Dosing

There is no need to give your child more than what is directed.  It will not speed up recovery and will only bring about more side effects (this goes for all three medications). For children ages 2 and older, Claritin and Zyrtec list appropriate doses on their respective boxes. Benadryl is a bit trickier. Even though Benadryl is FDA approved for kiddos younger than 2 years of age, the directions on the OTC package are geared toward children 6 years and younger.  

As a pharmacist, I recommend giving children 2 to 5 years of age ½ teaspoonful (6.25mg) and children 6 to 12 years of age 1 to 2 teaspoonfuls (12.5 – 25mg) of Benadryl by mouth every 4 to 6 hours as needed (teenagers can take the adult tablets, unless they are super small for their age). However, as a disclaimer, if you have any doubt, even the slightest inkling, please seek help from your local pharmacist or your child’s physician!

There are no special directions on how these medications should be taken. Food will not affect the response to the drugs. Because of Claritin’s and Zyrtec’s once-daily dosing, I recommend giving them to your child at bedtime so he or she can sleep through any sedating effects the drugs may have. Also, pollen levels are highest in the morning, so Claritin and Zyrtec will be well absorbed into your child’s system and ready for battle if taken at bedtime (a good deal if pollen is your child’s major “invader”).

And let’s stop there!  Don’t want to overwhelm you with too much info at once.   I’ll get Part III out to you next week.  

Does your child suffer from allergies (indoor or outdoor)?  Leave a comment below to share how their allergy symptoms are controlled! 

Questions can be sent to me at Cate@getpharmacyadvice.com, or you can use the “Submit Your Question” form at the top of the page. 

Last, but not least, we want you to be able to save money on your prescription medications, so we made a video course that will direct you on how to do just that!  Click here to get instant access.   Best part, it’s completely free! 

Happy Monday

Since more over-the-counter allergy medications have become available, more parents are blindly self-treating their children, without learning the “ins” and “outs” of what they are giving them.

Allergies: The Cause and the Cure

Allergies result when your child’s immune system mistakenly identifies harmless substances as serious enemies. When these “invaders” are detected, many different chemicals, including histamine, are released in an attempt to destroy the opponents. Histamine is responsible for a slew of sticky, gooey, unsavory, and unagreeable allergy symptoms, including sneezing, runny nose, itchy nose and throat, itchy or watery eyes, post-nasal drip and congestion, and all-around irritability. For histamine to cause all that icky allergy stuff, it needs to be able to bind to its target (called “receptors” in Pharmacyland). Over the counter (OTC) antihistamines block histamines from binding to their target points in the body.

OTC antihistamines are broken-down into 1st generation and 2nd generation drugs. There is one OTC 1st generation antihistamine available for children, BENADRYL, and two 2nd generation medications, Claritin and Zyrtec.  All three are available in a kid-friendly liquid formula.

Before You Buy, Beware…

You may have noticed that the abovementioned OTC medications are marketed as effective for perennial or seasonal—or indoor or outdoor—allergies. Don’t believe the hype! Standard-issue Benadryl, Claritin, and Zyrtec are all effective in treating your child’s allergies no matter what the cause or time of year!

Whoa, gotta stop here…just noticed that it’s time for me to go rock out on Guitar Hero!  I’ll hit you up with Part II next time I post a written piece (first, I’m gonna put a video up!). 

Any questions so far?  Let me know by tossing an e-mail my way.  Cate@getpharmacyadvice.com is where you can reach me.  Or simply leave your thoughts below! 

PS: You can still get our ultra free video course that discloses the many ways you can save money on your prescription meds.  Just click here to get instant access to our free gift!

Thanks all!