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Childhood Medications |
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| Here is a guide to common medicines for children and their safe use. Remember that most of these medicines, especially the cold remedies, will not make your child get better any faster. They should be used only if they are making your child more comfortable and are not causing bothersome side effects. If your child is not improving after a few days of being on an over the counter medicine or if he is getting worse, you should call your doctor. | |
Taking medicines safely... |
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To ensure safety, you should store medicines in their original, child resistant containers and keep all medicines out of your children's reach. Remember that even over the counter medications and vitamins can cause serious problems and even death if your child is overdosed. Other tips include:
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ingredient list |
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Here is a list of common symptoms and that type of medicine that will help to control or relieve it.
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antihistamines |
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| Histamines are responsible for many of the symptoms of allergies and allergic reactions, including nasal congestion, itching, watery eyes, and hives. Antihistamines act by blocking histamine receptors, so that the histamines can not cause a reaction. While effective for a runny nose that is caused by allergies, the nasal congestion that is part of an upper respiratory infection is not related to histamine, and so these medicines are not very effective. It is the side effects of the antihistamines that can make them useful in upper respiratory illnesses, including causing drowsiness and a dry mouth and nose.
Common antihistamines include:
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cold remedies |
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| Multisymptom cold remedies may include a decongestant, cough suppressant, pain or fever reliever, and/or an antihistamine. You should avoid using a multisymptom medicine, unless your child has all of the symptoms that it relieves. If the product contains acetaminophen (Tylenol), be sure that you do not administer an additional acetaminophen product, or you may cause an overdose. | |
cough syrups |
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| Cough syrups contain ingredients to help suppress your child's cough. It is not always possible or necessary to suppress a cough, but if the cough is interfering with sleep or your child's daily activities then he may benefit from a cough suppressant. In general, you do not want to use a cough suppressant if your child is having an asthma attack or has pneumonia. Check with your doctor if your child is coughing and is having any difficulty breathing.
Common cough suppressants include:
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decongestants |
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| Oral decongestants can help relieve the symptoms of a runny or stuffy nose that can accompany an upper respiratory tract infection or allergies. Products with oral decongestants can be found by themselves or with other ingredients as part of a multisymptom medicine. Topical decongestants can also safely be used in older children for short periods of time (3-5 days).
Common decongestants include:
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expectorants |
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| Expectorants usually contain guaifenesin and are supposed to help loosen mucus. They have never been proven to be helpful in children and are probably unnecessary. | |
fever and pain reducers |
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| The main fever and pain reducers in children usually contain either acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Aspirin should never be used in children, as it can be associated with Reye syndrome.
Acetaminophen containing products include Tylenol, Tempra, Feverall, and aspirin free Anacin. Ibuprofen containing products include Motrin, Advil, and Nuprin. |
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gastrointestinal medicines |
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| Except for medications for constipation, most of the other over the counter medications used to treat stomach problems are not usually necessary. Especially avoid medications used to treat diarrhea or vomiting without consulting your doctor. | |
insect repellents |
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| Insects (mosquitoes, gnats, chiggers, ticks, etc.…) commonly bite children and can make them miserable. There are many safe and effective insect repellents that you can use to protect your child, including those that use deet, citronella, or soybean oil. Remember to only use products that are approved for children, follow the manufacturer's instructions and wash off the insect repellents when you return indoors.
Insect repellents with deet are probably the best and most commonly used. Although it is absorbed through your child's skin, it is generally safe as long as the product has less than 10% deet. You should apply the deet product to all exposed skin, except near the eyes, mouth, open cuts or hands of small children (who may rub their eyes or put their fingers in their mouth). Deet is absorbed through the skin, so you may want to limit how much you put on younger children, wash it off as soon as possible, and apply it more to clothing than skin. Although deet insect repellents are effective for several hours, they do wash off with water and sweat, and you may have to reapply them to be most effective (follow the product's instructions to be safe). Other insect repellents that are generally safe in children include those made with Citronella (Avon's Skin-So-Soft) and soybean oil (Bite Blocker). Remember that insect repellents do not protect against most stinging insects, including wasps, bees and fire ants. To keep your children safe from insect bites, you can also:
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skin creams |
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| An over the counter 1/2% or 1% hydrocortisone cream can help relieve itching from insect bites, mild poison ivy, eczema and other mild rashes. Avoid using hydrocortizone on burns or infections. Calamine lotion can also help relieve itching. Antibiotic creams can be helpful to prevent and treat minor skin infections. | |
sunscreen |
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| It is now well known that exposure to sun puts people at risk for skin cancer and premature aging and that most of that exposure comes during childhood (80% of a person's lifetime sun exposure occurs before they are 21). Regular use of sunscreen in children can lower their risk of skin cancer by almost 78%.
There are many sunscreens available for safe use in children over six months old. Pick one that offers UVA and UVB protection and that has a SPF of 15 or higher (especially if your child has light skin). Apply the sunscreen in a thick coat at least 30-45 minutes before going outside and reapply every two hours (or more often in he is swimming or perspiring heavily). Here are some other tips to protect your child from the damaging effects of the sun.
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Contact Us Updated: February 5, 2003 Special Offers: Club Mom | Free Web Pages | babies online . com Shop Online: amazon.com | drugstore.com
Also visit: Important disclaimer: The information on keepkidshealthy.com is for educational purposes only and should not be considered to be medical advice. It is not meant to replace the advice of the physician who cares for your child. All medical advice and information should be considered to be incomplete without a physical exam, which is not possible without a visit to your doctor. |