1. Cough Syrups
Cough syrups are good but shouldn’t be used for babies under the age of 6 years. The cough and cold syrups meditations are found to be ineffective for babies. The syrup actually could be potentially harmful to young kids younger than the age. Ignorantly, serious harm, including misuse, overdose, and side effects may occur in children under the age bracket. Though some cough and cold syrups medications are labeled for kids aged zero to six years old but they have more of a placebo effect than any other thing. What can be recommended is giving the kids over the age of a year a teaspoon of honey before bed. Honey works more effectively in babies. This reduces nighttime coughing and helps kids sleep so their bodies can fight off the cold. Using a cool-mist humidifier to help clear congestion too is recommended.
2. Chewable Pills
chewable tablets (or any medicines in tablet form) are a choking hazard for babies. If your baby is eating solids and you want to use a tablet, ask your child’s doctor or pharmacist if it’s okay to crush it and put in a spoonful of soft food, like yogurt. Of course, you will have to make sure he eats the entire spoonful to get the complete dose.
3. Aspirin
Aspirin is known to be an acetylsalicylic acid. It is therefore not recommended for any child under 10 years of age, unless otherwise prescribed and directed by a certified doctor. Aspirin for kids is not advisable especially age 10 and below. It has been proven to cause Reye’s Syndrome, which is a serious condition that can lead to swelling in the liver and brain. The only time aspirin is prescribed for children is in rare and special cases for children with certain diseases or conditions, and those are monitored closely by certified doctors. Aspirin of any type should never be given at home. If your baby is in need of pain relief, go to a clinic or a pharmacist.
4. Adult Medications
Giving your baby a smaller dose of medicine meant for an adult is dangerous. If the label doesn’t indicate an appropriate dose for the weight and age of your child, don’t give them that medication. It can lead to some certain kind of internal injury.
5. Advil or Motrin
These are popularly known as Ibuprofen. And this pill is not recommended for babies younger than six months.Although we have infant ibuprofen products in the market, most doctors prefer to recommend Tylenol for babies between three and six months of age, when necessary like trying to treat a fever or teething pain. It’s an older and more familiar medication and doesn’t have the risk of reducing blood flow to the kidneys, which is the main concern with ibuprofen. Ibuprofen is therefore advised to be kept away from children in the age bracket.
6. Benadryl
Children’s Benadryl is not recommended for children under two years old. We have some doctors that may prescribe it in certain situations for children under two, but rarely for babies less than six months. One of the main side effects is it makes your child sleepy and this sedating effect puts kids at increased risk of dehydration because they will feel toosleepy to drink. If a child is sleeping for most of the day, it can also mean that parents are missing other symptoms that need treatment. Take for instance, your child might have an infection and be losing consciousness, but you think they are just sleepy from the Benadryl. Benadryl should only be used to make kids comfortable so they can sleep or aren’t severely itchy. There are two types of rashes that require your kid to be seen by a doctor. If a rash on your child’s skin looks like bruising or looks like red dots that do not blanch with gentle pressure, then you should seek medical attention. This can mean blood is trapped under the skin and can indicate more serious conditions.
7. Nasal drops
Nasal drop medications are not recommended to babies and small children because they dry out the nasal passages. Instead of using that, a snot sucker will help relieve your little one’s stuffy nose. True, most kids hates it but it truly helps a lot. A saline solution is another safe option to help clear the nasal passages in conjunction with nose suctioning and a cool-mist humidifier. The key with a runny nose is to make your child as comfortable as possible, not to make it go away with medication.
8. Gravol
The Pill is not healthy for babies especially younger than two years of age. The pill actually works but it makes the babies feel sleepy. And if they are sleeping every now and then, they won’t be able to consume the fluids they need to stay hydrated. For severe vomiting when your child can’t consume the fluids, visit a doctor or chemist and they would offer a prescription medication that shuts off the vomiting center in the brain for 8 to 14 hours. This doesn’t make kids sleepy, so they can keep drinking fluids. If your child is vomiting but it’s not severely enough to see a doctor, the solution is to simply keep them comfortable and hydrated until the stage of infection passes. And for babies younger than six months who are vomiting, continue to hydrate them with breast milk or formula and go to the doctor for a checkup.
9. Teething gels
Teething gels are not too advisable for little babes. Although many teething gels are readily available over the counter, the best thing is to avoid buying or using them. Since you apply the gel in the mouth, your baby could be swallowing the solution. If your baby consumes too much of the drugs that numb the gums. It can be harmful and can have serious effects such as seizures, where the blood can’t carry oxygen through the body effectively. So it’s not advisable to use teething gels for babies less than two years of age. Although it can be miserable for everyone, it’s not worth risking your child’s life for some temporary comfort. Teething is a phase or stage and it will definitely pass. Instead of teething gels, opt for cold teething rings or a cold cloth for your baby to chew and suck on. There are lots more safe teething remedies that you can try.
10. Senokot
This also is not recommended for any baby or children. When your child is severely constipated, you may seek quick relief. Senokot for kids is not advisable for children because it causes muscle cramping, and there are much better alternatives. There are better pills available for children above six months. These are not dependency forming drugs. In severe cases, these medications can be used for three to four weeks or longer, during which this time parents can adjust their child’s diet to include more fibre and less sugar. Babies younger than six months who are constipated should be seen by a doctor to ensure something more serious isn’t happening. The constipation could be a sign of an issue like dehydration. And remember that in babies, there is a huge range of normal when it comes to poop.