[Should children be treated with ephedrine mixture?].

Lower respiratory tract infections are common in small children, and are often associated with obstruction of the respiratory tract and coughing. In Norway, symptomatic treatment with ephedrine is common in children. The clinical effect of such treatment is not sufficiently documented and serious adverse drug reactions have been reported in small children administered sympathomimetic medication. This article presents current knowledge of clinical effects and adverse drug reactions of ephedrine in infants and children, and discusses the practical implications of these findings.