WebMD Ask the Pharmacist

Children's Cold and Flu Relief: Ask the Pharmacist

Pharmacist Kristen Binaso, RPh, answers your questions about relief for children’s colds and flu.

Question:

I wanted to use Vick's Vapo stream vaporizer for my 17-month-old daughter because she is stuffy and congested. Do you recommend this?

Answer:

This is a great way to help a child with congestion and I recommend this all the time. Thanks for submitting a question today.

Question:

What can you give a 1-month-old baby that has a small cold and runny nose?

Answer:

There are no over-the-counter medications approved for a child that young. You can use saline drops in the baby's nose to loosen up the mucus and use a nasal aspirator to help remove it. You can also run a vaporizer in the baby's bedroom, which will help put moisture in the air and aid with congestion. We have to remember that children are not "little adults" and we have to be very careful about medications. If you are not sure, ask your pharmacist; we are happy to help.

Question:

How do I dispose of old drugs that the pharmacy won't take?

Answer:

This is a great question. You can actually dispose of them yourself at home. It is simple and easy process. You can take a Ziploc bag and put the medicines in the bag. You can then put some water in to help dissolve the medication or crush it. Next, add some coffee grinds or kitty litter. Zip up the bag and dispose of in the trash. For more information, visit www.smarxtdisposal.net.

Question:

When do I need to be concerned about diarrhea in an infant?

Answer:

There are a few more questions that I would need to ask. How old is the infant, and how long has the diarrhea been going on? Is the child running a fever? Diarrhea can be dangerous in an infant because it can cause dehydration rather quickly. Infants don't know they should be drinking water and eating to help replenish essential nutrients so if this has been going on for more than a day, my suggestion is to call your doctor or health care provider immediately to let them know what is going on.

Question:

Is there a safe dosage of Benadryl I can give my 5-month-old baby who is battling a very congested nose?

Answer:

This is a good question because Benadryl is not a nasal decongestant, and will do nothing for the stuffy nose (not to mention this medication should not be given to a child this young.) You want to use saline drops to help thin out the mucus in the nose and then use a nasal aspirator to help clear the passageway. I also recommend running a vaporizer in the baby's bedroom -- that usually helps a lot as well for congestion. Parents need to be very careful about cough and cold medications in infants and children, so take the time to talk to your pharmacist.

Question:

My daughter has a 104.4 degree temperature. Does she need to go to the hospital?

Answer:

I would highly recommend taking the child to the emergency room and calling your health care provider to let them know that you are on the way to the hospital. A fever this high needs immediate medical attention.

Question:

Can I take Tamiflu and Tylenol at the same time?

Answer:

Great question. Yes, you can take Tylenol (acetaminophen) and Tamiflu together. Make sure you follow the dosing instructions on the package of Tylenol. If you ever have any questions about taking over-the-counter medications with prescription medications, ask your pharmacist, we are the medication experts.

Question:

What can you give a 4-month-old infant for colds and coughs?

Answer:

As a pharmacist, I am very hesitant to recommend anything for a child this young. Many medications used to treat cough and cold symptoms are too strong for infants, and we have to keep in mind that they are not "little adults." I would need to discuss with you more about the actual symptoms – and in most cases my recommendations are nonmedication ones like running a vaporizer in the baby's bedroom and using saline drops and a nasal aspirator for a stuffy nose. Talk to your pharmacist – they will be happy to help you.

Question:

Do the H1N1 vaccines for children contain mercury?

Answer:

Great question. The 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines that FDA has approved will be manufactured in several formulations. Some will come in multi-dose vials and will contain thimerosal as a preservative. Multi-dose vials of seasonal influenza vaccine also contain thimerosal to prevent potential contamination after the vial is opened. Some vaccine manufacturers will be producing 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine in single-dose units, which will not require the use of thimerosal as a preservative. In addition, the live, attenuated version of the vaccine (which is OK to give children), which is administered intranasally (through the nose), is produced in single-units and will not contain thimerosal.

Question:

I stepped on a nail. Do I need a tetanus shot?

Answer:

Yes, it is very important that you see a health care provider as soon as possible and get a tetanus shot.

Question:

Can you take Benadryl and Advil together? One is for my son’s runny nose and sinus pressure and the other is for his headache.

Answer:

The most important piece of information that I need to know is "how old is the child and how much does he weigh?" I will also need to know what other medications you may have given him. I would recommend Tylenol or an acetaminophen product to start for the headache. I would also ask a few more questions about the "sinus pressure" to define it more. Benadryl is OK, but I would probably recommend a Claritin or Zyrtec-type product because they work longer and have less side effects.

Question:

My 2-year-old has been throwing up for about 10 hours, can't keep anything down, and hasn't gone to the bathroom for about eight hours. What should I do?

Answer:

This child runs the risk of being severely dehydrated. I would advise calling your pediatrician or health care provider and take the child to the ER immediately. They will probably need to give IV fluids.

Question:

I have a 10-year-old daughter, she has stomachaches frequently and lot of gas. Is there something she can take?

Answer:

I would really need to ask more questions in regards to how long this has been going on, have you spoken to a doctor or health care provider, and have you looked at her diet. Many things could be causing this and we don't want to run to medications right away if there are other options like diet changes.

Question:

I have the flu. When are you not contagious anymore?

Answer:

Good question. The rule of thumb is that [you are no longer contagious] when you do not have a fever for more than 24 hours and did not take any medications to help reduce the fever.

Question:

What flu strain is the seasonal vaccine?

Answer:

Each year, the seasonal influenza vaccine contains three influenza viruses – one influenza A (H3N2) virus, one regular seasonal influenza A (H1N1) virus (not the 2009 H1N1 virus), and one influenza B virus. The influenza viruses in the seasonal flu vaccine are selected each year based on (surveillance-based) forecasts about what viruses are most likely to cause illness in the coming season. Therefore, each year’s seasonal flu vaccine is designed to protect against the seasonal influenza viruses expected to cause disease during that influenza season. Great question!

Question:

Is it OK if I give my 3-year-old Alka-Seltzer Plus Night-Time Cold for his sore throat and hoarse cough? I have no way of getting him any other medicine or to get him to the doctor till hopefully tomorrow and he's having trouble sleeping, and some body aches.

Answer:

So, let me get this straight, you want to give a 3-year-old child adult cold medicine? The answer is absolutely not, and when I looked at the package, it clearly states to not give to children under 12. It is very important to understand that children are not "little adults" and you have to be very careful when it comes to medication and read the package. Have you tried running a vaporizer? At this point you can also use some Vicks Baby Rub, but that is all that I would recommend until he can be evaluated and seen by a health care provider.

Question:

Do my 3- and 5-year-old children really need to get the flu and H1N1 vaccine? It is not widely available in my area and my chiropractor strongly suggests against it. He says they are better off just getting the flu if that is the case. My children are healthy otherwise.

Answer:

My advice is just the opposite – your children should be vaccinated for seasonal and H1H1 flu. The problem with the H1N1 virus is that it is affecting healthy young adults and children. We have especially seen a number of H1N1-related deaths in children if they have asthma. That alone should tell you that this is a very serious virus and if you have access to the vaccine, you and your children should get it. Each year thousands of children and adults (over 35,000) die just from seasonal flu. In my mind, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Question:

My 3-year-old is taking Tamiflu for the swine flu, and I have given him some Benadryl because his lips were swollen. I have given him 1/2 teaspoon, and he also has taken 1 teaspoon of Tylenol for his fever and now I am panicking that I have given him too much medicine.

Answer:

I don't think you gave him too much medicine but I have to ask why you gave him Benadryl for his lips. He may have swollen lips because of an irritation or possibly due to dehydration. You want to be very careful when using medications in children this young; they are not "little adults.”

Question:

Is the swine flu vaccine for children a live vaccine?

Answer:

Great question. There are two kinds of 2009 H1N1 vaccines being produced and they can both be given to children. The first is a H1N1 "flu shot" -- an inactivated vaccine (containing killed virus) that is given with a needle, usually in the arm. The flu shot is approved for use in people 6 months of age and older, including healthy people, people with chronic medical conditions, and pregnant women. The second version is the H1N1 nasal spray flu vaccine -- a vaccine made with live, weakened viruses that do not cause the flu (sometimes called LAIV for "live attenuated influenza vaccine"). The live vaccine is approved for use in healthy people 2 years to 49 years of age who are not pregnant.

Question:

Can a 3 1/2-year-old (with strep) take Benadryl along with amoxicillin? He is having some itching issues on his feet. Our doctor says this is in relation to the strep and he is not allergic to the amoxicillin.

Answer:

I would not recommend giving any Benadryl at this time for the itchy feet. If your son was allergic to amoxicillin, he would have developed a rash all over his body and it usually happens right after the first or second dose. I would recommend using a moisturizing cream on his feet to help keep the skin on his feet moist and may also help with the itching.

Question:

Can you mix Bayer Chewable 81 milligram baby aspirin and Tylenol 80 milligram infant drops?

Answer:

I have to ask why you want to do this. If we are treating an infant for pain or fever, I would recommend the Tylenol Infant Drops only. Due to the fact that aspirin can increase the risk of Reye's syndrome, I would not consider chewable 81 milligram baby aspirin. Infants and children are not "little adults," so you need to be very careful when it comes to medication.

Question:

The other day my grandson (age 5) cut his foot on glass. He was at a cousin's house and they put super glue on it to try and close the wound. I am talking over-the-counter super glue. I have never heard of using super glue. Isn't it toxic?

Answer:

I would not recommend putting super glue on a cut. It can actually trap in bacterial and cause an infection. Due to the fact that glass was involved, I would highly suggest taking him to a doctor or health care provider to make sure the cut is not infected and advise them what was put on the area. Skin infections can be hard to treat, so take it seriously.

Question:

My little girl is 3-years-old. She just took her first dose of Augmentin and about an hour later she vomited. Is vomiting a common side effect of this medication, and should it typically be taken with food or milk?

Answer:

Yes, vomiting is a side effect of the medication. It is important that you give your child this medication with some food or milk because it can be harsh on the stomach. If she continues to vomit after the second or third dose of the medication, contact your doctor or health care provider, it may be necessary to switch her to a different antibiotic.

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