Your Child's Health—Talk to Your Pharmacist

Your pharmacist can answer all your questions about your child's medicine, helping your child—and you—feel better.

Your Child's Health... So Many Questions

The first years of a child's life can leave parents with many questions about his or her health. This is especially true for first time parents. When problems arise, you will want answers immediately.

Your pharmacist is always available to answer questions and help you find ways to make your child—and you—more comfortable when he or she is not feeling well or has to take medicine.

Get to know your pharmacist

It's important for you and your child to get to know your pharmacist. That way, when decisions need to be made about the best medicine to give or whether your child should see a doctor, your pharmacist will have the information to help you make the best decision.

Choose one pharmacist or pharmacy. It is important for your pharmacist to know such things as:

• whether your child is already taking medicine for another condition
• his or her age and weight
• any medical conditions or other health concerns
• whether he or she is breast- or bottle-fed
• whether he or she has allergies

Your pharmacist is here to help whenever you have worries about your child.

Your Child's Health: Questions about your child's symptoms and medicine

Should I give ASA or acetaminophen? Can I give my child medicine for fever if he or she is already taking an antibiotic? What happens if he or she throws up after taking a dose or can't (or won't) swallow the medicine? Is my child too young to take this medicine?

Ask your pharmacist, the most accessible health provider. Your pharmacist can answer these questions and more.

You have a right and a responsibility to be informed about all your child's medications and health concerns. You don't need to have a prescription to talk to your pharmacist. Your pharmacist is an expert on all medicines and how they work to make your child — and you — feel better.

Your Child's Health: How you can help

Every child is unique and may react to medicine differently. Your pharmacist can help you tailor the treatment to suit your child's needs. By talking to your pharmacist, you will help ensure that your child gets the most from his or her medicine.

• Always tell your pharmacist and doctor about all medicines your child is taking. This includes nonprescription medicines, vitamins and any herbal products.
• Alert your pharmacist to any allergies or other health problems your child has.
• Never leave the pharmacy without understanding everything about your child's medicine. You should know:
  • how much to give
  • when to give it
  • how long to give it
  • how to store it
  • what side effects there might be and what to do
  • what to do if your child misses a dose or spits up the medicine
  • how to tell if the medicine is working
  • what to do if it is not working
• Always understand how best to give the drug and how to use any device needed to treat or monitor symptoms (e.g., inhaler, thermometer, measuring device).
• Do not give your child products with ASA (acetylsalicylic acid, Aspirin) unless the doctor says so. It has been linked to a rare but serious illness called Reye's syndrome in children and teenagers. Choose instead a product with acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Ask your pharmacist for help in choosing what is best for your child.
• Always check with the pharmacist before mixing any medicine with food, drink, another medication or natural health product. Some medicine may not be effective when mixed with something else.
• If you have trouble giving the medicine to your child, ask your pharmacist for suggestions.
• Use nonprescription medicines only for as long as they are recommended. If symptoms have not cleared during that time, take your child to the doctor.
• Never share prescription medicines with other children, even if they seem to have the same illness. Make sure your child never takes someone else’s medication.
• If your child has been prescribed an antibiotic make sure he or she takes all that has been prescribed.
• "Four times a day" and "every six hours" do not necessarily mean the same thing. Ask your pharmacist what this means for you.
• Do not cut adult tablets and give them to your child. Anyone younger than 12 years of age should only take medicines appropriate for children (unless your doctor says otherwise.
• Never pretend that medicine is candy.
• Children should be taught to only take medicine from parents or another adult they know well.

Your Child's Health... Be Prepared

There are a number of basic items that you should keep at home to help you care for your child:

• Medicine spoon or oral liquid syringe: Talk to your pharmacist about what type of measuring device is best for your child and the medicine you are giving. Never use household spoons to measure liquid medicine because they are not accurate enough.
• Thermometer: There are a number of ways to take your child's temperature—by mouth, bum (rectally), under arm, ear—and a variety of thermometers on the market. Your pharmacist can help you choose the thermometer that best suits your needs.
• Pain and fever relievers: Choose acetaminophen or ibuprofen products, not ASA (Aspirin).
• Rubbing alcohol: Use for cleaning thermometers and tweezers. Do not use for rubdowns to reduce fever.
• Petroleum jelly
• Diaper rash ointment
• Antiseptic for cleaning cuts and scrapes
• Antibiotic ointment
• Anti-diarrhea medication
• Rash and itch medication
• Saline nose drops to help loosen nasal mucus in infants
• Cotton swabs and adhesive bandages
• Tweezers, small nail clippers

When should I take my child to the doctor?

If you are unsure, talk to your pharmacist, who can help you decide if it is safe to treat your child's symptoms yourself or if you should contact the doctor.

As a general rule of thumb, call your doctor if your baby is under six months of age and has a fever or if your child has a temperature over 39C (102F).

Don't forget about safety

Remember to ask your pharmacist how to store all your medicines properly and safely. And do not forget about household cleaning supplies and other poisons. Always keep them locked away and out of reach of children.

Despite the best of intentions, accidents can happen. Keep the telephone numbers of your local poison control centre, your pharmacy and your doctor on or near your telephone.

A final thought...

Are your child's immunizations up to date? It's very important to your child's health and well-being that he or she receives all shots on time.

When children are immunized, their bodies have the best chance to fight off the dangerous diseases these shots protect them from. If they come into contact with one of these diseases and don't have all their shots, they may get very sick or even die.

If you have questions, talk to your pharmacist. Your pharmacist is always available to help you make the best choices for your child's health.