News Moms Need

Every maker of infants’ acetaminophen products, including Infants’ TYLENOL®, is in the process of changing the amount (concentration) of acetaminophen in their medicines. Manufacturers will no longer make infant’s acetaminophen concentrated drops which have 80 mg of medicine in one full dropper (0.8 mL).  The only acetaminophen that will be available will soon be sold in one package for infants (infants’ acetaminophen oral suspension) and another for older children (children’s acetaminophen liquid).  These products will contain 160 mg of medicine in 5 mL (one teaspoon). 

Some of these new products already are in stores now. So, it is especially important for parents and caregivers to take extra care when giving these medications to children.  The drops that will no longer be sold are much stronger than the products that will still be sold.  These changes are intended to standardize dosing across products and help to reduce confusion and medication errors. For more information about the changes in TYLENOL®  dosing, click on this link.

Johnson & Johnson and other makers of cold and fever medications said yesterday that they will discontinue infant drops of medicines containing acetaminophen in an effort to avoid confusion that can lead to dangerous overdoses. Currently, these products come in different strengths with differently marked droppers offered by various manufacturers.  Since these products may not be the same strength, this creates the possibility of accidentally giving your baby the wrong dosage. (For example: the dropper from Product A may be totally inappropriate for use with Product B.)

Acetaminophen is a fever reducer and pain reliever widely used in over-the-counter products such as Tylenol. While generally safe when used as directed, acetaminophen is the leading cause of liver failure in the U.S. and overdoses send more than 50,000 people to emergency rooms each year.

The industry association for over-the-counter medicine companies, Consumer Healthcare Products Association, said its members (J&J, Novartis, Procter & Gamble and makers of generic cold medicines) will begin phasing out the liquid drops later this year. Companies will then manufacture and sell only a single formula for all children under the age of 12. Future infant or child acetaminophen medications will be produced from this single formula making it much safer to guarantee appropriate dosing.

J&J stated that during the transition phase, “There may be a time period when more than one concentration of infants’ acetaminophen products will be available in stores, and parents and caregivers might have both in their medicine cabinets. Caregivers should always read and follow the dosing directions on the package they are using.”

As always, anyone caring for children should contact the child’s healthcare provider if there is any question regarding appropriate dosing.

Are your kids’ grandparents going to be visiting you over the holidays?  If so, they’ll be bringing their medications with them and these little bottles can be a big temptation for tiny hands.  Pill boxes come in all shapes and sizes and, for seniors who may have difficulty opening tight lids, they’re often not child-proof. This can turn into pretty poison for little ones.

Age two has proven to be the most dangerous year for children regarding accidental overdoses, according to hospital ER visits. Prescription containers with easy-open lids can be opened by a toddler in less than a minute.  The most secure bottles have the push down and twist caps.  Please make sure any visiting guests keep their medications up high, out of sight and out of reach.  This includes bottles, like cough syrup.

By the way, the most common and deadly accidental overdose involving children is with acetaminophen (Tylenol).  It’s in most houses because it works well, but it is a danger to kids.  Keep it high and away at all times.  Better yet, keep meds in a locked box or medicine cabinet.

Fever during pregnancy can be dangerous for the baby, especially during the first trimester when the baby’s organs are taking shape. What’s a woman to do?

It’s usually best to avoid over-the-counter medications during pregnancy. This is because we often know very little about the possible harm these drugs can cause during pregnancy.

But sometimes the woman and her health care provider must weigh the possible risks with the benefits of taking a medication. When mom is sick, her illness may threaten the baby she’s carrying. 

Acetaminophen is the active ingredient in Tylenol and other painkillers. It’s also used to treat fever.

A new study of over 11,000 children has found that acetaminophen taken during pregnancy did not increase the risk of birth defects. In fact, it seemed to lower the risk of birth defects when a woman had fever during the first trimester. In this research, acetaminophen was given by itself and not combined with other meds.

Taking medications during pregnancy is a balancing act. What’s the risk? What’s the benefit? Before taking any medication during pregnancy, talk to your health care provider.

The new research study appears in the January issue of the medical journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Procter & Gamble has recalled about 700,000 packages of Vicks Dayquil Cold & Flu Liquicaps (24 count) because the packaging is not child-resistant. The capsules contain acetaminophen and could cause serious health problems, including death, in children.

The capsules were sold at drug stores, grocery stores and other retailers between September 2008 and December 2009.

To read more, see the news release from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post called, You can’t call-in sick when you’re a mom. Well wouldn’t you know it, I inevitably gave my daughter her first cold. That night she woke at 1am hysterically crying. I went into her room and as soon as I picked her up I knew she had a fever. She was hot to the touch. I got the thermometer out and took her temperature. Sure enough, it was 102.2. I gave her an infant dose of acetaminophen (carefully read the directions of course – how much to give depends on your babies’ weight), started the cool-mist humidifier, used some saline drops and a nasal aspirator to relieve the congestion. After hours of rocking her, she finally fell back asleep and stayed in my arms until 6am. Her fever broke by late morning, but her congestion got worse. She couldn’t even nurse. I had to pump and feed her with a medicine dropper! Am I the only one with a baby that refuses to take a bottle?

A digital thermometer can be used to take a rectal (in the bottom), oral (in the mouth), or axillary (under the arm) temperature. Your child’s doctor can recommend how to use it depending on your child’s age. Taking a rectal or oral temperature is more accurate than taking an axillary temperature.

If your child is younger than 3 years, taking a rectal temperature gives the best reading. The following is how to take a rectal temperature:

• Clean the end of the thermometer with rubbing alcohol or soap and water. Rinse it with cool water. Do not rinse it with hot water.

• Put a small amount of lubricant, such as petroleum jelly, on the end.

• Place your child belly down across your lap or on a firm surface. Hold him by placing your palm against his lower back, just above his bottom. Or place your child face up and bend his legs to his chest. Rest your free hand against the back of the thighs.

• With the other hand, turn the thermometer on and insert it 1/2 inch to 1 inch into the anal opening. Do not insert it too far. Hold the thermometer in place loosely with 2 fingers, keeping your hand cupped around your child’s bottom. Keep it there for about 1 minute, until you hear the “beep.” Then remove and check the digital reading.

• Be sure to label the rectal thermometer so it’s not accidentally used in the mouth.
 

Mercury thermometers should not be used. The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages parents to remove mercury thermometers from their homes to prevent accidental exposure to this toxin.

Several news organizations have reported that the Food and Drug Administration is hosting a meeting this week about how to prevent people from taking too much acetaminophen. Known as Tylenol, this medication is also used in pain relievers such as Excedrin.

Although acetaminophen is in almost everyone’s medicine cabinet, it can be a dangerous drug if you take too much of it. Every year people in the United States die from an overdose of this drug. Acetaminophen is the leading cause of liver failure in the U.S.

So when you or your children are taking acetaminophen, be sure to follow the instructions exactly. Acetaminophen is also used in some medications that contain more than one drug (for example, in some cough syrups and pain relievers). Again, follow the directions exactly.

For more on acetaminophen, click here. Of course, if you’re pregnant, don’t take acetaminophen without first talking to your health care provider.

If you’re pregnant, you may have been wondering, “What happens if I get the swine flu? Will it hurt my baby? How dangerous would it be for me?”

If you do get swine flu, the illness may be mild. But for some women, swine flu will progress rapidly, and symptoms will be severe.

Complications of any flu, such as pneumonia and dehydration, can be serious and even fatal. So be on the watch for any symptoms. Treatment can help.

Symptoms of swine flu include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, diarrhea and vomiting.

If you are pregnant and have flu-like symptoms, contact your health care provider. If your symptoms are severe, talk with your provider about the benefits and risks of taking an antiviral drug, such as Tamiflu. Consider the seriousness of your illness as you decide about medication. 

High fever may be especially dangerous to the fetus. Acetaminophen appears to be the best way to treat fever during pregnancy.

For more info on swine flu, visit the Web site of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Your baby gets a fever, you call the doctor, and she says, “Give him a little Tylenol” (also called acetaminophen). This exchange happens thousands of times a day in the United States.

A new study from New Zealand has found a connection between Tylenol given to babies during the first year of life and later development of asthma. But hold on; don’t jump to any conclusions. First of all, the word “connection” may not mean “cause.” Many things can explain the link.

* Perhaps the babies in the study got Tylenol because they had a respiratory disease and were already developing early signs of asthma.

* Compared to other parents, moms and dads of asthmatic children may have a better memory of what medications they have given their children.

These are just two examples of things called “confounders.” Confounders are factors that make it hard to know whether a “connection” is really a “cause.”

So you’ve heard it before: We need more research. Talk to your child’s health care provider. High fever can be very serious for children. For now, the benefit of Tylenol (it lowers fever) probably outweighs any risk this medication may have.