Kimber Brown died February 12, 2012 of Dextromethorphan overdose.

In 2008 Dr. Zak Zarbock reached a point where he didn’t feel comfortable recommending over-the-counter cough medicines to his young patients.  Research showed that children’s cough syrups and medicated cough remedies were not effective and potentially dangerous when given to children.  Zarbee’s was born as a way to offer parents a safe, effective and natural alternative to traditional cough syrups. Every product we make is 100% natural and drug-free. Never a chance of overdosing. Little did we know that zarbee’s would grow so fast.  It only did because parents became aware of the dangers of this still commonly used drug.

It’s a long word with even more confusion behind it: Dex-tro-meth-or-phan.

Fast forward from 2008 to present day and we hear in the news of yet another death by dextromethorphan intoxication.   Kimber Brown was given a dose of cough medicine that according to the coroner caused dextromethorphan intoxication. For those who can’t metabolize this drug, the outcome can be fatal. So, can you or your child metabolize dextromethorphan?

The Journals of Forensic Sciences just published a report that stated that 5-10% of people, both children and adults can’t properly metabolize dextromethorphan which can cause a series of problems, including death*.

So, how do you know if you or your child is a poor metabolizer of dextromethorphan? The truth is, you can’t without prior testing, which is unlikely for most. Our advice is to be very careful when using the drug.

*Dextromethorphan Abuse leading to assault, suicide and homicide, 2012.

‘Healthy home, Healthy family,’ Or at least that’s what many parents are setting out to achieve. The non-profit organization Healthy Child Healthy World is hoping to rally parent’s throughout the world to throw a party and increase awareness of toxins in the home, and instead find safe and healthy alternatives. The hosts of the parties are expected to share tips for creating a toxin-free household, which could include anything from unsafe household cleaners, to unsafe children’s cough medicines.  The organization hopes that these parties will encourage parents to protect their children by using safe and natural products.

The parties have quickly gained momentum. Alicia Tamayo, from PCMLifestyle.com reports, “Already more than 150 moms have signed up to host, including celebrities Jenna Elfman, Kelly Preston, Liza Huber (with her mom Susan Lucci), Laila Ali, Elisabeth Rohm, Alysia Reiner, Jennifer Taylor and Sasha Alexander. The organization is hoping to double this number before Party Week begins.”

Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff, CEO and Executive Director of Healthy Child Healthy World urges, “There is nothing more important than the health of our children…with scientific evidence linking chemicals to asthma, autism, caner, allergies, diabetes, and more, it’s crucial that we spread the word about how to reduce toxic exposures.”

Luckily, Sarnoff is not the only one who has this concern and who has seen the signs. Jenna Elfman, star of TV’s Dharma and Greg said, “I had no idea about all the potential toxins in my household until I personally attended a Healthy Child Healthy World party in 2007…. I was pregnant with my first son and learned so much in one short afternoon. It opened the door to much healthier living for my family and I am forever grateful. Now I just want to return the favor.”

Tamayo says, “Since 2009, more than 4,000 hosts have used the Healthy Child party kits to educate friends, family and co-workers about protecting our children.”

But you don’t need to throw a party to show concern and make your home a toxin-free one. You can start by doing more research on safe household cleaning products, using natural and safe cough medicines, safely storing other OTC and prescribed drugs, and making sure you are aware of expiration dates on important products and food. That’s just a start, but it’s a good one.

If you’re interested in signing up for you own party, visit HealthyChild.org for all of the details. For the full article, click here.

For years now, parents have used OTC medicines to treat the symptoms of their children’s cough, or to keep a fever down, but many parents now confess to using antihistamines as a way to sedate their perfectly healthy but fussy child. Is it ethical to ‘drug’ or ‘sedate’ a child that isn’t necessarily sick when it’s convenient for the parent, or is it selfish and potentially dangerous?

Salon.com author, Mary Elizabeth Williams found herself asking the same question when an outpouring of responses to an article were mostly confessions of parents who had no problem with sedating their child for the sake of some sanity when traveling or when things got out of hand.

She writes, “I’ll admit that I was initially stunned to see how apparently commonplace the practice is. I’d never given my two daughters Benadryl or anything else to calm them down when they were young travelers, and the thought of doing so seemed wrong to me.”

But the comments of other parents who believed in the practice kept coming in. “….my friend Ted, who has two school-age daughters, regaled me with the story of flying to Florida a few years ago, “crouched down behind the row of seats in the departure lounge, feeding my perfectly healthy kids cough syrup so they will sleep, and looking guiltily around to see if I am going to be caught. Down at the other end of the long row of benches, I catch the eye of another parent doing the same thing to her daughter. All our kids rack out and we sit and laugh about it — and other kid realities — for the whole flight.”

But is this form of medicating really effective or even safe? The author’s research led her to Pediatrician and author Darshak Sanghavi who suggested otherwise. “According to a good randomized trial of Benadryl to promote sleep in infants, the drug didn’t really work any better than a placebo. So I first tell parents that it’s not really clear that Benadryl really works like many parents might think. Second, there are occasional case reports of Benadryl poisoning. Granted, those are highly unlikely, but my opinion is that parents traveling with infants should generally stay away from trying to sedate them with Benadryl, and instead focus on comforting them with feeding during takeoff and landing (may improve ear pressure equalization).”

Williams concludes with her own take on this form of OTC sedation, “I’m still glad I got out of my children’s meltdown years without dosing them – because that feels like the right and consistent approach for our family. I still shudder at the automatic “Haven’t you ever heard of Benadryl?” response from callous adults who think any child out in public should be silent and sleepy.”

What do you think? Is sedating your child with OTC medicine a good practice with fussy children on trips, or do you take a more natural approach, and exclusively use OTC cough medicines or anthistamines when a child is actually sick and in need of some relief?  Sound off here.

For the full article, click here.

You’re probably well aware of the widespread use of cough medicines for getting high, and you may even know these types of drug abuse by their street names, ‘robotripping’ and ‘dexing’.  But, for residents of Black River Falls, Wisconsin the issue has become serious enough that city council members are in talks to enforce harsher restrictions on cough medicines that include the ingredient Dextromethorphan(DXM). The council is suggesting measures that would have those DXM cough medicines go ‘behind the counter,’ along with several other safety procedures.

The Lacross Tribune reports that, “The residents first pushed for a formal ordinance that would require businesses to place items that contain DXM behind store counters. However, they now have asked the city to pass a resolution that would recommend business owners enforce age restrictions, limit the number of cough medicine products one can purchase at a time and also move the products behind counters.”

Educating people about the abuses and addictions that result in DXM overuse is also another agenda on the minds of the council members. Many people are unaware of DXM’s dangerous consequences, as the report cites, “… psychosis and cognitive problems…liver damage or death,’ as side effects.

Not everyone agreed with the measures, “Business owner Randy Molini voiced concerns about forcing businesses to comply with restrictions.” Molini suggested that, “Education really is the only way to change people’s mind…I don’t believe prohibition works …” To this, a spokesman “…reiterated the group isn’t looking for formal restrictions but rather a recommendation to businesses.”

Obviously the abuse of DXM cough syrups is a real and potentially serious thing, but the jury still seems to be out on what do about it.

What are your thoughts on the use of DXM cough medicines? Do you believe the Government should enforce stronger restrictions or that it should just be a matter of educating? Sound off here.

For the full report, click here.

You thought that there was nothing more irritating and unsettling than those deep, long, mucous-moving coughs, and then your child experience days or even weeks of that miserable, ticklish, dry cough. Trouble is, you’re not sure if you should still be treating it with cough medicine or if some things just make it worse. First of all, you’re not alone. Just about everyone (and their child) will experience a dry cough in their life, and although irritating, it’s not a lost cause. There are plenty of safe remedies and soothers for these irritating, arid coughs.

First of all, let’s talk about the causes of this irksome hacking. An article by SteadyHealth.com states that this sort of cough often “…occurs at the end of infections such as a cold, flu or sinus infection, or after a person has been exposed to irritants such as smoke, dust or chemical fumes. Smoking cigarettes, allergies and asthma are also common causes of coughs. The infections cause inflammation of the throat and upper airways. A dry cough is an attempt to remove this inflammation but it is usually of no benefit and rather can be uncomfortable.”

No benefit? Great, so it’s just coughing for coughing’s sake? If this sounds like a dead-end to you, do not despair. There is still relief to be had. But before we go into all of the ways to sooth this troublesome throat tickle, keep in mind that there are still some warnings attached to this type of cough.

Steadyhealth.com also warns, “In certain cases, a cough can be a symptom of a more serious condition such as lung infections like pneumonia or acute bronchitis chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and sinusitis. It is therefore very important to see your doctor if a cough persists for any longer than 2-3 weeks.” We second that motion. If you ever feel like the symptoms are not easing up or worsening then it’s always best to get to your doctor.

However, if you’re just experiencing any of the regular symptoms, and you want relief for you and your child, then you’re in luck! There are several ways to soothe and ease this annoying cough.

• Sleep with a Humidifier – the throat dryness won’t get any better in a dry room. Sleeping with a humidifier or keeping it in a room with you during the can moisten the throat and drastically lessen the urge to cough
• Hard Candy and Lozenges – For instant relief, lozenges and anything that keeps the throat moist are a great way to suppress the cough, at least for a few minutes. However, keep in mind that lozenges are not recommended or young children as they pose a choking hazard, and many contain ingredients that are unsafe for children of a certain age. Use your discretion and do your research on the safest types of
• OTC Cough Medicine – Yes, you can still use cough medicines for a ticklish dry cough, but as always, it’s most effective and safe if you choose cough medicines that are made with natural ingredients, like lemon and honey, and skip the harmful and potentially dangerous ingredients like Dextromethorphan (DXM) as it has been deemed unsafe for young children. When it comes to safe and natural ingredients, the old saying,“what’s good for the goose is good for the gander” definitely applies.

Do you have any methods of relief for that irritating dry cough? Share with us below.

What’s a Good Parent to Do?

Whether it’s food, water or cough medicine, you’re probably wondering how we can help our impressionable youth make the right nutrition choices without force. After all, we know it’s good for them, and isn’t it our job as parents to make them see it that way? Sheppard asserts, “The biggest piece of advice that I can give from experience is to not make food an issue. Respect your kids’ appetites, and if they are not hungry, don’t force food on them. Never use food as a reward or bribe or make your kids “clean their plate”. Allow them to choose how much they want to eat of the healthy foods you have available.”  In short, it seems you can actually get a better sense of your child’s nutrition needs and appetite by letting go of the urge to force or coerce your child into anything, and use mealtime as an opportunity to observe and understand your child, and trust that they are eating when they’re hungry.

But How Do We Keep Kids Healthy?

You’re probably thinking, if I leave my kids to their own devices, they’ll always eat Cheetos and Ding Dongs. Sheppard points out that a healthy lifestyle starts with the parent, “It’s important to be a healthy role model for your kids. Kids will imitate what they see their parents eating. Maybe this is not apparent yet in your toddler, but kids will grow up accepting their parent’s way of eating as the “norm.”

So as a parent, and the person in charge of the grocery shopping, you have to make it a priority to only have foods that are nutritious and wholesome in the house, and be eating them yourself. Sure, in so many ways, eating nutritiously can take a little more work than opening your average junk food wrappers and having at it, but it is all about your own determination to live a healthy life style.

Healthy Suggestions

Still wondering just how this healthy home life works? The author doesn’t leave us hanging. She suggests, “…basic, fresh foods and ingredients. Choose healthy foods without corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, preservatives or chemical additives. Shop at a local farmer’s market or a grocery store that carries produce from local farms. Or take your kids to the actual farms so they can appreciate how food is grown. Let them see all the different types of fruits and veggies and let them pick out new ones to try. Get your kids involved in meal planning, food shopping, and cooking.” And this is just the beginning of her healthy living advice. Proper nutrition can clearly be easy and fun, and involve everyone in the family.

For the full article and the author’s full list of healthy eating tips, please click here. And for more information on children’s health, please visit HealthyChild.com.

MSNBC reports, “…The mechanics behind the mimicry are a bit muzzy,” The source draws their resources from Robert Povine, a professor of psychology. They quote Povine as saying, “Humans aren’t the rational creatures that we fancy ourselves to be. We’re often beasts of the herd…We yawn when other people yawn. We laugh when other people laugh. And we cough when other people cough.”

But is there any rhyme or reason to this behavior? Can it actually be measured? Provine goes on to say, “We don’t know at this time [what's behind it]…For example, is it because we have a brain mechanism that when it detects that sound, replicates it, as we seem to have for laughing and yawning? Or are we simply more likely to monitor our throat, to think, ‘Oh, there’s a tickle in my throat. I have to cough.’ The apparent contagiousness of coughing may be due to enhanced self-monitoring and not to a contagious response in the way we find in contagious laughs and yawns.”

But coughing is a little more complicated than that; sometimes it isn’t a sign of cold symptoms, illness, or mimicry. Povine continues, “You can cough when you have a tickle in your throat or you can cough to get someone’s attention,” he says. “Coughing can be a paralinguistic signal. It’s a much richer behavior than most people think. People outside the medical community pay very little attention to coughing but they should…You can choose to cough or it can happen reflexively,”

If that’s the case, should you give coughing a little more attention, too? Or is your intuition the best indicator of more serious symptoms?

For the full article, click here.

What about you? Do you notice you or your kids coughing more out of habit or only when you’re actually sick or need to cough? Share your thoughts with us.

Like many parents, Jessica Alba had concerns that her children were being exposed to harmful toxins, even in her own home. Instead of sitting around and hoping for change, she decided to do something about it. Reuters released an article about the actress, who has become a supporter of The Safe Chemicals Act on Capitol Hill, and the face of a new line of eco-friendly products. Helping her family and others live a toxin-free life is her goal.

Reuters reports, “While preparing for motherhood four years ago, the 30-year-old actress found her biggest challenge was trying to find eco-friendly natural products for her baby and her home.” This is a growing concern not only for the actress but for millions of parents.

The source quotes Alba as saying, “There are a lot of toxic chemicals in baby products, and these toxic chemicals are linked to not just allergies and asthma, but also autism and ADHD and lots of childhood cancers, and I was horrified that products that were made for babies and children would have these toxic chemicals.”

The good news? You don’t have to be a celebrity to take initiative and rid your own home of harmful toxins. Here are a few tips for keeping your babies and your home toxin-free.

1. 1. Re-Think Household Cleaners

Many common household cleaners, even your go-to’s, contain harsh chemicals that may already be making your kids sick. Some cause allergic reactions, while some increase asthmatic symptoms, and others are simply toxic to inhale, causing a multitude of other issues. Try to find eco and baby-friendly household cleaning options whenever you can. Many people have made products that are just as effective as your favorite brands, but also plenty safe.

1. 2. Go Organic When You Can

We know this one is hard, especially with the price increase that so often accompanies organic foods and products. But whenever possible, try to provide your family organic fruits and vegetables, and foods that have not been polluted by harsh chemicals and hormones. The benefits of organic eating include the absence of pesticide, better brain function, increased energy levels, and an assurance that you’re getting the most vitamins and nutrients out of your food possible.

1. 3. Beware of Harmful Medicines

That’s right, what could be more dangerous than some of the strong medicines that we give our little ones when they’re battling illness. Some of the harshest and most dangerous additives might be those in your children’s cough syrup, or antibiotics. Make sure you consider all of the safe and natural options available to you before you jump to the harsher stuff.

Do you have anything you do to keep a toxin-free household? Would you like to share it with us? Please do.

Next time you and the little guys are struggling with symptoms of a sinus infection, you might want to think twice before rushing out for those antibiotics. The results of a recent study at Washington University have concluded that there might not be much of a case for taking antibiotics for sinus infection symptoms. The leading experts are beginning to speculate that treating symptoms with safe over-the-counter cough medicines might be just as effective – if not more so – for treating those pesky sinus infections.

In this study, researchers at Washington University’s med school selected patients with sinus infection symptoms. They gave half of the group amoxicillin and the other half sugar pills. An interesting side note of the study was that 166 people were offered other remedies, such as over the counter cough medicines, to treat their symptoms as well. Most of the participants opted to use them, whether they had antibiotics or not.

Surprisingly, the patients given the antibiotics didn’t have milder symptoms and they didn’t go away faster than the people who got the placebo.

Dr. Jay Piccirillo, the lead author of the study, was surprised to find that the antibiotics showed no real improvement on the group that was given the antibiotics over those that weren’t, even over a three day period. And at 10 days, the results still weren’t making a compelling case for antibiotics.

The bottom line: Maybe antibiotics aren’t the answer after all. Dr. Piccirillo concluded, “Patients can avoid the complications of antibiotics, and, as a society, we can delay the emergence of new resistant bacteria through the restrained use of antibiotics….What we want to break is that knee-jerk request for antibiotics, and the doctor’s reaction to give it.” Maybe it’s time to give a little more heed into those healthy over-the-counter cough medicines.

For the full results and details of the study, click here.

With the FDA ban on cough syrup for children 2 and under, you’re probably struggling to think of safe cold remedies for your toddler, after all, they get colds, too. You probably feel that you have no safe options and that can be a pretty helpless feeling. Luckily, there are several safe cold remedies for toddlers that can give your little one the relief she needs.

1. Increased Fluid Intake

Fluids battle dehydration that can result from a cold and also help clear congestion. When your baby is sick, it’s more important than ever that you keep him well hydrated and continue to keep the fluid passing through.

2. Menthol and Eucalyptus Vapors

Breathing in a little menthol can clear up congestion and help your toddler breathe a little easier. Eucalyptus can serve as an expectorant, and with just a little in the air, it could help your baby cough up the irritating mucous in her system.

3. Cool Mist Humidifiers

Humidifiers are a safe and effective decongestant, and the benefit is three-fold. 1. It soothes nighttime coughing, 2. It helps clear the nasal passageway and 3. It loosens mucous in the lungs. It’s one of the best cold remedies for toddlers, since its safe and uses no dangerous chemicals.

4. Infant Bulb Syringes

Most likely you got a few of these little blue guys at the hospital before you brought the little one home. If you still have some around, they can be a great tool for relieving a runny nose. Most babies are not able to blow their nose, and this is the next best thing. Just make sure you’re comfortable with your ability to use it, and that you know exactly how it’s done. For instructions, click here.

5. Natural Remedies

Just when you thought that there were no safe remedies for toddlers, you find that that isn’t necessarily the case. For children 12 months and over, there is Zarbee’s All-Natural Childrens Cough Syrup, which uses honey as a safe and natural ingredient. This, used in conjunction with the other methods, will have your toddler back to his adorable self in no time.

Of course, if your child’s symptoms are serious enough or not clearing up, it’s important to see a doctor. But for common colds, there are plenty of natural and safe methods of relief for your little one.