anyone under two years of age, and the label says so clearly.
The study was conducted by Dr. Bruce K. Rubin. Dr Rubin, who is a vice chairman of the department of pediatrics at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C., recommends that no one put the salve under or in the nose, no matter if they are a adult or child.
Proctor and Gamble, who make the product, refute the study saying that there is not enough conclusive information. They have hired their own researcher to conduct a clinical trial on the product.
What do you think?
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, creating a home in the Home Blog, caring for little ones in the Baby Blog and now relationships in the Marriage Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here or subscribe to the blog using the subscription box on the right.
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