After the baby catches a cold, parents often start to panic and make mistakes. They often give the baby medicines that are not suitable for them. So what are the misconceptions about medication for babies with colds?
1. Overuse of combined medications:
Parents are often anxious to help their children recover from a cold quickly, so they tend to give their children several different cold medicines at the same time. However, this practice is quite dangerous. Although there are many brand names for cold medicines, most of them have similar active ingredients and effects. If two or more cold medicines are taken at the same time, it is equivalent to increasing the dosage of the drugs, which greatly increases the risk of adverse reactions.
2. Excessive use of antipyretic drugs:
Some parents immediately use antipyretic drugs when they find that their child has a fever. However, fever is a natural response of the body to the invasion of viruses or bacteria, which is beneficial for eliminating the invading pathogens and promoting the growth and development of children. Antipyretic drugs should only be used when the body temperature exceeds 38.5 degrees Celsius. Antipyretic drugs have significant side effects. For example, although aspirin has good antipyretic and analgesic effects, it can damage the digestive system and liver and kidney function. It may cause Reye's syndrome or reduce white blood cells and platelets, especially for children under 3 years old. It is generally not recommended to use this type of drug. During the use of antipyretic drugs, close attention should be paid to their side effects.
3. Overuse of adult medications:
Some parents often give their children adult cold medicines after they catch a cold. However, due to the special constitution of children, unexpected side effects may occur. Medications such as aminophylline and chlorpheniramine can inhibit the hematopoietic system, affecting the production of blood cells in children, leading to decreased white blood cells and neutrophil deficiency, reducing the child's immunity, and even causing toxic liver damage.
4. Excessive use of intravenous therapy:
Many parents believe that intravenous therapy is effective for treating colds, but this treatment method also has many adverse reactions and can even cause cross-infection. In fact, for children with fever, it is best to choose the appropriate medication based on the condition. The principle is to take oral medication if possible, inject if necessary, and use intravenous therapy if necessary.
5. Overuse of antibiotics:
Most childhood colds are caused by viruses, so the use of antibiotics is often ineffective and may even have side effects. Therefore, the use of antibiotics should be cautious. However, antibiotics can be considered in the following situations: antiviral drugs cannot reduce fever, prevention of secondary bacterial infections in infants under 6 months old, significant increase in white blood cell count in blood tests, frequent tonsillitis, and the occurrence of bronchitis or pneumonia.
