Some health care products marketed to parents may not be as healthy as they claim to be — and in some cases, a pediatrician has warned, they may be doing more harm than good.
Beachgem10 is a pediatric emergency medicine doctor with four children, and she has parents hanging on her every word in a viral TikTok video with 3.5 million views.
The doctor admits there are five products she “hates”, saying they are well marketed but “may have side effects for children”.
Medicines under six years old
With cold and flu season upon us, Beachgem10 says it’s against any cough and cold medicine that says it’s for children under six.
“These are not recommended,” she warned. “They are expensive. They generally do nothing. And they have a lot of side effects associated with them.”
They can also end up leading to more problems.
“In pediatrics, we don’t really recommend cold medicine. Certainly not for children under six anyway, because they are younger and more susceptible to side effects,” said Dr. Brittany Chan, a pediatrician at Texas Children’s Pediatrics in Spring, Texas, for the American Medical Association.
These side effects may include irritability, fatigue, and behavioral changes.
Instead, TikTok’s document says that during sick season, it’s best to simply give children ibuprofen and Tylenol moisturizers, Pedialyte and Gatorade, saline and cold mist.
Neosporin
Neosporin, an antibiotic ointment made with neomycin, polymyxin B and bacitracin, is also on her no-no list — and she’s not the only one warning against it.
Some dermatologists have spoken — and gone viral on social media — with words of caution.
A potential downside: A 2021 study found that when Neosporin was used, wounds healed more slowly than when it wasn’t.
Additionally, dermatologists worry that it can lead to allergic reactions and rashes – and that sensitivity can develop even later in life, after years of trouble-free use.
“It’s a common source of allergic contact dermatitis,” dermatologist Ranella Hirsch, MD, told Allure.
Instead, she and many other dermas recommend simply washing cuts and scrapes and dabbing them with petroleum jelly (like Vaseline).
“Petrolatum keeps the wound from drying out and, as it happens, is the main ingredient in most antibiotic ointments – the one that does most of the heavy lifting,” she added.
perfumery
If it’s intended for children—soap, lotion, laundry detergent—it must be unscented, according to the document.
“So many of these children end up with contact dermatitis or worsening eczema symptoms. They’re super rushed,” she said, advising parents to throw them away.
Formulas for children
Unless your child has a medical need for “baby formula,” this pediatrician says to avoid them — not only because they teach kids to drink their calories, but also because they’re so needlessly expensive.
Last year, the American Academy of Pediatrics released their verdict, reporting that infant formulas “provide no nutritional advantage” despite manufacturers’ claims that they “enhance brain development” or “enhance immune function.”
The AAP said these drinks should not even be called formula, noting that there are no mandatory criteria for formulas for children over 12 months.
“The composition of these beverages is unregulated by the FDA, and their promotion is typically characterized by misleading claims,” said George J. Fuchs III, MD, FAAP, a lead author of the AAP report.
Rubber vitamins
The latest “don’t” from the TikTok pediatrician can be a tricky habit to break — including for adults, many of whom also take multivitamins in the form of a sugary treat.
“These are literally candies that have vitamins sprinkled on top of them,” she said, claiming the dosage is inconsistent, the candy can cause cavities and most children don’t actually need a vitamin supplement.
Rubber vitamins have certainly been the subject of debate, but there seems to be a consensus among experts that the dosages listed on the bottle are not necessarily accurate.
“We find that there are many more quality problems with gums than with tablets or capsules,” Dr. Todd Cooperman, president of ConsumerLab.com.
“A lot of companies seem to have a hard time controlling the amount of ingredients in each gum,” he added to Time, confirming that vitamins are often sprinkled on the outside of the gum.
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