If there’s anything good that can come of this awful accident, it should be to make parents and caretakers aware of the effects of medication they give their small children. As of 2007, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned parents not to give over-the-counter cold medicine to children younger than 2 without first asking a doctor.

image: Drug Free Homes

The CDC further states: “Cough and cold medicines do not cure the common cold. Although cough and cold medicines may be used to treat the symptoms of the common cold in older children, they should not be used in children less than 4 years old. Too much cough and cold medicine can cause serious harm or even deaths in children.”

Parents should also be aware of the dangers of unnecessary antibiotic use. The CDC warns: “Antibiotics can kill bacteria but not viruses. Most colds, coughs, flu, sore throats, and runny noses are caused by viruses. Taking antibiotics for viral infections will not cure viral infections, keep others from catching the illness, or help your child feel better. Although antibiotics are good drugs for certain types of infections, they… cause they most emergency visits for adverse drug events.”

Tips for Parents from the CDC

• Don’t give children medicine that is packaged for adults unless told to told so by a physician.
• Don’t use cough and cold products for children under 4 unless told to do so by a physician.
• Read all information on the package label and follow directions. Don’t give a child medicine more often or in greater amounts than the package says!
• Use only the measuring device that is included with the prduct. A kitchen spoon is not a good measuring device for giving medicine to children.
• If a measuring device is not included with the product, purchase one at a pharmacy or ask the pharmacist for one.
• Check the active ingredients in the prescription and over-the-counter medicines. Make sure you do not give your child two medicines that have the same active ingredient. If you have questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
• If you don’t understand the instructions or how to use the dosing device, do not use the medicine. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor of you have questions or are confused.
• Do not ask for antibiotics when a doctor says they are not needed.
• If you child is prescribed an antibiotic, make sure s/he takes all the medicine as prescribed, even if they feel better. Do not save antibiotic medicine “for later.”

WebMD consulted the experts, who say you’re always better safe than sorry. If you are concerned that something is not normal, call your doctor. And every pregnant woman should be aware that there are some symptoms during pregnancy that need immediate attention.

WebMD presents the seven top signs of a potentially serious pregnancy complication:

1. Bleeding During Any Trimester

Bleeding during pregnancy is serious and always needs to be evaluated immediately. Call your doctor or go to the emergency room. Some serious causes for bleeding include:

First trimester: Heavy bleeding, severe abdominal pain, menstrual-like cramps, and feeling like you might faint could be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy. This happens when a fertilized egg implants somewhere other than the uterus, and it can be life-threatening.

First and second trimester: Heavy bleeding with cramping could also be a sign of miscarriage.

Third trimester: Bleeding and abdominal pain may indicate placental abruption, which occurs when the placenta separates from the uterine lining.

2. Severe Nausea and Vomiting

If it gets to the point where you can’t keep anything down, you are at risk of becoming dehydrated and malnourished, which can cause serious complications ranging from birth defects to premature labor.  Proper nutrition is very important for you and your baby.  Your doctors can prescribe safe medications for controlling nausea, and may also advise some dietary changes to help you find food you can keep down.

3. Baby’s Activity Level Decreases Significantly

What does it mean if your previously active baby is not moving as much as it used to?  It is possible that he is not getting enough oxygen and nutrients from the placenta.  To find out if there really is a problem, eat something or take a cold drink. Then lie on your side to see if this gets the baby moving.

You can also count kicks, although “There is no optimal or critical number of movements.” As a general guideline, you should count at least 10 kicks in two hours. Anything less, call your doctor as soon as possible.

4. Early Contractions

Contractions could indicate preterm labor. First-time mothers may be confused by real labor and Braxton-Hicks contractions, which are false labor pains.  Braxton-Hicks are unpredictable and do not increase in intensity. They generally subside in an hour, with activity, or after drinking. On the other hand, regular contractions start off about 10 minutes apart, and over time increase in intensity while becoming closer together.

If you are feeling contractions and don’t know what they are, don’t take a chance! If it is too early for the baby to be born, your doctor has ways to stop labor.

5. Your Water Breaks

Sometimes water breaking is a dramatic gush of liquid, but other times it’s just a subtle trickle.  Then again, it could be urine leakage due to increased pressure on your bladder. One way to tell is to go to the bathroom and empty your bladder. If the fluid keeps coming , then your water has broken… time to call your doctor or go to the hospital!

6. Severe Headache, Abdominal Pain, Visual Disturbances, and Swelling

These are all symptoms of preeclampsia, a serious and potentially fatal condition. Other signs of preeclampsia are high blood pressure and excess protein in your urine. It usually occurs after the 20th week of pregnancy.  You need to call your doctor and get your blood pressure tested. With good prenatal care, you can catch and treat preeclampsia early.

7. Flu Symptoms

Pregnancy puts added stress on the immune system, so pregnant women are more likely to catch the flu when it’s going around. They are also at a higher risk for more serious flu complications.

Flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, sneezing, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. If you think you’ve got the flu, call your doctor first instead of rushing into his office where you could spread it to other pregnant women.

Something else to be aware of is that a fever greater than 101.4 degrees could indicate an infection. So even if you don’t have the flu, you should call your doctor so he can evaluate your condition.

For more information on health and pregnancy, visit WebMD

feature image from US Moms Today

WHAT IS THE FLU?

One of the most common winter ailments is the flu. We turn to Dr. Sears for info on where it comes from and what to do about it if it strikes your family!

The flu is a virus (called influenza). It hits between November and March, and is probably responsible for 1/3 to ½ of all sick visits to our office during the winter. Keep in mind, the flu is a VIRUS. It is therefore NOT treatable with antibiotics.

How can you tell if your child (or you!) has the flu? There are two typical forms of the flu:

1. Fever and one or two other symptoms such as sore throat and headache – some flu illnesses are more simple, and cause just a few symptoms.

2. Multi-symptom flu – this is the more miserable kind of flu. It can include many or all of the following symptoms:

3. • High fever, chills

   • Sore throat

   • Headache

   • Nausea

   • Vomiting

   • Diarrhea

   • Abdominal pain

   • Body and muscle aches

   • Stuffy nose

   • Clear or green runny nose

   • Cough – dry or productive

   • Irritated, red eyes

WHEN TO VISIT THE DOCTOR

Most children with the flu don’t even need to see a doctor. Here are some guidelines to help you decide if a doctor’s visit is warranted:

• Fever more than three days – while this may still be just the flu, it’s best to double check with your doctor.

• Moderate to severe dehydration – see our site under dehydration here.

• You have a gut feeling that your child is unusually ill.

• Severe cough with chest pain AND shortness of breath. This may mean pneumonia is setting in.

SHOULD YOUR CHILD GET A FLU SHOT?

Click here to find out the answer.

Worried about strep throat? Many patients come into our office during the winter because of sore throat of a day or two. Most of these cases are NOT strep, but rather just part of the flu. See our site under sore throat to help you decide if yours may be strep or not.

Click here for a link to our full discussion on the flu and how to treat it.

BOOST YOUR CHILD’S IMMUNE SYSTEM THROUGH THE WINTER

Want to help your kids avoid these illnesses altogether? Here are some ways you can boost their immune system and keep them in school. Take as many of these supplements as you feel is appropriate every day:

• Echinacea – this natural herb will enhance your own immune system. Many research studies have proven its effectiveness. Click here for dosing information for you and your kids.

• Vitamin C – this simple vitamin can fight off invading germs. Younger kids up to age 6 will benefit from around 250 mg per day. Older kids and adults can take 500 mg per day. Available as a powder, chewable, or capsule. Click here to read more about vitamins.

• Fruits and vegetable supplement – the immune-boosting properties of nature’s food is remarkable. If your kids won’t eat enough fruits and vegetables, I recommend Juice Plus fruit and veggie supplements. Click here to learn more.

• Zinc – this mineral is a safe and effective way to boost the immune system. Children up to age 6 years can take 10 to 20 mg per day. Older kids and adults can take 20 to 40 mg per day.

• Probiotics – the common name used for this is Acidophillus. These are healthy bacteria that live in our intestines and help with our immune system. The best species of probiotics are lactobacillus and bifidobacteria. Available as liquid, powder, and capsules, children and adults can take as directed.

• Avoid weakening your own immune system – Click here to read what habits can weaken your own immune system.

Click here to read a full discussion on how to boost your immune system naturally.

IF YOU OR YOUR CHILD GET SICK, STARTING ECHINACEA AND VITAMIN C RIGHT AWAY MAY MAKE YOUR ILLNESS SHORTER AND MILDER

Click here for more info on other winter-time illnesses such as RSV (Respiratory Syncycial Virus), Coughs and Colds, Croup, Rotavirus diarrha,dry skin and chapped cheeks!