Recently, there have been frequent respiratory infections in children, and parents have taken on the responsibility of home medication, which may affect their children's body due to the wrong dosage or self-discontinuation of medication due to various reasons. After a child is infected with a respiratory disease, how to use the medicine rationally at home?
Identify the pathogen before administering the drug
The causative agent of respiratory tract infection in children may be a single pathogen infection such as virus, bacteria, mycoplasma, chlamydia, etc., or it may be a mixed infection.
Viral infections
The most common pathogens of upper respiratory tract infections in children are viruses, such as rhinovirus, parainfluenza virus, influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus, etc. Anti-influenza virus drugs mainly include oseltamivir (oral), mabaloxavir (oral), zanamivir (inhaled), peramivir (intravenous), etc. After the diagnosis of influenza virus infection, antiviral drugs should be used as soon as possible in order to stop the progression of the disease and reduce the child's symptoms. Parents should note that if the infection is a simple virus, antimicrobial drugs (such as cephalosporins, azithromycin, erythromycin, etc.) are ineffective.
Bacterial infections
When a child develops a bacterial infection, antimicrobial drugs should be used as appropriate. It is wrong for parents to refuse to use antimicrobial drugs for fear of adverse drug reactions, or to think that antimicrobial drugs are a panacea. So, what are the precautions when using antimicrobial drugs after respiratory infections in children?
Antimicrobial drugs are prescription drugs and should not be used by parents. Parents should not force a prescription if the doctor believes that the child does not need antimicrobials. If the child has a history of drug allergy, parents must inform the attending doctor, and it is best to tell the specific name and manufacturer of the allergy drug to assist the doctor in guiding the use of medication. A child's allergy to one type of cephalosporin does not necessarily mean that he or she is allergic to another.
Please take the medication as directed by your doctor and do not skip or stop taking the medication at will, which helps to maintain a stable blood concentration. If you have rash, nausea, vomiting and other discomforts during the course of medication, please temporarily stop the medicine and seek medical treatment in the hospital.
Antimicrobials** should be individualizedDon't recommend antimicrobial medications prescribed by your doctor for one child to other children.
Mycoplasma infection
Macrolide antimicrobial drugs are the first choice for children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection, such as azithromycin, erythromycin, clarithromycin, etc. Newer tetracyclines (eg, doxycycline, minocycline) and quinolones may be used in children who are resistant to macrolides. Because tetracyclines can cause yellowing of teeth and poor enamel development, they are only used in children over 8 years of age. The use of quinolones in children and adolescents under 18 years of age requires a doctor to strictly evaluate the indications and pay attention to the toxicity of the drug***It should also be noted that penicillin and cephalosporin antibiotics are not effective in patients with Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection.
Antipyretics are not simple to use
When do I need to use antipyretics?
For infants at 2 months of age, axillary temperature is 38Antipyretics, including ibuprofen and acetaminophen, may be used when there is significant discomfort and mood changes due to fever at 2 degrees Celsius. Depending on age, acetaminophen may be chosen for infants aged 2 to 6 months, and acetaminophen or ibuprofen may be used for children 6 months of age and older.
Ibuprofen and acetaminophen typically take effect within 30 minutes, and their overall efficacy and safety are similar. It should be noted that compound cold medicines containing antipyretic and analgesic ingredients should be avoided at the same time as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, so as not to cause overdose of antipyretic analgesics and cause adverse reactions.
What should I do if I still have a fever after using antipyretics?
Fever is a symptom, not a disease, and if it is not controlled, the child's body temperature rises again, which is normal and does not mean that antipyretic analgesics are not effective. Parents should not increase the frequency or dosage of antipyretic analgesics due to anxiety. When children are in a febrile state, parents should appropriately let them drink more warm water and increase the intake of vitamins and trace elements. A combination of physical cooling that your child can tolerate, such as antipyretic patches, warm water topical, and warm baths, may be used. Pay attention to whether the drug is within the effective period, the suspension needs to be shaken well before use, and the dosage should be accurate.
The use of cough suppressants is particular
Coughing is a protective reflex to clear respiratory secretions or inhaled substancesRoutine use of antitussive drugs** is not recommended, and addictive central antitussive drugs are contraindicated in children。When cough significantly interferes with sleep and diet, symptomatic management with antitussive drugs may be considered as appropriate.
What to do about nasal congestion in the event of a respiratory infection
For nasal symptoms, parents may choose to clean their child's nasal passages with saline. Children who do not respond well to nasal cleansing may be given short-term use of nasal decongestants, including oxymetazoline (contraindicated in children under 2 years of age), under the guidance of a doctor. 05% xylozoline (not recommended for children under 3 years old), etc. Nasal decongestants should not be used for more than 7 days, otherwise they may cause drug-induced rhinitis. For patients with atrophic rhinitis and nasal dryness, nasal decongestants are contraindicated.
What to pay attention to when using proprietary Chinese medicines
1.Proprietary Chinese medicines need to be used rationally through syndrome differentiation, disease differentiation or a combination of syndrome differentiation and disease differentiation. It is recommended that parents use it for their children after consulting a doctor, and avoid the combination of proprietary Chinese medicines with the same function or duplicate ingredients to avoid improper compatibility.
2.Priority is given to children's medicines, such as "children", "children", "dolls" and other words in the name of the drug. Use with caution in the absence of clear usage and dosage of proprietary Chinese medicines for children.
3.According to the best effect, try to shorten the course of medication.
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Article**: Healthy China.
Info**: Public Health magazine.