Little spurs parents to action quicker than a sick child. The urge to do something — anything — to relieve the suffering can be overwhelming. But what parents shouldn't do is reach for an over-the-counter cold medicine when their kids have the sniffles. According to a Food and Drug Administration expert advisory panel, there's no proof that the products give young children any relief. And last week, the panel recommended that the FDA ban the medicines for use by children under the age of 6.

FDA officials haven't said when they'll decide whether to accept the recommendation. And makers of the popular products — who voluntarily pulled cold medicines for children younger than 2 off store shelves Oct. 11 — said that, when used properly, the products are safe and effective for children of all ages. Still, the panel's recommendation has put manufacturers on notice that they'll have to prove that their products are effective.

The problem is the lack of research involving children. Historically, people were queasy about testing drugs on kids. In the 1970s and 1980s, products were routinely tested on adults — usually white men — and the results extrapolated to others. There's growing sentiment that drugs need to be tested on the populations for whom they are intended, including women, minorities and children, who may react differently than do white men.

While that high-stakes bureaucratic drama plays out, parents should heed the panel's conclusions. The antitussives, decongestants and antihistamines in popular cold medicines have seldom caused children serious harm. But until there's proof that they do some good, why take the risk? Forgoing familiar remedies will be hard for any parent with a crying, coughing child. But over-the-counter cold medicines may be little more than placebos — for fretting parents.