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23-Aug-2020 12:00 AM
2377
A common concern of all parents is the health of their children. They always want their kids to be happy, healthy, and in high spirits.
Your heart falls into your stomach when you know your child is poorly. The next thing you do is either rush to a pediatrician or the nearest pharmacy shop.
Symptoms like fever, lack of appetite, diarrhea, headache or vomiting could be due to various reasons. Therefore, self-medication or giving the medicines which your doctor had prescribed last time for a similar symptom, is not a good idea. You must consult a doctor before giving any medicine to your child because even a small mistake in the medication might lead to serious complications.
There is much awareness among people about checking the expiry date of the medicine before buying it. Thumbs up. But there are other things that you have to keep in mind when you are handling the medicines of your child. You may be a conscientious parent but slip-ups may happen. Adhering to good practice while giving your child medicines would cut the risk and keep him safe.
Read the instructions on the package: It has information on the dose and storage of the medicine. Consult the doctor/ pharmacist for the right dose because it is based on the bodyweight of your child. Also, it is important to store the medicines at a proper place and out of sight of children.
Do not use a spoon for measuring syrup: If the drug is to be given in milliliters use the dosing cup or a syringe which has the mark of mL. Give the quantity directed by the physician. A kitchen spoon might give too much or too little of the drug.
Dosing schedule: Measure the right amount of drugs and follow the dosing schedule. Do not give a double dose to make up for the missed one. Speak to your doctor if it has happened.
Dosing time: The dose should not be very close. Normally 4 times a day means every six hours and 3 times a day means every eight hours.
Tell your doctor: When you visit your pediatrician, give him the complete information about your children like if he has any allergies/ if currently, he is taking any medicine/ supplement or any other information which you feel is necessary.
Extra careful with an antibiotic: If the child looks better do not stop the antibiotic. Complete the dose otherwise, the infection might recur and the child will have to start a new course of antibiotic which might have severe side effects. Do not refrigerate antibiotics for future use.
Maintaining history: It’s good to keep the prescriptions of your child in a file.
And most important is to have patience because medicines take the time to show the effect. So hug your baby, cuddle him, sit with him and tell him how much you love him. That would help him recover fast.
Seeing your baby bounce back is the happiness beyond measure.