During the growth process of children, symptoms such as colds, fever, diarrhea, constipation, etc. are often encountered by novice parents. Some parents lack relevant knowledge and have various problems such as careless medication, inaccurate dosage, and incorrect medication methods, which can lead to adverse drug reactions in some children. The safety of medication for children has become a major hidden danger affecting their healthy growth. In this science popularization, we will talk about safe medication for children, hoping to be helpful to everyone.
1、 Why should children be cautious when taking medication?
With the development of society, more and more people have increased their attention to the safety of children's medication. However, some parents still lack awareness of medication safety and believe that children's medication can be used as long as the dosage is reduced according to adult medication. Children, as a relatively special group, have not fully developed physiological functions of their organs and tissue structures, low immune ability, insufficient resistance, insufficient secretion of drug metabolizing enzymes, low binding ability of plasma proteins, and inadequate metabolism of water and electrolytes. Therefore, their absorption, metabolism, distribution, and excretion of drugs are weaker than adults, and their tolerance and sensitivity to drugs are also lower compared to adults. Therefore, pediatric medication should not be a "reduced version" of adult dosage, and should be taken under the guidance of doctors and pharmacists. Parents should not blindly use drugs.
2、 What are the principles of safe medication for children?
1. Carefully choose the right medication
The first step in safe medication is to choose the right medication. When a baby is sick, it is not advisable to choose adult medication casually, but to carefully choose children's specific medication. For example, if aspirin is given to newborns, it can cause mucosal defects in their stomachs, causing significant harm to the baby; Blindly consuming Cold Tong in young children can easily cause bleeding during urination; For antibiotics, children under 12 years old should use them with caution or avoid them. Parents should also pay attention not to let their babies take medication at will. It is best to choose the correct medication for the baby under the guidance of a professional doctor, and not to take medication on their own.
2. Control combination therapy
Physical or chemical reactions between drugs are prone to form coordination compounds, so combination therapy may weaken the efficacy and greatly increase the probability of adverse reactions. Baby medication should not have too many varieties. If several medicines have the same effect, it is better to keep one. It is a big taboo for babies to take three or four medicines at once. For example, certain elements such as calcium, magnesium, aluminum, and iron contained in antacids and anti anemia drugs can react with antibiotics to produce substances that can prevent drug absorption, thereby reducing the antibacterial effect of the drugs. For example, when a baby is sick and a doctor prescribes antibiotics, it is best not to take calcium tablets during the medication period. In addition, besides controlling the combination between drugs, it is also not advisable to combine drugs with food. For example, the combination of certain drugs with dairy products can lead to a decrease in efficacy, so it is not recommended to consume milk and drugs together. Therefore, parents should try to avoid this practice as much as possible to avoid causing harm to the baby.
3. The usage and dosage should be precise. Parents should make reasonable arrangements for the timing, frequency, frequency, and dosage of medication for children. If the appropriate dosage is exceeded, it is easy to cause poisoning; On the contrary, if the dosage is insufficient,
will not achieve the therapeutic effect. It is best for babies before the age of one to take medication, as this not only allows for better control of the dosage but also makes it easier for the baby to accept. In the case of combination therapy, if several types of drugs have common ingredients or effects, the dosage should be relatively reduced. For example, if pediatric paracetamol and pheniramine granules (pediatric quick acting cold granules) and opioids need to be taken together, because both have antipyretic and analgesic effects, the dosage of both should be reduced.
4. The medication method must be appropriate
The use of medication requires guidance from a physician. Although the harm of infant and toddler medications to the baby's digestive system has been greatly reduced, special attention should be paid to distinguishing between before and after meals. This can not only improve the efficacy of the medication, but also minimize the harm to the baby. In addition, most children do not like to take medication due to its bitterness and other reasons. At this time, parents should not adopt a tough attitude or action, such as squeezing their nose and mouth to force the child to take medication. This can easily choke the child's airway and cause danger when struggling or crying. For younger children, the medication can be crushed (excluding enteric coated tablets, controlled-release tablets, and film coated tablets) and mixed with easily digestible food for the baby to take along with the medication.
5. Nutrients should not be abused. In addition to the above four medication instructions, attention should also be paid not to let babies take nutritional supplements indiscriminately. The nutrients required for a baby's growth are mainly vitamins and trace elements. If the baby's diet is normal, these nutrients can be balanced in their daily diet. When a baby lacks certain vitamins and trace elements, parents should supplement them appropriately under the guidance of a doctor. Do not blindly encourage babies to take more nutritional supplements out of love for their children. This not only fails to supplement nutrition, but can also cause dysfunction in the baby's body. For example, if a baby takes nutritional supplements such as calcium or vitamin C for a long time, it is easy for the baby to develop urinary tract stones. So, moderation is beneficial for the health of babies.
2、 What are the precautions for children's medication?
1. Timing of medication
Parents should first observe changes in the condition. If the child has a fever, it is best to first identify the cause. When the child's body temperature is below 38.5C, it is recommended not to use antipyretic drugs. Parents can use some physical methods to help the baby cool down, such as wiping the body with alcohol or using ice packs. Both methods are practical and feasible.
2. Types of drugs
It is best not to use too many types of drugs. One is to minimize the use of multiple drugs as much as possible. If the drugs interact with each other, it will have an impact on the child's body; Secondly, drugs with relatively single ingredients are relatively safe. It is recommended not to use drug names with the word "compound", such as compound licorice tablets, which have good cough stopping effects but are only suitable for children over 3 years old.
3. Dosage formulation
The main cause of adverse drug reactions is overdose exceeding 40%. Parents should ask their doctors for the correct medication and not self medicate based on experience. Doctors need to calculate and guide medication based on the child's age, weight, and body surface area.
4. Administration method
The most suitable administration method for children is oral medication, followed by intramuscular injection and intravenous infusion. That is to say, as long as it can be taken orally, it is best not to administer intravenous fluids. The difficulty of administering intravenous fluids to infants and young children is also high, and they are more likely to experience adverse reactions. When taking oral medication, it is important to choose a dosage form suitable for children.
In summary, the above provides a brief explanation of children's medication safety knowledge and introduces some common knowledge about children's medication safety to parents, ensuring the safety of children's medication.