The good news is that the incidence of serious adverse events, such as respiratory distress, is quite low.
"Rarely do I hear people say their child suddenly got worse with VapoRub," said Dr. Neil Herendeen, director of the Strong Pediatric Practice at the University of Rochester Medical Center.
However, Dr. Richard O'Brien, spokesperson for the American College of Emergency Physicians, notes it is not uncommon to see similarly-caused breathing problems in people admitted to the ER.
"We do commonly see people with difficulty breathing due to noxious aromas, or contact with chemicals that can irritate the mucous membranes of the nose and mouth or even the lungs themselves," O'Brien explained.
O'Brien also noted that, based on the ingredients of the Vicks VapoRub, it is not hard to imagine how such a product could cause respiratory distress in a sick child.
"Looking at the ingredients of the product, if applied directly to the nostrils, it could be very irritating to the ... mucous membranes, and that can easily cause difficulty breathing in anyone, especially someone who is ill," O'Brien added.
And Dr. Ira Rubin said that the best advice may be to avoid cough and cold medications, such as Vicks in young children altogether.
"This is another reminder to parents to leave their infants alone," Rubin added. "Infants should not be exposed to chemicals and drugs unless absolutely necessary."
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