As parents, we do so much to keep our kids safe and healthy, yet we know that illness and injuries are an inevitable part of growing up. When your child is sick or hurt, you need a well-stocked medicine cabinet with necessary and up-to-date items.
Store Medication Wisely
It's important to store your medicines properly—and the bathroom is not an ideal location. "Bathrooms tend to get hot and steamy . . . and typically when drug companies do testing, they are under controlled conditions," says Dawn Butler, Clinical Coordinator for Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. "The heat and humidity typical of bathroom-type areas or over the stove tend to cause the medicine to break down."
So where is the best place to keep your medicines? "Any place where things are safe and at room temperature, out of direct sunlight. Certainly in a home with children, you want to put it up high," says Butler. She adds that upper kitchen cabinets are a common place to store medications and a good choice as long as the cabinet is not directly over the stove. Parents may also find a high shelf in a linen closet works well. Medicines must be completely inaccessible to young kids.
To maintain your medicine cabinet, the US Food and Drug Administration recommends that parents follow these tips:
# Clean out your medicine cabinet and the area where you store medical supplies at least once a year.
# Discard outdated products, damaged containers, and old supplies. Butler says that a medicine's stability and efficacy information is based on the medication's use-by date.
# Restock supplies as needed.
# Keep all items in their original containers so that no one takes the wrong medicine.
Read Labels Closely
It is crucial parents read medication labels carefully, particularly when selecting over-the-counter drugs for kids. "There are different concentrations in liquids and suspensions in children's medication," says Butler. "Parents need to make sure you get the same concentration your doctor is talking about. If you have an infant, you want to look for medications that have dosing specifically for infants."
Butler says Cincinnati Children's has treated children with liver damage from overdosing on an over-the-counter medicine such as Tylenol, simply because the concentration of the medicine was wrong for the child.
Parents should also check labels for drug interaction warnings, instructions on taking the medicine, information about possible side effects, and concerns about pre-existing conditions.
Stock Must-Have Items
# Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is used to relieve minor pains and fevers, and comes in many strengths and forms, such as infant drops, liquids, chewable tablets, tablets, and so on. Acetaminophen is a common ingredient in cough, cold, and allergy medications, so always check product labels before giving acetaminophen with another medication to avoid doubling a dosage.
# Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) eases pain and headaches, and can also decrease fevers, inflammation, or swelling. Like acetaminophen, children's ibuprofen comes in numerous forms and strengths, so read the labels carefully.
# Cold medicines, cough syrups, decongestants, and allergy medications are available over-the-counter but still have potential side effects. Consult your child's physician for which medicines to use and under what circumstances. Read labels carefully when giving these with other drugs to avoid doubling up on a medicine such as acetaminophen.
# Antiseptics and antibiotic ointments help stop infection in cuts and scrapes.
# Bandages in various sizes, gauze, and adhesive tape are needed to cover the "ouchies" and keep germs out.
# A hot water bottle/heat pack and an ice pack/cold pack help soothe tummy aches, reduce swelling, and cool feverish children.
# A medicine dropper, oral syringe, or calibrated spoon or cup used to dispense medications. A kitchen teaspoon is not always accurate, so stick with something created specifically for use in medicating.
# Rubbing alcohol is used to clean thermometers, tweezers, and scissors.
# Petroleum jelly is useful for lubricating a thermometer (if your pediatrician advises taking a temp rectally), healing chapped skin or lips, or putting a thin layer on a child's nose that is sore from tissues (be sure not to get the jelly inside the child's nose).
# Saline-based nasal drops keep tissues moist and ease congestion by softening mucous so it can drain or be suctioned easily with a bulb syringe. The drops are available over the counter.
# A thermometer is a must-have for checking a child's temperature. Cincinnati Children's Hospital most often recommends using a digital or chemical-dot thermometer and taking the child's axillary temperature (under the arm) or oral temperature for children able to hold the thermometer under the tongue with closed lips and not bite the thermometer.
# Tweezers are good for removing splinters or ticks.
Toss Potential Hazards
Following are a few items commonly found in the family's medical supplies that are not recommended by doctors:
# Syrup of Ipecac: This substance which induces vomiting was commonly recommended to parents to keep in case of emergencies when poison was ingested. In November 2003, the AAP issued a policy statement claiming there is no evidence that syrup of ipecac is efficacious. Parents should no longer use the syrup for home treatment and should dispose of any syrup they have.
# Aspirin: Do not give aspirin to children without a doctor's approval because it has been linked to Reye's syndrome, a rare yet potentially fatal childhood disease. Check with your doctor for a suitable substitute for treating a child's pain or reducing a fever.
# Mercury Thermometer: The American Academy of Pediatrics urges parents to avoid the old-fashioned mercury thermometers—they are dangerous and can cause toxicity if broken. If you have a mercury thermometer, do NOT throw it in the trash; it must be disposed of properly in a household hazardous waste collection. If you have questions, contact your state environmental protection department or the health department.
Keep These Handy for Safety
Following are several other things parents should have around the home to keep children healthy and help in case of an emergency:
# Post a list of emergency phone numbers near the telephone, including names and numbers for the doctor, dentist, pharmacist, and poison control center. The universal poison control telephone number in the United States is (800) 222-1222, and calls are routed to the local poison control center. It's also helpful to have your own street address and phone number on the list for babysitters and yourself in case you panic during an emergency.
# Always know exactly where the first aid manual is kept. You may want to store one with your medications and keep one in an easily accessible area such as a kitchen drawer near the telephone. Be sure to let babysitters know where the manual is also.
# Disposable paper cups, paper towels, and tissues help stop the spread of germs.
# Sunscreen is a must-have for any family, and not just in the summer months. Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen designed to block both UVB and UVA rays and with an SPF of at least 15.
# A cool-mist vaporizer/humidifier can help ease congestion by moistening the mucous membranes in the nose and clearing nasal passages. It's imperative that the unit is cleaned and sanitized regularly and thoroughly to avoid growth of bacteria, molds, and viruses.
Giving your medicine cabinet an annual checkup keeps you prepared to handle illness or minor injuries, and is an easy way to help keep your family safe and healthier.