First colds: the dangers of self-medication
The temperatures are falling, the winter is approaching and while the mercury continues giving account of it, arrive habitual affections of this time of the year. The fact of not knowing how to adapt to this changing weather makes the colds an undesirable guest in these days. A situation that makes many parents want to resolve through the use without prescription of medicines.
But self-medication is not a matter to be taken lightly. Giving one of these products to children can be a bad idea that ends up causing more problems to appear than it solves. This is explained from the Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, who warn parents of the care they must have when making these decisions.
Free sale drugs
There are certain medications for which no prescription is required to obtain them. These products are used to relieve common or mild illnesses or symptoms, such as fever, mild to moderate pain, cough or increased mucus in colds, etc. Unless there are others health problems or allergies to any of its components, its use should not reverse any risk.
In any case, as long as there is a condition, it is always convenient to go to the pediatrician so that he / she assesses the situation and to what extent there is a health problem. There are situations in which the use of medications will not even be necessary, in others the symptoms may be the sign of a greater health problem.
If parents decide to use these free-selling medicines, they must take into account the advice given in the leaflets that accompany these products and warn of possible risks derived from their utilization. In this way the parents will know what are the appropriate doses for the smallest according to their height and weight so that in this way they can prevent intoxications.
Medically without prescription
The specialists especially emphasize the risk that supposes supplying a medicine that requires prescription by own initiative. There are certain drugs that suppose the need for a specialist to recommend its use, especially antibiotics, which are used negligently to treat colds and other conditions for those who are not recommended in principle.
This use of the medics is clearly a high risk. The prescription of these drugs should always be carried out by a doctor, who must take into account multiple factors and have knowledge of the health problem that affects the child. Data that must be compared with the characteristics of the patient and the possible effects of these products.
Use these medications without the recommendation The doctor can assume that the child is affected by the side effects of these drugs, something that far from helping to solve their health problems, only worsen the situation. In fact, even when it is a specialist who prescribes them, some periodic visits to it are recommended to assess its evolution.
Damián Montero
