Cold medicine for children proven safe and effective & bull; hello healthy

The cold is a common childhood illness that can heal itself over time. Even so, colds can make children fussy all day long if they are not treated quickly. The good news is, you don't have to worry anymore. There are various cold medicine options with or without a doctor's prescription that are proven safe for children.

The choice of cold medicine for children that is safe and effective

Various cold symptoms such as nasal congestion, fever, dizziness, sore throat, and cough can make children fussy and have trouble sleeping. Your little one may also have to miss school first because of illness.

So before the pain drags on, here are some drug options that you can give to relieve a child's cold.

1. Paracetamol

Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is a medicine to relieve fever, headaches, and sore throats that accompany a child's cold. You can buy this medicine at a pharmacy, drug store, even supermarkets without redeeming a doctor's prescription.

The paracetamol dose is usually adjusted according to the child's age and weight. For example, if your child is 4-5 years old and weighs around 16.4-21.7 kg, the usual dose is 240 mg. Meanwhile, if your child is 6-8 years old and around 21.8-27.2 kg, the dose is 320 mg. For children aged 9-10 years with a weight of around 27.3-32.6 kg the dose is 400 mg.

Give one dose of medication every 4-6 hours as needed. Do not exceed 5 doses in 24 hours. If used according to the rules of use, paracetamol rarely causes side effects. However, this drug may have negative reactions when used with other medicines.

Always read the rules of use printed on the packaging label. Don't hesitate to consult a doctor if you are in doubt about how to use this cold medicine for children.

Urgent: Do not give paracetamol to children under two months of age and who have a history of liver and kidney disease.

2. Ibuprofen

Just like paracetamol, ibuprofen can be used to relieve cold symptoms such as fever and headaches. One advantage of ibuprofen that paracetamol doesn't have is that it also works against inflammation in the body.

The dose of ibuprofen for cold children with fever is 10 mg / kg body weight if they are more than 6 months to 12 years of age. Give one dose every 6-8 hours as needed. Discuss further with the doctor for a more accurate dosage according to your child's condition.

Urgent: Do not arbitrarily measure the dose of ibuprofen because the drug effect is much stronger than paracetamol. This medicine should not be given to babies under 6 months of age or to children who are vomiting constantly and are dehydrated.

3. Saline spray

Saline sprays can be used to relieve nasal congestion. Saline sprays can be found at the nearest drugstore or pharmacy without a prescription from a doctor.

This cold spray contains a saline solution that can moisturize nasal passages and thin mucus. If the runny nose is a bit runny, you can remove it with a snot suction device specially designed for children.

Make sure you carefully read the rules of use so that you don't make the wrong way and even make the child choke. If necessary, you can consult a doctor first before using nasal sprays for your little one.

Do not carelessly give cold medicines for children

Children who are sick with colds should not be given drugs carelessly. The reason is, some cold medicines have serious side effects if used carelessly and without the correct dosage.

The FDA, the Food and Drug Administration in the United States which is equivalent to BPOM RI, issued special rules for everyone who will use cold medicines for children:

• Non-prescription cold medicines that are sold over the counter at pharmacies, drug stores, and supermarkets are not recommended for children under 2 years of age.
• Prescription cough medicines containing codeine or hydrocodone should not be used in children under 18 years of age. Codeine and hydrocodone are opioid drugs that have the potential for serious side effects for children.
• Avoid using cold medicines that contain many combinations of substances because there may be certain ingredients that are not safe for children to consume. In addition, too many variations of the drug substance contained in one dose can increase the risk of side effects and overdose.
• Every parent must carefully read the rules for using cold medicines, especially for over-the-counter medicines.
• Cold medicine for adults is different from children. Choose cold medicines that are specifically marked for babies or children.
• Always use the medicine spoon that comes in the medicine package. The dosage of a kitchen spoon is very different from the standard medicinal spoon.
• Herbal remedies are not always safe for curing a child's cold. We recommend that you consult a doctor before using herbal medicines.
• Immediately consult a doctor if your baby's condition does not improve or gets worse even though he has taken medication.

Home remedies for treating a child's cold

Apart from taking medication, there are various home methods you can try to quickly cure a child's cold. For example:

1. Drink honey

Drinking honey can cure a cough with phlegm and a sore throat that commonly accompanies cold symptoms. You can give a teaspoon of honey for children to drink, or dissolve honey in tea or warm water.

However, do not give honey to children under 1 year of age. Honey can increase the risk of botulism in babies. So, be careful if you want to use honey as a cold medicine for children.

2. Drink water

During a cold, make sure he drinks enough water to meet his body's fluid needs. In addition to relieving dehydration, drinking lots of water can help thin your child's mucus and phlegm so that he can breathe more easily.

If your little one doesn't like drinking water, you can work around this by making warm tea, ginger ale, lemon water, and so on.

However, don't give soda, syrup, or bottled drinks that contain lots of sugar, yes! Instead of getting better quickly, sugary drinks can make them sick even more.

3. Use a humidifier

If the child is sick, try not to adjust the air conditioner in the room until he is really better. The coldness of the air-conditioned room can exacerbate the cold symptoms that your little one is experiencing. AC also makes the air in the room even drier.

Instead, you can set a humidifier (humidifier) and add a few drops of peppermint or lemon essential oil to make the child breathe easier.

4. Take a warm shower

If you are already taking medication, you can persuade a child with a cold to soak in warm water before bed. In addition to relieving fever, children can inhale warm water vapor to thin the mucus in their throat and nose. After finishing the shower, your little one can breathe easier.

If your child is over 6 years old, you can ask him to inhale the hot water that is collected in a basin.

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