Think before you give your kid a spoon of cough syrup!

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: People especially in India have a habit of self-medication. Taking medicines on our own is something that should not be done but unfortunately, it is so common in Indian families.

But now, you should definitely think twice before giving your child a cough syrup. As per medical experts, medicines with codeine are considered poisonous for humans.

They are banned for kids below 12 years of age in many countries like the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, Canada, Australia and New Zealand but sadly, can be seen in almost every medical shop in India.

Codeine is a chemical derived from opium and is present in cough syrups like Corex, Phensedyl, Benadryl and Teddy cough.

As per a review, serious side effects in children like fainting and seizures were found after they consumed these deadly cough syrups.

Medical experts here in India say that even after the global discovery of serious side effects they syrups have, they are still running in the market.

Codeine-based cough syrups are among the 344 fixed-dose combinations (FDCs) banned by India but despite that, they are placed at a hidden place in the medical store.

Considered as one of the largest markets for medicine, India has a poor implementation of regulations that lets these drugs slip through the scanning process.

So, it is better to take precautions and not feed these deadly syrups to your kids.