Do you use over the counter meds for both you and your kids or are you more cautious when it comes to their health? I find that I use a combo of alternative medicines and western meds for the both of us, however, he uses way more alternative methods than I do! I take better care of his health than I do my own, I think.

    

If I have to give my children anything over the counter it is not the full dose. As it is we can’t use cold medicines on our younger children since they pulled most of them from the market (for good reason). My oldest at 12 is the only one I can almost safely medicate because I believe the doses are too high and adjust down a bit so she doesn’t look drugged out.

I’ve found I’m more careful with my own drug usage as well, Tylenol for instance which I use for headaches and other pains. I’ve reduced the dosage when I use it since the reports came out that we are getting too much of its main ingredient which was found in so many other drugs.

Have you seen that Tylenol commercial that encourages adults to be careful with dosage? People tend to get used to taking a pain med and their body gets too used to it and it doesn't work anymore so they keep upping the dosage. Not good! I'm glad Tylenol made that commercial.

My son rarely has a need for over the counter meds because he's a pretty healthy kid. If he happens to develop a fever, I do give him a small dose of Children's Motrin. He's taken Children's Tylenol on occasion for headaches too.

We do Motrin here for pain and I'm glad since Tylenol recently had a recall for their children's formula.

The alternative and natural stuff isn't always safer or better in my opinion. We did some homeopathic stuff for teething which seemed to work, but DD did even better with Motrin. I try to find studies on any alternative or homeopathic stuff we use. I like to see some kind of evidence of efficacy. I spend a lot of time on Medscape!

I don't think, given DD's age, that there's anything else we can give her. We have done prescription antibiotics. Oh! And used OTC Monistat for an awful diaper rash--took about 4 months and $100 worth of Monistat to kick it. Gah! That was pretty bad.

V

A rule of thumb, never give your child medicine that you would not take yourself! EVER! I think it is upmost important to know exactly what is in the medicine you are giving your child and understand what the medicine is for. Do not give a child a medicine that is for 10 different symptoms when your child only has 2 symptoms. Find someone else!

Check the medicine out. Find out whats in it, the side effects, and what others are saying about it. How long has it been around? How was it tested?

I know, I know, we are moms who don't have time to do all of this, but you will have plenty of time to research when your child falls ill. These medications out there, can be dangerous and some have not been out there long enough or tested long enough to prove safe. You see it all too often, medications being pulled because they don't meet the minimum requirements!

Be cautious, ask questions, be aware and never give your child something you know nothing about and wouldn't take yourself!

Coach Ann

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