Children’s Tripledemic Symptom Relief with OTC Medicines

Colds and sneezing are more common in the winter. Three viruses are responsible for a variety of symptoms this year, many of which can be treated with over-the-counter (OTC) medications available at your local pharmacy. Moreover, if you have any queries about your symptoms such as those related to tripledemic or disease, your pharmacist is always available to assist you to choose the best product.

Tripledemic

The wave of COVID-19, influenza (or the flu), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) known as the “tripledemic” is now affecting the population, particularly children. All of these viral diseases have the potential to produce upper respiratory symptoms. A visit to a doctor or hospital may not always be necessary, despite the fact that these ailments are unpleasant. Children can typically receive treatment at home.

Over-the-counter Medicines That Assist Kids Feeling Better

Pains in the body or sore throats

Medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help with fever, aches, pains in the body, or sore throats. Switch the medicines every four hours if neither one is totally able to lower the fevers on its own. Consult your pharmacist for assistance if you are unsure of the dosage about tripledemic. If not prescribed by a doctor, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen should not be given to infants younger than 6 months or older than 12 weeks.

Runny nose and sneezing

Your child may benefit from using an antihistamine like diphenhydramine, chlorpheniramine, loratadine, fexofenadine, or cetirizine for runny nose and sneezing. Children may probably feel tired after receiving numerous doses of diphenhydramine and chlorpheniramine throughout the day. Nonetheless, some children, especially very small ones, can be stimulating.

Children younger than 6 years old should not be given diphenhydramine or chlorpheniramine without a doctor’s prescription. Take cetirizine, fexofenadine, and loratadine – simply once (loratadine) or twice (fexofenadine) a day to prevent sleepiness (fexofenadine). Kids as young as 2 years old can take these.

Stuffy nose

You can use guaifenesin or saline nasal spray to relieve stuffy noses to prevent tripledemic symptoms. Guaifenesin may also aid with chest congestion by thinning mucus, which makes it simpler to cough or blow one’s nose to expel mucus from the body. Children under the age of two should not administer guaifenesin. Increased hydration intake can assist with this as well. The use of decongestants like phenylephrine and pseudoephedrine in children under the age of 12 is not advisable.

Cough

Dextromethorphan is an option for coughs that do not produce mucus or keep children up at night in children over the age of six. But it generally has not been shown as effective as honey or a mentholated chest ointment like Vick’s Vaporub. Children under the age of one year old should not consume honey. You can give a teaspoonful to youngsters older than one year at night. Furthermore, children above the age of two may use mentholated ointment.

Tripledemic OTC Medicine Recommendations From Pharmacists

• Make sure you choose an OTC product for the child’s age for all OTC products. The majority of these products are available as liquids, chewable pills, and whole-swallowing tablets or capsules.
• Pay close attention to the instructions on the packaging and don’t administer more often or for longer than recommended. If you have any questions about the instructions, ensure that you consult your pharmacist.
• The components listed above are present in a range of OTC combination cold and flu medications. Avoid taking the same medication twice if it is available in multiple packages.
• Try to stay with one product, and choose one that is specifically preferable to address the symptoms that are cause for concern. For some children, a combination product’s drug ingredients may not be necessary.

Outlook

Using OTC medicines can frequently provide relief from virally-induced respiratory problems. Obtain assistance choosing the appropriate meds from your pharmacist. Also, they can address any queries you may have about giving children medicine.