What YOU Need to Know About Over the Counter Pain Relievers
Michelle LaRowe
Recently I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Gregg Alexander of Madison Pediatrics in London, Ohio on the topic of over the counter children’s pain medications and the 2010 recalled children’s acetaminophen and ibuprofen products.
Here’s what he had to say:
Dr. Alexander, how can parents confirm what products were involved in the recent recall?
I would recommend that parents check on the web. The products recalled are certain brands of children’s acetaminophen and ibuprofen.
The best option to find out exactly which products were recalled is to visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s website,
http://www.fda.gov/.
How come Children's and Infant's Advil were not subject to the recall?
Children’s Advil® and Infant’s Advil® were not part of the recall because they are made by a different manufacturer and this manufacturer has not had any safety or manufacturing issues.
What is the difference between pediatric acetaminophen and pediatric ibuprofen?
Pediatric acetaminophenand pediatric ibuprofen are both products that can treat fever and pain. Pediatric ibuprofen is a little bit more effective as far as I’m concerned because it has a faster onset of action and it also lasts longer. Ibuprofen lasts 6 to 8 hours and acetaminophen lasts approximately 4 hours. There are also some safety concerns with acetaminophen. It is one of most overdosed drugs and it has very serious consequences when it comes to kidney and liver issues if there is an overdose.
When is it appropriate to give these medications? What symptoms will they help? How do you know which medication to give?
In general, they are both used for pain and fever reduction. Children’s Advil®, which contains the active ingredient ibuprofen, is indicated for reducing fever and helping with the minor aches and pains due to colds, the flu, sore throat, headache or toothache. If you have other issues beyond those, or if fever lasts longer than a couple of days,you should consult with your pediatrician.
Dr. Alexander, what else do you want to tell us about using over the counter pain relief?
As it is summer time, I think it’s really appropriate to talk about summer colds. Unfortunately, a lot of kids and families are dealing with summer colds at a time when they are trying to have some fun. Families are planning vacations and looking forward to spending time away from work and school. The symptoms of summer colds can be disruptive to these activities.
Although there is no cure for the common cold, it’s helpful to know that there are some things parents can do to help their child deal with the aches and pains of summer colds and relieve some of the misery so they can still enjoy vacation or their everyday summertime activities. Children’s Advil®, for example, helps temporarily reduce fever and relieve minor aches and pains associated with the common cold.
The company that makes Children’s Advil
® has done a nice job helping parents understand how to relieve summer colds by providing information on their website,
www.ChildrensAdvilSolutions.com.