Chaand 3 Posted June 26, 2007 Asalaamu aleykum, Six medicines you shouldn't give your child Approved by the Medical Advisory Board Reviewed by Nancy Showen, M.D. Last updated: April 2006 By Betsy Bozdech Children are much more likely than adults to have adverse drug reactions, so giving your child prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medication is serious business. Here are six medicines you shouldn't give your preschooler: Aspirin Never give your child aspirin or any medication containing aspirin. Aspirin can make a child susceptible to Reye's syndrome — a rare but potentially fatal illness. Don't assume that the children's medicines found in drugstores will be aspirin-free. Aspirin is sometimes referred to as "salicylate" or "acetylsalicylic acid." Read labels carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you're not sure whether a product contains aspirin. Anti-nausea medications Don't give your child an anti-nausea medication (prescription or OTC) unless his doctor specifically recommends it. Most bouts of vomiting are pretty short-lived, and children usually handle them just fine without any medication. In addition, anti-nausea medications have risks and possible complications. (If your child is vomiting and begins to get dehydrated, contact his doctor for advice on what to do.) Adult medications Giving your child a smaller dose of medicine meant for an adult is dangerous. If the label doesn't indicate an appropriate dose for a child, don't give that medication to your preschooler. Any medication prescribed for someone else or for another reason Prescription drugs intended for other people (like a sibling) or to treat other illnesses may be ineffective or even dangerous when given to your child. Give him only medicine prescribed for him and his specific condition. Anything expired Toss out medicines, prescription and OTC alike, as soon as they expire. Also throw away discolored or crumbly medicines — basically anything that doesn't look the way it did when you first bought it. After the use-by date, they may no longer be effective and may even be harmful. Don't flush old drugs down the toilet, as they can contaminate groundwater and end up in the drinking water supply. Instead, seal them in a childproof container and toss them out with the trash. Extra acetaminophen Many OTC cough and cold medicines contain acetaminophen to help ease fever and pain, so be careful not to give your child a separate dose of acetaminophen. If you're not sure what's in a particular medicine, ask your pharmacist or doctor. And if your preschooler's already taking a prescription medicine, don't give him acetaminophen or ibuprofen until you've first checked with his doctor or the pharmacist to make sure it's okay. A cautionary note The next three types of medications aren't 100 percent off-limits, but you should carefully consider whether and how to give them to your child: Chewables Most preschoolers can handle chewable tablets, especially those that are fast-melting. But keep an eye on your child when you give him a chewable, especially if he isn't proficiently chewing solids yet. If you think chewables might be a choking hazard for your child, crush the tablet and put it in a spoonful of soft food, like yogurt or applesauce. (Of course, you need to make sure your child eats the entire spoonful in order to get the complete dose.) Some herbal remedies Many herbal remedies are gentle and safe, but just because something is natural, or derived from a plant, don't assume that it's safe for your preschooler. Herbal products can cause allergic reactions, liver damage, and high blood pressure. In certain doses, and/or when combined with the wrong medications, they can be fatal. Check with your child's doctor or an alternative medicine practitioner before giving your preschooler any herbal products. And always let the doctor know about any herbal remedies your child's taking before she prescribes a medication. Over-the-counter cough and cold medicines Coughing helps clear your preschooler's lungs, so a cough suppressant is often counterproductive. And cough and cold medicines, including decongestants, won't help your child get better. At best, they'll only temporarily relieve some of his symptoms. And they may have unwanted side effects, like anxiety and sleeplessness. Some of these products also tend to become less effective, or even cause the initial symptoms to worsen, over time. So if your preschooler's miserable with a cold, first try other options, like a humidifier and plenty of liquids. All contents copyright © BabyCenter, L.L.C. 1997-2007 All rights reserved. waleykum asalaam, Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Princess Mujahada 0 Posted July 19, 2007 for this post sister! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
selina 0 Posted August 17, 2007 Interesting Jazakallah khair for sharing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aamina87 0 Posted August 23, 2007 :D , very helpful sis i also read that despite of the beneficial effects that honey has on our organism, it should not be given to children till 6 months old :D May we have the help of Allah to take good care of our children. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
