Babies’ bodies, particularly their immune systems, continue to develop for several months after birth, which means they are particularly prone to minor ailments. Illness can be distressing for children and their parents. One thing parents can do to protect their baby against a number of disease is to get them vaccinated. While it isn’t nice seeing a child have an injection, the discomfort they experience is certainly outweighed by the fact that their body will be much better equipped to fight against certain infectious illness. Babies are more prone to illness such as Fever, Colds, Eczema, Constipation, Teething, Colic, Cradle cap, Threadworm and many more. You can get the treatments for the above issues related with your baby by using over the counter medicine and treatment after consulting to responsible pharmacist or your GP.
Symptoms & Available Treatments:
A normal temperature is around 36.4°C but slightly differ from child to child. If a child has a fever and appears distressed, they can be given an appropriate child dose of paracetamol and ibuprofen (example: calpol/ Nurofen) which is suitable for babies from two months old and ibuprofen from three months old. If a baby is teething then you can surely see the symptoms of dribbling and red or flushed cheeks. You can surely give your baby paracetamol suspension that will help to ease the pain and discomfort. Moreover, they can try to apply local anaesthetic such as lidocaine that helps to numb the painful gums (example: Anbesol Teething Gel). If a child is suffering from colic, it is mostly due to trapped wind swallowed during feeding or crying. You can try giving your child Infacol or Colief Infant drops . Most babies will get nappy rash at some point during their first 18 months. It occurs when the skin covered by the nappy comes into contact with urine and stools, which irritate the skin. for treating this one need to clean baby’s bottom with Water wipes and a thin layer of barrier cream should be applied (example: Drapolene cream, Sudocream). Children are more prone to Threadworms & Atopic eczema , Mebendazole (Ovex) is the main drug for the treatment of Threadworms and should be taken as soon as possible it is advisable that all the family members should take the dose and repeat the dose after 7 days. Atopic eczema usually begins in the first year of life, and up to 50% of children with atopic eczema will also have hayfever or asthama. Atopic eczema has these symptoms: Dry, red, itchy patches of skin on the face, scalp, forearms, behind the ears and on the front of the legs. In older children, it can be localised to the creases of joints & in more sever cases, the rashes can become dry, scaly and cracked, ooze yellowish fluid and crust over. The available treatment options are using Oilatum Junior Cream, E45 cream. If the eczema does not improve with treatment, is painful or appears infected should be referred to the pharmacist.
When to refer to a Pharmacist & Further Support and Information
Please refer to the Pharmacist when your child is having fever longer than 24 hours or rises above 39°C despite treatment or under three months of age. If there are symptoms such as a stiff neck, vomiting, a dislike of light or rash on the skin-these could be signs of meningitis. If a child has had regular doses of painkillers for three days and is still unwell. If symptoms do not improve despite treatment.
For more support & information you can visit the following links:
- NHS Choices: www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby
- NHS Choices: www.nhs.uk/conditions/atopic-eczema
- Family Lives: www.familylives.org.uk / 0808 800 2222
- Cry-sis: www.cry-sis.org.uk / 08451 228 669
- National Eczema Society: www.eczema.org / 0800 089 1122
- British Skin Foundation: www.britishskinfoundation.org.uk
