Washington, D.C. ? U.S. government health officials said Friday they are reviewing whether popular medicines like Tylenol Plus Cold & Cough and Infant Triaminic Thin Strips are safe and effective in treating children’s colds and coughs.

Disclosure of the review, which will take months to complete, came as critics charged that many over-the-counter cough and cold remedies can harm toddlers and preschoolers. Those critics, including public health officials and pediatricians, are pushing the government for stricter warnings to prevent life-threatening overdoses.

The petition is not the first warning about children using the medicines. The American Academy of Pediatrics began issuing those warnings in 1997. And just two months ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that more than 1,500 toddlers and babies wound up in emergency rooms during a two-year period because of the drugs. The study’s authors told parents to consult a doctor before giving the remedies to children under age 2.