Giving medicines to children is not something that should be done light-hearted, and it is important to check if the medicine is indicated for children or if it is within the expiration date, as it is recommended to evaluate the medicine's own appearance.
In the case of multi-day treatments, it is important to respect the duration of treatment indicated by the doctor, especially in the case of antibiotics which must always be taken by the date indicated.
So, to avoid misunderstandings and worries, here are the 5 main precautions to take when administering the medicine to the child.
5 Care before giving medicine to the child
1. Give only medicine recommended by the Doctor
Children should only take medicines prescribed by their doctor or pediatrician, and never medicines recommended by pharmacists, neighbors or friends, as children react differently to the use of medicines, being more subject to intoxications or side effects such as drowsiness or diarrhea.
2. Know the side effects of the medicine
Before giving any medicine to your child, read the package leaflet and tell your doctor about the side effects of this medicine. As the child's body is more sensitive, symptoms such as diarrhea, tummy ache, drowsiness or nausea are common.
3. Record the times of the doses
Dosing times are very important to ensure the correct performance of the drug, so it is recommended that you record on a paper the times of the doses. In this way, errors leading to overdosage can be avoided, and there is also less chance of a missed dose throughout the day. It is common for these medicines to be prescribed every 8 hours or every 12 hours as directed by your doctor.
However, if it is common to forget doses, try setting an alarm on the phone with the next dose time.
4. Use the measuring spoons or spoons provided in the package
It is common for medicines for children to find themselves in the form of syrup, solution or drops. It is important that these medicines are administered using the dosage or spoon as they come in the package, so that the amount of medicine that the child ingests is always the same and recommended. Generally, these dispensers contain marks, which indicate the recommended dose values that should be administered.
5. How to give the medicine
It is important to know whether the remedy should be taken along with food or liquids, as this can influence the way the drug works in the body and the intensity side effects it senses. For example, if the medicine is to be taken fasting, it is a sign that food must influence the absorption of the medicine by the body. On the other hand, if the remedy is to be taken along with the meal, it is likely to be very strong for the stomach, easily causing tummy ache.
In addition to these care it is important to keep all remedies out of reach of children as they can be confused with sweets and the child can consume by mistake. If this happens, it is important to take the child to the emergency room or the hospital as soon as possible, as well as packing the medicine.
What to do if your child vomits after taking the medicine
When the child vomits up to 30 minutes after taking the medicine or whenever it is possible to see the whole medicine in the child's vomit, it is recommended to repeat the dose because the body has not yet had time to absorb it.
However, if the child vomits again or if the vomiting occurs after half an hour, the medicine should not be given again and the doctor who ordered it should be consulted to know what to do, as this varies according to the type the medication.
