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Reviewed by Stuart Crisp, paediatric specialist registrar
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Common complaints
Children are exposed to infectious diseases throughout their
childhood. Most infections are caused by a
virus, which cannot
be treated by antibiotics. But if an infection is thought to be caused by
bacteria, the doctor may prescribe
antibiotics for the child. Often it
is difficult to make the distinction between viral and bacterial infections on
clinical examination alone.
Paracetamol (eg Calpol), in an
appropriate dose, remains a very good treatment to relieve pain and fever in
most circumstances. Ibuprofen (eg Nurofen for children)
is an alternative for other than very young
children, but should be avoided in asthmatics. Aspirin (eg Disprin)
should never be given to children aged under 16 years unless prescribed by a doctor.
How to get a child to take their medicine
It may be difficult to get children to take their medicine. This might be due to a variety of reasons, but
commonly stems from the child not liking the taste of the medicine, or having difficulty swallowing it. To get around this a wide variety of preparations of medicines are often available. Medicine may be found as drops,
mixtures, liquids, powders, granules, suppositories, capsules and tablets with or without
coating.
The first time a child has to take medicine, it may be a good
idea to consult the doctor or pharmacist to decide which type of medicine the
child is most comfortable with.
Medicine for small children
Mixtures, liquids and drops with flavoured additives of some
kind are often the types of medicine preferred by small children. Often you can
mix the medicine with juice or breast milk, but it is important to be sure that
the child gets the exact amount of prescribed medicine; neither more nor
less. Always follow the instructions given with the medicine and ask your pharmacist for advice if you have problems.
The dose for young children may sometimes be too small to
measure using a spoon, in which case you will be given an
oral syringe to
administer the medicine. Make sure you know what to do before using
it.
Medicine for chronically sick children
Some children suffer from a chronic (long-term) disease such as
epilepsy or
asthma and so
constantly need medicine. They should be able to help choose the type of
medicine they prefer. Most children handle these problems very well, as long as
it is explained to the child why it is necessary to take the medicine.
At every age medicine is absorbed differently by the human body.
Some medicines have very strong effects on children compared with adults, and
vice versa. So different guidelines may be found concerning the correct dose of
medicine, depending on the child's age and weight.
Safety and medicine
Never give a child any medicine without first checking the
directions thoroughly. Even an innocent headache tablet may have unfortunate
side effects. In some cases, it may conceal a disease or symptoms of a disease,
which may delay the proper treatment.
The
use and storage of
medicine in the home is very important. Far too many cases of
poisoning happen
because of children's natural curiosity. They are interested in trying the
types of medicines that adults have left in the bedroom, the bathroom or the
kitchen.
Always remember to keep all medicine out of children's
reach.
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Based on a text by Dr Per Grinsted
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Last updated 28.03.2007
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