Vicks VapoRub May Cause Respiratory Problems For Young Children

Proctor and Gamble’s top-selling cold product, Vicks VapoRub may have caused at least one toddler to develop severe respiratory distress after being applied directly under her nostrils. The ointment is a topical cough medicine containing medicated vapors that are proven to relieve a patient’s cough due to the common cold when applied to the chest and throat. The ointment may also be used for relief of achy muscles and joints by being applied directly to the affected areas.

Although it is not uncommon for patients to apply the ointment directly beneath the nose in an attempt to make breathing easier when nasal congestion is present, this method of application is not listed within the Vicks VapoRub directions for use on the product label. In fact, within the product warnings, it is clearly stated not to use the product in one’s mouth or nostrils. The product is also not recommended for children under the age of two years.

The Wake Forest University School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, conducted a study after doctors at the university had treated the 18-month-old girl and three other young children for upper respiratory infections and unusually severe breathing trouble believed to have been caused by the ointment. The objective of the study was to determine if the Vicks VapoRub ointment may have caused the children’s conditions by inducing inflammation that adversely affected mucociliary (cilia and mucus) function.

The researchers chose to conduct their experiments with ferrets because they have airways similar to human airways, according to Dr. Bruce K. Rubin, professor and vice chair for research at Wake Forest's Department of Pediatrics. The results of the analysis revealed that Vicks VapoRub increased mucus production by up to 59 percent and reduced the ability to clear mucus by 36 percent. These findings suggest that Vicks VapoRub may cause airway inflammation that can restrict breathing in infants and toddlers. The results of the study were published in the January issue of the journal Chest.

Rubin explained that the use of Vicks VapoRub may make adults feel better but does not actually make them better. He said, "For kids, because it can induce some inflammation, even a little bit, that little bit might be enough to tip over a child to having problems."

Proctor & Gamble spokesman David Bernens defended the Vicks VapoRub ointment by stating, "The product is safe and effective when used as directed." He also noted, "To say it was the Vicks VapoRub that caused the respiratory distress, I'm not sure we have made that link yet." Bernens also said that the company receives only about three adverse-event reports for every million units of Vicks VapoRub sold and that they usually involve skin irritation.

Just last October, an announcement came from major manufacturers and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration stating that children younger than four years of age should not be given over-the-counter cough and cold medicines.

Vicks VapoRub has been a household name for many years with few reports of problems due to its use. However, care should be taken when following the directions on the product label, especially when the application might involve toddlers or infants.