Washington ? Parents may be left with only love and lots of liquid to give their sniffling babies and toddlers now that the government is declaring over-the-counter cough and cold medicines too risky for tots.

The Food and Drug Administration was issuing that warning Thursday to parents of children younger than 2.

It’s a move expected for months: Drug companies in October quit selling dozens of versions of nonprescription cold remedies targeted specifically to babies and toddlers. That month, the FDA’s scientific advisers also voted that the drugs don’t work in small children and shouldn’t be used in preschoolers, either – anyone younger than 6.

The FDA still hasn’t decided if OTC decongestants, antihistamines and cough suppressants are appropriate for older children, officials told The Associated Press. Expect a decision on that by spring, the deadline necessary to notify manufacturers before they begin production for next fall’s cold season.

For now, FDA’s first official ruling focuses on youngsters younger than 2, warning that “serious and potentially life-threatening side effects can occur.”

Specialists are back to recommending old-fashioned steps, such as plenty of fluids and rest, saline drops to loosen stuffy noses, and humidifiers while sleeping.

The drug industry says the medicines are used 3.8 billion times a year in treating children’s cough and cold symptoms and are safe for those older than 2.