A Maryland doctor has important advice for parents, following the recall of some medicine for children.
The Food and Drug Administration has recalled nearly 90,000 bottles of Taro Pharmaceuticals’ Children’s Ibuprofen Oral Suspension liquid pain reliever after customers reported they found a “gel-like mass” and black particles in the medication. The FDA says it’s unlikely to cause health problems.
Dr. Christina Brown, a pediatrician with Kaiser Permanente in Baltimore, said it’s a reminder to take a close look at every medication before you give it to your kid.
“Of course, the company could change something, but sometimes they even include on the front what it’s supposed to look like,” she said. “Always use your critical thinking if something’s not right.”
Brown also suggested doing a spring cleanout of your medicine cabinet.
“Go through and see what medication is expired, and whenever you’re buying new medicine, make sure that the package is unopened, not tampered with. Make sure it looks like it’s the color that it should (be),” she said.
She doesn’t recommend taking expired medication, because it can lose its effectiveness over time.
Brown does suggest putting the national poison control number into your contacts, just in case you need it: 1-800-222-1222. There’s also an online version that promises to give you advice from an expert within three minutes.
Brown said parents are often confused when it comes to the dose of liquid pain reliever they should give their child when treating something like a fever.
“You can use ibuprofen or acetaminophen as directed, and it’s based on their weight, not their age,” she said. “This is a very important point. A lot of families say ‘They’re 2 years old now. What will their dose be?’ But these medicines, along with most antibiotics, are based on weight, not on age.”
If your child has a fever and you’re not sure if you should take them to a doctor, Brown said it’s not usually how high their fever is that’s most concerning, but how they’re doing overall.
Signs to watch for include a child who’s had a fever for several days, is overly sleepy, has sunken eyes or is showing signs of dehydration.
Brown said a child in diapers who hasn’t wet themself at least three times in 24 hours, or has dark urine, is likely getting dehydrated.
Another thing to keep an eye out for is how your child is breathing.
“We do know children breathe faster and heavier when they have a fever, so if you give them some medicine and they’re still breathing quickly, that’s an extra sign to seek care,” Brown said. “Try to give the medicine first and then see how their breathing is doing.”