The FDA has issued a warning to parents and health care professionals after receiving reports of accidental ingestion of nasal sprays and eye drops by children. According to the agency, the decongestant nasal sprays reported to have sickened children 5 years and younger who swallowed them had the active ingredients tetrahydrozoline or oxymetazoline.
The warning notes that children who ingest as little as 1-2 ml of one of these nasal sprays have experienced serious adverse events requiring hospitalization. Parents are advised to store the products out of the reach of children.
The nasal sprays mentioned in the warning are all OTC products, including well-known US brands such as Afrin, Sudafed, and Dristan, plus numerous store labels.
Read the FDA safety announcement.
