You may have questions about medicines that your child takes. You can get some advice from the internet. But, it may not be correct. Your local pharmacist is a good source. Ask your pharmacist about all medicines that your child takes (prescription and over-the-counter). Here is a list of ten tips for using medicines safely in children:
Fever and temperature: There are 3 ways to take your child's temperature.
In the bottom: This is the best way to check for fever in your children.
By mouth: This is a good way to check for fever in your child. You should add 1◦Farenheit to equal the temperature taken from your child's bottom.
In the ear and under the armpit: These are not accurate. They are not good areas to use in young infants.
Ibuprofen (Motrin® or Advil®) and acetaminophen (Tylenol®) for fever: Both are good medicines to treat fever. One is not better than the other. Do not switch back and forth with these medicines. This can be very confusing. The dose is not the same with each medicine. Use the medicine that works best for your child. Use the measuring device that comes with the medicine for that medicine only.
Storage of medicines: Do not keep medicine in the bathroom. Damp places make medicines less stable (prescription and over-the-counter). Store them in the top shelf of a kitchen cabinet or hallway.
Taste of medicines: Many liquid medicines are made with flavoring. They may have a bad aftertaste. You can add chocolate syrup, peanut butter, and applesauce to liquid medicines to help the taste. Check with your pharmacist to see what is best. Do not add a liquid medicine to the bottle for a young infant. The infant may not finish the whole bottle with the medicine.
Measuring liquid medicines: Teaspoons and tablespoons used for eating are not good tools to measure medicines. They are not accurate. You can use the measuring device that comes with your child's medicine. Or, you can also use an oral syringe. These are sold at most pharmacies and are not expensive.
Weight: Most doses of medicines in children are based on the weight of the child. Know your child's most current weight. Give this to your physician and pharmacist.
Medicine safety: Keep all medicines (over-the-counter and prescription) out of the reach of children. Put them in a top shelf of a cabinet or a locked cabinet. Do not re-package any medicines. Leave them in the original package with the child-proof cap.
Sharing medicines: Do not share medicines with others. This is against the law. Medicine doses are based on weight and age. By sharing the same dose of medicine, you could give your child too much medicine. Always take your child to the physician first to get a prescription for a medicine.
Medicine history: Many medicines interact with each other. This could cause more side effects in your child. Know the names of all of the medicines (vitamins, over-the-counter, prescription, and herbal medicines) that your child takes. Keep a list of these medicines. Give them to your physician and pharmacist. Click here to learn more about keeping track of your child's medicine.
Oral hydration formulas: These are good to give when your child has mild dehydration. Some examples are Pedialyte popsicles, Pedialyte solution, Rehydrate solution, etc. Do not give them if they have severe dehydration. Take your child to the emergency room if they have severe dehydration.
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