Medication Abuse in Children

Everything you need to know before administering drugs to your child.

Many kids today are dealing with disabilities due to misuse of medications that someone thought at the time were in their best interest. 

As a parent, you should know better. Doctors and the medical community are the best first point of contact for your child's safe medical needs. 

It may seem sensible to use the drugs within your reach when your baby gets ill. After all, a couple of pills might save you a long and expensive trip to the doctor. Unfortunately, this sense of reasoning has negatively impacted many lives across Nigeria.

Is it really that bad?

The use of medications without a proper prescription is very dangerous and strongly discouraged. These dangers include:

Worsening your child's health condition: 

The cheapest route usually leaves the most expensive consequences. In most cases, when your child needs just a couple of pills prescribed by a doctor to treat a mild infection, self-medication might exacerbate the issue to require even more medications or in extreme cases more extensive treatment like surgeries. Yikes! 

Potential adverse reactions: 

Active ingredients in all medicines are measured and set with guidelines on recommended dosages for every age and body weight as well as for each disease condition. Without the required technical know-how, you could be setting your child up for reactions that could lead to life-long health issues including seizures and brain damage.

Dangerous drug interactions: 

Some drugs just don't mix. Only a certified medical professional knows which drugs your child should not take together and what is appropriate for their age. 

Risk of dependence: 

It might seem like these quick medications work. But do they? Some drugs, especially analgesics like paracetamol and ibuprofen, only mask the symptoms you're trying to treat, deceiving you into thinking your child is better already whereas the root cause is left ignored. Without the proper medical guidance, you may find yourself seeking to give your child these drugs to help them feel better. This results in their dependence on their use, especially in chronic conditions like sickle cell disease.

What drugs are you misusing?

You're probably wondering, "I know better than to misuse drugs for my child. That could never be me." Here's a shocker, you're probably doing it right now. Common drugs you could be misusing are:

Antibiotics:

 If you're running to use amoxicillin without a prescription every time your baby coughs you're misusing it. All antibiotics need a doctor's prescription that should be followed to the letter because of the serious adverse effects, including antibiotic resistance, that can follow it. 

Tip: Flagyl is not first aid for diarrhoea. Diarrhea is most commonly caused by viruses and not bacteria. Stock up your first aid kit with ORS sachets and Zinc tablets instead. 

Painkillers:

 Paracetamol in the morning, Ibuprofen in the evening, and Diclofenac at night. While this seems a little too much, it's the route most people tow when their baby is running a fever. But you should know that all of these drugs mentioned can lead to irreversible liver damage without proper dosages and guidance. 

Tip: Never give aspirin to a child with fever unless instructed by a doctor to avoid Reye’s Syndrome, a rare but serious condition that causes confusion, swelling in the brain and liver damage.

Cough syrups:

 Most cough syrups contain ingredients that are classified as sedatives and some even have stimulants in them. When not prescribed by a medical doctor and taken carelessly, cough medication can cause vomiting, rapid heart rates, hallucinations and even death. 

Antimalarials:

 Most Nigerians hardly confirm truly having the malaria parasite before they self-administer the drugs. Though we live in a malaria-endemic region, not all fever is malaria. It's easy to treat the slightest fever with malaria drugs but the lack of testing and proper prescription gives room for your baby to become resistant to its use.

Never increase or decrease the dose of your child's medicine on your own.

Never give your child someone else's prescription because their symptoms seem similar. Don't even share meds between siblings. This can lead to avoidable casualties.

Lastly, keep all drugs out of the reach of children.

Guilty as charged for using drugs without a doctor's advice for your baby? You can make amends today and put your baby's health in responsible and safe hands from the comfort of your own home. Book a virtual consultation and wellness check today to ensure you're on the best medical track for a healthy and happy baby.