Many mothers believe that as long as they calculate the dosage according to the child's age, it is enough for the baby to take medication. However, this is not the case. No matter what medication you give your baby, especially if it is the first time taking such medication, you must consult a doctor first. Because babies are in a period of continuous growth and development, with a high metabolism rate and short blood circulation time, their liver and kidney functions are not yet mature. Mothers must remember the following 9 points.
1. Be cautious with aspirin
Aspirin or medications containing aspirin have a good antipyretic and analgesic effect for children with colds and fevers. However, it should be used with caution for children under 12 years old. After years of investigation, the UK Health Department confirmed that excessive aspirin intake in children under 12 years old can lead to Reye's syndrome. Reye's syndrome initially presents with fever, seizures, frequent vomiting, and eventually coma. It can be misdiagnosed as toxic encephalopathy or viral encephalitis. The chance of developing Reye's syndrome from taking aspirin when children have the flu or chickenpox is 25 times higher than in other cases.
2. Avoid excessive intake of vitamin A
Vitamin A is related to bone growth. It can promote the maturation and degeneration of cartilage. A healthy child will not lack vitamin A, so it is wrong to give children vitamin A supplements casually. Excessive intake of vitamin A can affect bone development, causing irreversible damage to cartilage cells and result in stunted growth.
3. Avoid using instant cold capsules
Instant cold capsules have become a popular choice for cold medicine due to their fast effectiveness and convenient intake. However, the nervous system of infants and young children is not fully developed, and their liver's detoxification function is not yet fully established. If infants and young children take instant cold capsules when they have a cold and fever, it can easily cause seizures, reduced platelet count, and even liver damage. Therefore, infants and young children should avoid using instant cold capsules.
4. Avoid excessive use of tonics
Some parents excessively give their children Chinese herbal tonics, such as ginseng, royal jelly with ginseng, cordyceps, and extracts of astragalus membranaceus, thinking it is good for their children. However, they are unaware that these tonics can lead their children towards illness. For boys, it can cause thickening and elongation of hair around the lips, thickening of the penis, and easy erection. For girls, it can cause breast enlargement at the age of 8 or 9, as well as clitoral enlargement. This precocious puberty caused by excessive use of tonics has become a new disease in pediatrics. Currently, the medical community is powerless and doctors find it challenging to deal with.
5. Avoid using antipyretics for babies
Because newborns have poor temperature regulation function, taking antipyretics can cause a sudden drop in body temperature, leading to cyanosis of the skin. In severe cases, it can cause bleeding from the anus, vomiting blood, bleeding from the umbilicus, intracranial hemorrhage, and even death due to untimely rescue. Therefore, antipyretics (such as aspirin, pediatric antipyretic tablets, A, P, C, etc.) are prohibited for newborns. The best way to deal with fever in newborns is physical cooling.
6. Avoid using aminophylline
If it is necessary to use aminophylline, the dosage should strictly follow the doctor's instructions. Overdosing can lead to acute aminophylline poisoning, causing restlessness, profuse sweating, rapid heart rate, and even shock and death.
7. Avoid excessive use of antibiotics
Although antibiotics have a prominent effect in inhibiting bacteria, they also cause significant harm to the human body, mainly to the liver, kidneys, auditory nerves, and even the blood system. The inhibitory mechanisms of various systems in children are not yet fully developed, so antibiotics should not be taken lightly. If necessary, the dosage should be controlled, and long-term use should be avoided.
8. Medications to avoid for newborns
(1) Chlorpromazine: It can cause paralytic ileus.
(2) Sulfonamides: Nitrites can produce methemoglobinemia, manifested as systemic cyanosis due to lack of oxygen.
(3) Quinine: It can cause decreased platelet count, with local purpura appearing upon slight pressure on the skin.
(4) Primaquine: It can cause hemolytic anemia, manifested as shortness of breath, systemic cyanosis, and bloody urine.
9. Medications to avoid for infants and young children
(1) Phenothiazine: It can cause multiple neuritis, manifested as numbness, distention, and pain in the hands, feet, and skin, gradually extending to the trunk. In severe cases, the child cannot hold objects with their hands or lift their feet, and they lose all sensation. The skin becomes rough, cold, and does not sweat.
(2) Adrenal cortical hormones: It can cause cerebral edema, leading to gastric ulcers, necrosis or perforation of the intestinal mucosa, osteoporosis, protruding crystalline lens, and hypertension.
(3) Licorice preparations and ephedrine.
(4) Vitamin D: Excessive intake can cause hypertension in infants.
(5) Hydralazine: It can cause lupus erythematosus syndrome.
