What medicines should we never give to our children?
There are some medications that children cannot take, we will tell you what they are.
Babies develop more adverse effects from medications than adults. Therefore, it is very dangerous to administer medications without first consulting a doctor. There are some that in the right doses are useful and soothe pain, but we should always consult a specialist to make sure.
However, the first and most important rule is that we should never give a medication to a child under two years of age , regardless of the problem. Even medicines for the common cold (those that are usually sold in the pharmacy without a prescription) are very dangerous for children under two years of age. It is because they are very sensitive to side effects . They can cause tachycardia, seizures, and in some cases even death. We are facing a serious issue.
In other cases, we may be facing a more serious illness than it really is . For example, treating a simple cold can be complicated by tonsillitis. After administering the drug, side effects may not occur, however the treatment that at first seems positive can turn against us because it can mask symptoms that alert us to complications in the disease . The problem is that by not seeing them we can think that our child is recovering when in reality the disease runs its course and evolves, this is what happens in the case of many infections. We realize it much later, when it is already more difficult to treat it and the treatment is different.
In summary, before two years it is better to avoid giving any type of medication unless they are antibiotics (in case of infection) and always under medical pre-registration.
Index
MEDICATIONS THAT YOU SHOULD NOT GIVE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES
Even so, we leave you with some medications that parents mistakenly administer to their children thinking that in small doses they do not produce adverse effects. No further from the truth.
1- Aspirin : never give your child anything that contains acetylsalicylic acid as it can cause vulnerability to Reye’s syndrome , a meningitis-like disease that in children can be even fatal. Sometimes when children have a fever, some doctors recommend a treatment with very low doses of paracetamol, but we are facing the same thing. Never do it without medical pre-registration.
2- Antiemetics : some parents give anti- nausea medications to avoid vomiting in children, so they do not become dehydrated. They cause more complications than benefits . In addition, vomiting attacks in babies do not usually last long and they recover quickly.
3- Medications that were pre-registered for another baby with similar symptoms . It may seem logical but unfortunately it is something quite common and it continues to happen. If it is already dangerous for an adult to take the medication that was prescribed for another person with similar symptoms, in children it is even more risky. Although the problem is different, the size and weight of both babies will surely differ.
4- “Ipepac” or syrup of ipecacuana : long ago it was customary for some parents to have it at home in case the child became intoxicated with some type of food. It is a syrup that produces vomit. Doctors have not recommended ipepac for a long time because it is not 100% proven that inducing vomiting will solve the poisoning , it is even counterproductive.
5- Others : although it is logical, it never hurts to remember it, we must be especially careful with expired medicines , medicines indicated for adults (no matter how much we modify the dose), medicines that do not require a prescription and chewable medicines (because they can produce choking in the baby, even if he already eats solid).
SO WHAT CAN I DO WITH CHILDREN UNDER TWO YEARS OF AGE?
It is a relief to know that most of the illnesses that children go through at this age are colds . In this case, it is best to let it pass alone, as in adults . In older children, the only medications that are prescribed are to relieve symptoms such as coughs and mucus, but they do not last less. So the best thing to do is wait for it to pass alone. If we still want to alleviate the wait, we can follow the advice that our parents have given us all our lives.
If they have excess mucus and are more than half a year old, we will increase the amount of liquid, water for example. If you are over a year old, a mixture of warm milk, honey and a little lemon juice will soothe your throat. Also at night we can cut an onion in half and put it on the side, it has a mucolytic effect and will help you sleep better because it humidifies the environment.
On the other hand, there are pharmacists who, to the despair of parents, recommend homeopathic syrups . Unfortunately, they have not been shown to be more effective than placebo and it only costs money.
AND IN OLDER CHILDREN?
From the age of two, children can take certain syrups and medications but always with caution , without exceeding the indicated dose and under medical indications. When in doubt, it is better to go to a specialist. Anyway, we leave you some tips that you should keep in mind when giving your young children the prescribed medications.
1- Read the instructions very well . It seems logical but when you are in a hurry it is often common to confuse numbers or letters. For example, read 2 where it says 1/2. If we make a mistake, we will be giving our child twice the indicated dose. The same goes for “tbsp” (which refers to tablespoon) and “tsp” (teaspoon). When in doubt, give it less.
2- Take into account the weight. Doses are usually based on the weight and age of the child.
3- No matter how sick you are, you should not alter the dose . Some parents believe that the greater the amount of medicine, the sooner it will heal. No further from the truth. The recommended amounts are based on the limit that a child can take at that age and weight, not on the severity of the disease.
4- For liquid medications make sure to shake them well before giving them . This way we make sure that the components are mixed well and that the little one does not receive too much or too little medicine.
5- Notify the doctor for any unexpected problems , such as in the event that they have taken more medicine than necessary. If they are older, nothing really serious has to happen but it is good to ask to be more calm. It’s better to prevent than to cure.
Dr. Tabriella Perivolaris, Sara's mother and fan of fashion, beauty, motherhood, among others, about the female universe. Since 2018 she has been working as a copywriter, always bringing to her articles a little of her experience and experience as a mother and woman.