Childhood Ailments

Over The Counter Medicines?

There has been much controversy over whether or not to give children over the counter cold and cough medicines. Did you that last year an advisory panel at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had voted to ban popular OTC drugs for children five years old and under? The panel found no proof that OTC cold products eased kids' symptoms, and in some cases these drugs appear dangerous - particularly for children with unrecognized congenital heart problems.

Approximately 800 pediatric cold medicines in the United States use one or more of 39 different drugs, and parents currently spend $500 million annually on these medications. Conventional medical wisdom suggests that we, like folks did before there were multisymptom cold medicines, separate the symptoms and treat those. Essential oils and vaporizers for stuffy nose.

 Coughs

For a cough use liquids: honey (only over one year of age) mixed with fresh squeezed lemon juice in liquid or warm tea can be as soothing as over the counter cough syrup. Try an herbal chest rub: mix a couple drops of eucalyptus and lavender essential oils in two teaspoons of olive oil to soothe the chest.

Several herbal remedies may relieve a wet cough such as horehound, which reduces mucus production.  

Fevers

If there's any symptom of colds, flues and other illness that worries parents most it may be a fever. In most cases a fever is a symptom of the immune system as work, responding to infection. A fever helps the body fight harmful bacteria and viruses by slowing their growth and by triggering an immunological response.

Parents should not assume that the temperature of a fever is an indication of how serious the child's illness may be. A minor viral infection - such as a sore throat - may cause the patient's temperature to rise dramatically, while a more serious strep throat may only produce a low-grade fever. It's important to keep track of all the symptoms, not just body temperature, and to discuss them with your healthcare provider.

First and foremost, increase your child's fluid intake, since fever can cause loss of body fluids. Placing a child in a cold bath is not recommended, this causes the child to shiver and become agitated this increasing the child's body temperature.Always call your pediatrician in the following cases:

•  If the child is less than two months old and has a temperature greater than 100 degrees.
• If you child has a fever accompanied by a sore throat, ear pain, abdominal pain, pain during urination, or a seizure.
• If your child has symptoms of dehydration, reuses fluids, or is producing decreased amounts of urine.
• If your child is unusually irritable, refuses to be moved, has symptoms of a sever headache, complains of a stiff neck, repeatedly vomits, or has an unexplained rash.
• If your child has a fever of 104 degrees or more.
• If you are worried about your child's activity level, behavior, or other symptoms. 
• If your child continues to breathe rapidly even after the fever has been lowered.