Ask a pharmacist
Parents often have concerns about their new born. McCabes Pharmacy’s Colin Ryan answers some of your most common queries
For three months after a baby is born, they keep some immunity from infection from their mother. After that, the baby’s immune system has to develop to help them fend for themselves in the future. From coughs and colds to tummy upsets, your child will go through a lot as they grow and their immune system and body develop. For the most part, this is all natural. However, there will be times when you can help. First-time parents can sometimes feel silly coming in and asking for advice, but that’s what we’re here for.
Every child is unique, but there are many common problems. Here are some very common questions I get asked on a daily basis.
WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT A COUGH?
Coughs are the body’s way of clearing the lungs and upper airways. If your child is
feeding, drinking, eating and breathing normally with no wheezing, a cough isn’t usually anything to worry about.
Coughs can be roughly divided into chesty and dry coughs. Chesty coughs are coughs that produce phlegm, while dry coughs don’t. Most cough bottles for children are only suitable over 6 years of age. For children over 12 months, a simple cough bottle with glycerine, lemon and honey is usually recommended to soothe and help prevent irritation to the throat. We recommend Pharmony Throat Syrup which is suitable from 4 months. Dry air while your child is sleeping can irritate the throat and lungs. Using a vaporiser or humidifier in your child’s room can help reduce irritation and help your child recover, and they can be used from birth. We recommend Salin Plus Salt Therapy Air Purifier. You should bring your child to the doctor if they cough up coloured phlegm,
seem to be in pain while coughing, if the cough isn’t going away, if there is a wheeze when they breathe, or it’s interfering with their sleep.
DOES MY CHILD HAVE A FEVER?
If your child seems hot to touch, sweaty, and looks quite red in the cheeks, they may have a fever. The only way to check is by measuring. The normal temperature for under the tongue and in the ear is about 37°C (98.4°F). This varies slightly from child to child. We would highly recommend having an electronic, in-ear thermometer to measure your child’s temperature as it’s the most accurate, and has the added bonus of letting you take their temperature without waking them up. We recommend the Braun Thermoscan. Fevers are always something you should keep an eye on.
You should always contact your GP if:
• Your child has other signs of illness as well as a raised temperature
• Your baby’s temperature is 38°C (101°F) or higher (if they’re under 3 months)
• Your baby’s temperature is 39°C (102°F) or higher (if they’re 3-6 months)
• Your baby’s temperature is 39.5°C (102°F) or higher (if they’re over 6 months) If it’s a milder fever, it should burn itself out. See your GP if it lasts more than 3 days.
FIRST-TIME PARENTS CAN SOMETIMES FEEL SILLY COMING IN AND ASKING FOR ADVICE, BUT THAT’S WHAT WE’RE HERE FOR
HOW DO I HELP WITH A FEVER?
To help make your child more comfortable:
Encourage them to drink as much cool, clear fluid as possible. Don’t force, but try to get them to drink little and often to keep their fluid levels up.
Undress them to their nappy or vest and pants.
Keep the room well aired and at a comfortable temperature by adjusting the radiators or opening a window.
If your child is still distressed, Calpol and Nurofen For Children can be used to help bring down your child’s temperature. Calpol (which contains paracetamol) is suitable for most babies from 2 months or Nurofen For Children (which contains ibuprofen) is suitable from 3 months. You can give both of these together by alternating them every 3 hours. They should start to bring your child’s temperature down in just 15 minutes. Always read the label
HOW DO I DEAL WITH TEETHING?
It’s inevitable and generally you see it anytime from birth up to around 14 months. Teething children will be irritable, drool quite a lot, their gums will be red and they’ll try to chew everything and anything they can get their hands on. It’s natural but it can
be stressful and upsetting, to both parent and child. Fortunately, there are a few things parents can do to help.
Firstly, parents can gently rub or massage their child’s gums with a clean finger. The pressure can help relieve some pain. We recommend painkillers such as Calpol or Nurofen For Children which can be used if the pain persists, but try only to use if necessary and for a short period.
Cooling teething rings can be used to cool the gums and help reduce the inflammation in the mouth. We recommend Teetha Granules and Gel which can be used every two hours to naturally help relieve the discomfort.
Excessive drooling is normally seen with teething and should be gently wiped away from the mouth, neck and chin when possible. This drool can irritate the skin which can sometimes cause a light red rash. We recommend a light moisturiser (Elave) around the chin and around the mouth
to prevent this. If a rash does develop, just try to keep it drool-free and moisturise.
HOW DO I DEAL WITH DIARRHOEA?
If your child is passing watery stools three times a day or more, they’re suffering from diarrhoea. It’s very common. In most cases, diarrhoea will go away on its own but regardless, dehydration is possible. Signs of dehydration in children include dry mouth, dry tongue and thirst.
The best way to prevent dehydration is to replace the water and salts they’ve lost. We recommend rehydration sachets such as Dioralyte or ORS Solution which are the best ways to do this. After each loose bowel movement, dissolve one sachet in a small glass of water which has been freshly boiled and cooled. Let your child drink small
amounts at a time. Forcing them to drink large amounts can upset their stomach further and could even cause them to vomit.
Most of the time dehydration can be prevented this way. However, if your child is less than 6 months, bring them to the GP to be safe. If your child is between 6 months to 1 year old you should bring them to your GP if diarrhoea lasts longer than 24 hours. If your child is over 1 year old, bring them to their GP if diarrhoea lasts for more than 48 hours. If your child seems extremely tired, it’s hard to wake them up, or they’re very confused, bring them to a doctor straight away.
Please note that you cannot give children under the age of 12 years antidiarrhoea medication such as Imodium or Arret.
Probiotics are excellent for helping improve diarrhoea. They can help clear diarrhoea by improving the digestion of proteins, carbohydrates and fats, resulting in regular bowel movements. Talk to your pharmacist about which probiotic is most suitable for your child.