Is medicine always the answer?

Parents are advised not to reach for the medical kit every time their child is sick. 
Treating children's illnesses with over-the-counter pills and potions are common. But parents are being urged to remember that just because medications are available without a prescription doesn't mean they are safe or necessary. 


Many medical specialists say sometimes it's better for kids to battle an illness such as a cold or virus without medication. 
Pharmacies and supermarkets are filled with non-prescription medications to ease pain, colds, snotty noses, constipation, diarrhea and other ailments. Parents are also being encouraged to buy vitamin supplements to keep kids healthy, make them smarter and to fill in the gaps in their diets.

Several studies have shown kids today are taking more medicines than ever. A Queensland University of Technology study found in the 1980s just 67 per cent of parents used medications to manage a child's fever. By 2006 that figure had risen to 95 per cent.

A separate 2006 survey of primary school students found six out of 10 kids had taken at least one treatment in the previous two weeks. Of these, 70 per cent were over-the-counter medicines, such as paracetamol, cough and cold preparations or vitamins.

On top of that, medicines are the culprit in at least seven out of 10 child-poisoning cases – and there are about 18,000 cases a year.

Fever facts

Sydney GP Dr Ginni Mansberg urges parents not to race straight to the medicine cabinet every time their child has a fever or sniffle.
"A fever is the body's way of fighting a bacterial or viral infection," Dr Mansberg says. "When children get an infection, it's the body's way of building a library of immune warriors which stands them in good stead when they're older.
"[Analgesics] should only be administered if a child is in pain. If the child has a fever but is not showing symptoms of being unwell, medicines are not only unnecessary but also not beneficial."



Immediate medical attention for fevers is only needed for children under 12 months. If babies have a temperature over 37.5 degrees, seek advice straight away. With older children, see a doctor if the fever lasts more than 24 hours or they develop other symptoms such as headaches, rashes, vomiting and a stiff neck or are generally unwell and lethargic. When it comes to all medication, including vitamins, Dr Mansberg recommends parents speak to their pharmacist or GP before giving their children anything.
"There's still not enough scientific evidence to categorically say that vitamins or many other natural supplements are necessary, beneficial and not harmful," she says.

Advice for parents

Dr Danielle Stowasser, clinical adviser for the National Prescribing Service, also stresses medicines are not meant to promise a quick fix for illness. "For every medicine there are potential adverse side effects and therefore risk," she says. 

She has this advice for parents:

•      Cough medicines don't cure a cough. They simply suppress the symptoms.

•      Recommended doses on the pack should never be ignored. Doses should be calculated on a child's weight before their age.

•      Paracetamol is potentially lethal if overdosed. It is the most common form of medical poisoning in children under five, so make sure you follow the recommended dose.

•      Analgesics are not meant to treat fever. They should be used to treat pain and discomfort, such as an earache or headache.

•      Hydration is crucial. If a child is dehydrated, the chances of adverse reactions to the medicine increase.

•      Use a proper measuring device to administer medicine. "Never use a kitchen spoon," Dr Stowasser says. "Small-volume variations can have huge effects in children."

Going natural

Kids can respond well to non-drug therapies, particularly in managing pain. The International Association for the Study of Pain says pain relief is a human right; so if the medicines don't work, or your child refuses to take them, try one of these natural remedies.

•      Distraction. Research has found taking a child's mind off their pain actually works.

•      Heat and ice packs. A warm wheat bag on a stomach or an ice pack on a bruise can work wonders.

Massage. It's established that kids respond to touch emotionally and physically. Massage can also help relieve growing pains and achy muscles.

Body and Soul.au