Patient education: Giving your child over-the-counter medicines (The Basics)

What are over-the-counter medicines? — Over-the-counter ("OTC") medicines are medicines that you can buy in a pharmacy or store without a doctor's prescription. They come in different forms, including pills, liquids, creams, and eye drops.

OTC medicines are commonly used to treat:

●Fever (if it makes your child uncomfortable)

●Cough and cold (in children older than 6 years)

●Allergies

●Skin rashes, diaper rashes, or hives

●Diarrhea or constipation

Some OTC medicines can cure conditions (such as rashes), but many only treat symptoms for a short time.

What is the correct dose of medicine for my child? — To figure out the correct dose, look at the medicine's "Drug Facts" label (figure 1). The section called "Directions" tells you how much medicine to use and how often to use it.

The dose might depend on your child's weight. If you do not know your child's weight, use the dose for their age.

To give your child the correct dose:

●Use the dosing device that comes with the medicine. If the medicine doesn't have a dosing device, ask the pharmacy, doctor, or nurse for one.

●Read the directions every time, even if you have given the medicine to your child before. Medicines can come in different strengths. Also, companies sometimes change medicines and doses.

●Follow the directions carefully. Do not give your child more medicine than directed. Giving your child extra medicine will not make them feel better, and it can cause serious problems.

Can OTC medicines cause side effects? — Yes. OTC medicines can cause side effects. The side effects depend on the medicine. Children are more likely than adults to get side effects from OTC medicines.

Can I give my child 2 or more OTC medicines at the same time? — It depends on the medicines and their "active ingredient." The active ingredient is the part of the medicine that treats symptoms. Every medicine has at least 1 active ingredient.

To know what the active ingredient is, look at the Drug Facts label (figure 1). It's important to read the Drug Facts carefully, because medicines that treat different conditions can have the same active ingredient. For example, fever medicines and cough and cold medicines can have the same active ingredient.

Do not give your child 2 medicines with the same active ingredient. Giving your child 2 medicines with the same active ingredient can cause an overdose. This can cause serious and even life-threatening problems.

When should I call the doctor or nurse? — Call the doctor or nurse if:

●Your child has side effects or problems from an OTC medicine.

●Your child's symptoms don't get better or get worse after using an OTC medicine.

What else should I do?

●Talk to your child's doctor or nurse about OTC medicines at routine check-ups, before your child gets sick. Ask them which medicines you should use, when to use them, and how to use them. That way, if your child gets sick, you know what to do.

●Ask questions if you are unsure which medicine to use or how to use it. You can ask the pharmacist or your child's doctor or nurse.

●Choose a medicine made to treat only the symptoms or condition that your child has.

●Close the medicine tightly, and store it out of your child's reach.

●Throw out medicine that has expired (gone bad).

●Teach your child that medicine shouldn't be eaten like candy, and that it can be dangerous to take too much.

●Keep the number for the Poison Control Center: 1-800-222-1222 (in the US), in case your child takes too much medicine.

Some other safety tips:

●Do not give your child medicine made for adults without first asking the doctor or nurse.

●Do not give cough and cold medicines to children younger than 6 years old. Cough and cold medicines can cause serious problems in young children. They are also not likely to help with symptoms.

●Do not give aspirin to children younger than 18 years old. It can cause a life-threatening condition called Reye syndrome in young people.

More on this topic

Patient education: Fever in children (The Basics)
Patient education: Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (The Basics)
Patient education: Cough, runny nose, and the common cold (The Basics)
Patient education: Flu (The Basics)
Patient education: Eczema (atopic dermatitis) (The Basics)
Patient education: Diaper rash (The Basics)
Patient education: Diarrhea in children (The Basics)
Patient education: Constipation in children (The Basics)
Patient education: Environmental allergies in children (The Basics)

Patient education: Fever in children (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: The common cold in children (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Allergic rhinitis (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Eczema (atopic dermatitis) (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Diaper rash in infants and children (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Acute diarrhea in children (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Constipation in infants and children (Beyond the Basics)