Do’s and don’ts of child’s medicine
Print Edition
Medicine should be rarely administered to children who have a cough or a cold.
The only time treatment and medication are provided to children is when they have wheezing episodes or vomiting symptoms, according to the official WeChat account of Shanghai Food and Drug Administration.
For younger parents this can be confusing. They don’t know what action to take, what medicine to prescribe or when to administer medication to their sick child.
Experts warn parents to consider hospitals when their babies have following symptoms: runny noses for more than two weeks, coughs with wheezing and chest congestion and a fever over 38.5 degree Celsius. Runny noses for one to two weeks after a cold is normal, yet if it lasts longer, parents need to see a doctor to assess whether the child has allergic rhinitis.
When a yellow runny nose lasts for more than 10 days, check for the possibility of bacterial sinusitis.
Almost all kids with cough can recover on their own. Parents only need to worry about the following three symptoms:
1. Frequent coughing, wheezing and suffocation symptoms and heavy breathing that makes a child’s complexion change.
2. Concomitant fever. Prolonged fever for three days or a sudden fever without the presence of other signs and symptoms.
3. Serious coughing for two weeks.
Coughing is a self-protective reaction, conducive to the excretion of phlegm. Taking cough medicine hastily may cause harm.
Parents’ concerns about fevers often lead to medicine abuse. Antipyretics should only be used when an auxiliary temperature is more than 38.5 degrees Celsius. Fever drugs, except acetaminophen and ibuprofen, should be avoided.
Meanwhile, for children of different ages, the dosage varies. If it doesn’t work after taking medicine and the child does not recover within three days, it is suggested that parents consider taking their kids to the hospital.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
