Conference moira::parenting_v3

Anything that has an antihistamine, such as Dimetapp, causes our daughter to 
go hyper also.  

One thing you might want to get is one of the many guides to medicines.  There 
are both prescription and non-prescription versions available.  Almost all of 
them have recommended dosage levels, whether the drug is safe to take while 
pregnant, and side effects.  I would think that some of them would tell you 
whether it is safe or unsafe for children to take.

I personally, though, would never give my child a medicine if they were "off 
the chart".  I would keep after my physician until they suggested something 
that works.

Clay

    
    I would ask the pharmacists at the drug store. I 've found that
    they can tell me more about a medicine than a doctor can.
    
    
    
    
    
    Eva.

    I second the suggestion to talk to the pharmacist.  
    
    Dimetapp used to make Kat hyper but a different brand of the same
    antihistimine didn't.  We eventually traced it to several common
    food dyes -- a red that isn't used any more and Yellows #2 and #5
    (also used in her favorite macaroni and cheese).  
    
    I noticed that lately most things that contain these dyes list
    them specifically by number, so they're easier to avoid.
    
    --bonnie

    My doctor gave me two charts, one put out by Pedi-care and one by
    Tylenol.  The chart gave the dosages for under-two year olds.  It went
    by age and by poundage.  

    Don't assume that parental duty calls on you always to supply some
    "treatment."  Most "cold remedies" have little effect, and none are in
    any sense "remedies."  Mild fever requires no treatment.  You might be
    best advised to confine your medication to chicken soup.
    
    		- Bruce

    Andrea,
    
    	All the usual stuff didn't seem to work on my 16 month old's last
    cold so the doctor told me to use Naldecon DX Pediatric Drops.  This
    stuff worked great !!  Cleared up his congestion and runny nose in a
    few days.  As with anything else, check with your own doctor first.
    
    	As for giving 'older kids' medicine to 'young kids,' my doctor
    has specifically told us NO WAY, unless it was something that he
    specifically said (like the Naldecon which in for ages 2 to 6 years).
    He said it had something to do with the strength of the ingredients not 
    being appropriate to the younger age group, even at half the dosage.  
    Again, check with your doctor first.
    
    Hope your son feels better soon.  
    
    Donna
    

    re .6
    
    Thanks Donna. That's what I wanted to hear - dosage versus strength of
    older children's medication can cause "problems".  I guess it's back to
    the Triaminic which specifically has a 2 year old dosage on the label
    and I'll wait until Berk gets to be 48 pounds until he's back on the
    PediaCare cold formula (that will take years and the bottle will well
    expire before that!!)
    
    Again, thanks!
    Andrea

   Variation from the recommended dosage should only be done on the advice
   of a qualified medical professional. They are they ones that are
   potentially fully aware of any ramifications.
   
   q
   
   

If it makes anyone feel any better - CoTylenol makes me a little batty too - 
I took it once, and woke up around 3am, thinking 'this is what it must be
being on LSD!"

    I have discovered a prescription cold medicine called Rynatan.  I
    called the pediatrician over a year ago to say that the dimetap was
    working but only for 4 hours, was there anything that would last
    longer?  This medicine is given twice daily and works well, doesn't
    seem to make him hyper or drousy, more pluses would be it's liquid and
    can be adjusted according to weight, *that's more important to dosage
    than age* and with our prescription plan we pay only a few dollars,
    which in the long run is much less expensive and the OTC medicine.
    Have heard other parent rave about it as well, seems that even though
    it's colored, it doesn't have too many dyes.