Phenergan and comparable products that contain the antihistamine medication promethazine have been the subject of a safety warning from Australia’s drug authority.
In a Twitter post by 7News Melbourne – Parents have been warned of the effects of popular oral antihistamine promethazine hydrochloride sold as Phenergan and as other generic brands when given to children under the age of six.
According to the Therapeutic Goods Administration, children under the age of six shouldn’t be given over-the-counter medications because of the possibility of severe adverse effects like hallucinations, hyperactivity, and violence. Additionally, shallow or sluggish breathing might be lethal.
When high doses are given, young children may also experience difficulties in learning and understanding, including reversible cognitive deficit and intellectual disability, the TGA said.
The latest alert follows international and Australian concerns about the medicine in young children, which is commonly used to manage conditions such as hay fever and allergies, travel sickness, and short-term sedation.
