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Mother suing 2 companies alleging infant died from cold medicine ingredient
July 8, 2010 Updated Jul 8, 2010 at 3:25 PM EDT

CHICAGO (AP) - An Illinois woman is suing two drug companies,
claiming her 4-month-old son died after taking their
over-the-counter cough and cold medicine.
She says they should have known the dangers of a key ingredient
and warned consumers.
The woman found her son dead in his crib in 2001. According to
her lawsuit she'd given him Infant Tylenol Cold Decongestant Plus
Cough and Walgreen-brand Pediatric Drops-Cough Plus Cold. Both
contain dextromethorphan.
A coroner's report says the infant died of dextromethorphan
intoxication. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages.
The lawsuit is one of the first since Federal Drug
Administration hearings last month where health experts testified
that parents should not give young children such medicines because
they don't work and can be harmful.
Drug makers preemptively pulled cold medicines targeted for
babies and toddlers off the market a week ahead of the FDA hearing.
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