Baby’s first medicine cabinet

What you should have on hand for your baby’s most common illnesses

Originally published October, 2008

By Sharon Oosthoek

Illustration by Anke Weckmann

Toronto mom Armi Armesto is cautious about giving over-the-counter drugs to her baby and preschooler. “I don’t want to over-medicate,” she says. “That’s my number-one fear.” Armesto was paying attention last fall when concerns over the safety of non-prescription cough and cold medicines for children made headlines. At the time, Health Canada reported “life-threatening adverse events, including unintentional overdose” in children under the age of two who had been given these products. “I only give three-year-old Skyler something if he’s suffering and I wouldn’t give four-month-old Emma anything. She’s too young,” says Armesto.

Vancouver public health nurse Radhika Bhagat wholeheartedly agrees. “The younger they are, the more cautious we are of giving them anything other than mother’s milk or formula,” she says, pointing out that nearly all drug safety studies are done on adults, not children or infants. In fact, the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) recommends not giving over-the-counter drugs to children under the age of three, unless your doctor recommends it.

The only exceptions, says Dr. Michael Rieder, chair of the society’s drug therapy committee and a pediatric pharmacologist with the University of Western Ontario, are two medications used for fever and mild to moderate pain—acetaminophen and ibuprofen.

cabinet must-haves

Pain relievers Acetaminophen is the active ingredient in various name brands, including Tylenol, Tempra and Panadol. Ibuprofen is found in Advil and Motrin. The CPS recommends parents use these drugs only for pain or fever greater than 38.5°C. If your baby is under six months, consult a doctor before trying any medication. Do not give children products with acetylsalicylic acid (such as Aspirin) as it has been associated with Reyes syndrome, a sickness that can cause brain and liver damage.

good-to-haves

Diaper rash cream Dr. Rieder recommends a simple barrier cream such as petroleum jelly. For babies with eczema, parents can also use a cream that contains 0.5 percent hydrocortisone, a steroid hormone used to treat inflammation.

Antihistamine Dr. Rieder says if you need to use an antihistamine to ease allergy symptoms (itching), a liquid is preferable to allow for much more accurate dosing.