FDA Warns Parents against Potentially Dangerous Teething Tablets
Parents of children who are teething understand the struggle of calming their children and easing their pain. When infants have their baby teeth coming in, they can be uncomfortable, fussy, and unable to sleep. Parents who need their babies to rest so they can get some shut-eye may turn to over-the-counter products to soothe their children’s achy gums, such as homeopathic teething tablets and gels. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently warned parents against these products, asserting that these homeopathic remedies may be related to multiple children’s deaths and injuries. You may desperately want a quick fix to your child’s pain, but the FDA recommends getting through teething without OTC products or medications.
If you child was harmed by a teething or other OTC product, call a personal injury attorney as soon as possible to learn about your legal options. You may be able to hold the maker of these products responsible for the injuries and pain your child has suffered.
How to Spot a Negative Reaction in Your Child
If you have given your child an OTC homeopathic teething aid, you should know the signs that something may be wrong. The FDA has had reports of seizures, but you should also look for:
- Lethargy;
- Excessive sleepiness;
- Muscle weakness;
- Trouble breathing;
- Skin flushing;
- Constipation;
- Difficulty urinating; and/or
- Agitation.
In 2010, the FDA warned customers specifically against using Hyland’s homeopathic teething remedies, which the administration found had inconsistent amounts of belladonna, a poisonous substance, in them. In response to the previous warning, Hyland’s recalled their products. However, following the current warning against homeopathic teething remedies, Hyland’s is standing behind its products, telling parents they are safe and there is no scientific link between teething tablets and seizures. Despite saying its products are safe, Hyland’s is set to stop distributing certain products in the U.S. and some drug stores have pulled Hyland’s and their own teething remedies off shelves.
If Your Child is Harmed by a Homeopathic Teething Remedy
There is no way for you to have known that something you can easily buy off a shelf and is presumably made for infants would harm your child. However, if you gave your child an OTC homeopathic teething tablet or gel and it caused a seizure or other injury, then you may have the right to bring a lawsuit against the party responsible for selling a defective product. Manufacturers of medications and consumer products have a duty to design and produce safe items. Also, if a product poses a risk to consumers, it is up to the maker to warn users about the risk.
Contact a New Braunfels Personal Injury Lawyer
If your child was injured because of a dangerous medicinal product, you can work with the New Braunfels defective medications attorney of The Bettersworth Law Firm. We have years of experience helping individuals and families who have suffered due to personal injuries recover from the people or companies who wronged them.
Sources:
http://www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch/safetyinformation/safetyalertsforhumanmedicalproducts/ucm523435.htm
http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/12/health/hylands-teething-tablets-discontinued-fda-warning/
