Caring for our loved ones is no easy feat, especially when it comes to our kids. However, caring for them is a choice that we will always choose to do out of our love for them. The difficulty comes in many different forms, one of which is keeping our kids healthy; and learning and knowing when to give our kids OTC medicine is one way of doing so. We must know that, compared to us adults, kids are still developing. They are more susceptible to infections, colds, and other illnesses as their immune system has yet to be fully developed. Because of this, we must learn to know when to give them medicine to treat them as soon as possible.
What are OTC Medicines?
Firstly, we have to discuss what OTC medicines are. OTC, short for over-the-counter medicines, are medicines that can be bought without the need for a prescription from a doctor or a healthcare provider. These are often found in supermarkets or in pharmaceuticals (drugstores) and come in different forms such as pills, liquids, or capsules for consumption. When purchasing these OTC medicines, information is found on the packaging indicating the dosage, ingredients, if safe for kids of certain ages, and other essential information. It’s needed to be aware of these which is why we must read the relevant information before giving it to our kids.
Giving OTC Medicines To Our Kids
Now we know what OTC medicines are, we must also know when it is appropriate for consumption by our kids when they are sick. Here are a few tips:
- We shouldn’t be giving them medicines that are intended for adult use only. As said earlier, we adults are different from our kids and may react differently to the medicines that we use.
- Always check first the information written on the packaging as these contain information such as the right amount to give to our kids, the number of times we should give the medicine, the age recommended for consumption and the ingredients in the medicine.
- Be careful and know the amount that we give them as too much may cause an unwanted reaction, and knowing the ingredients allows us to know if we have given them medicine with similar ingredients already. Taking liquid medicines, for example, we have to be extra cautious since these liquid medicines come in different concentrations making their proper doses different from each other.
- When it comes to medicine such as aspirin, these should not be taken by those that are under 20, and for ibuprofen, these should not be given to kids under the age of 6 months.
- As for medicines that are chewable, it is advised that we do not give these to kids under 3 years old for the reason that their molars may still yet to be fully developed making it difficult for them to chew the medicines.
With all this being said, it is still best to talk to our kids' doctors or pharmacists when they are in need of medication. For situations in which our kids have a fever, it’s better to consult the doctor to determine that it is not a sign of a more serious illness. Also, in instances wherein we would have to give our kids multiple OTC medicines, it is better to be safe and ask the doctor or pharmacist to get professional advice since all we want is the best for our little kids. After all, what we want at the end of the day is the kids’ safety and health.
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Resources:
Over-The-Counter Medicines for Infants and Children. N.d. University of Rochester Medical Center. https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=1&contentid=2804&fbclid=IwAR0oewXACTBRTLfGwpUovnP7jwtF5uef2qNooGJ5U_iWDM4QfAPeF1zJwow
Choosing Over-the-Counter Medicines for Your Child. N.d. Healthy Children. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/medication-safety/Pages/Choosing-Over-the-Counter-Medicines-for-Your-Child.aspx?fbclid=IwAR2gmMKbOKHo0j2pXLczTv1dnOUjuGBpMY0Rz4gKJ-5-1PKOgy8rrAIIvSI
Quick Tips: Safely Giving Over-the-Counter Medicines to Children. N.d. Alberta. https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/Pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=ad1205
