Choosing Over-the-Counter Medicines for Your Child
Understanding Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medicines
“Over-the-counter” (OTC) medicines are medications you can buy without a prescription from a doctor. Before giving your child any medicine, especially for the first time, talk with your child’s healthcare provider or pharmacist.
Every OTC medicine has a Drug Facts label on the package. This label provides important information, including what the medicine treats, how to use it, the active ingredients, the correct dosage, and possible warnings or side effects.
Always check the dosage instructions on the label before giving medicine. If you know your child’s weight, use that information first to determine the correct dose. If you do not know your child’s weight, use the age guidelines on the label. Always check that the medicine is safe for infants and children under 2 years old. When in doubt, ask your child’s doctor.
Call Your Child’s Doctor Right Away If:
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Your child vomits repeatedly after taking medicine
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Your child develops a rash after taking medicine
Even medicines that are generally safe can cause allergic reactions in some children. Children may or may not experience side effects when taking medication. If your child has any unusual symptoms or side effects, contact their healthcare provider.
Over-the-Counter Medications
Types of Medicine | What It's Used For | What Else You Need to Know |
|---|---|---|
Antihistamine | Helps runny nose, itchy eyes, and sneezing from allergies. Also helps with itching from bug bites, hives, or other allergic reactions. | Can make some children sleepy. Other children may become fussy, nervous, or restless. |
Aspirin | Never give aspirin to your child unless your child's doctor tells you it's safe. Aspirin can cause a very serious liver disease called Reye syndrome. This is especially true when given to children with the flu or chickenpox. | |
Cold Medicine | Helps runny nose, fever, and/or cough. | Cold medicines have lots of different medicines in them. They may have antihistamine, decongestant, cough medicine, and/or fever medicine all mixed together. Always check to see what's in a cold medicine before you give it. Make sure you don't give fever medicine to your child twice—once in the cold medicine and once by itself. This could lead to an overdose. |
Cough Medicine | Helps loosen mucus and phlegm so your child can cough it up OR calms a cough. | Some cough medicines help loosen mucus. Others calm a cough. Ask your child's doctor if your child needs a cough medicine and which kind to use. Doctors don't recommend cough medicine for coughs caused by asthma. |
Decongestant (liquid or pills) | May help some cold symptoms | Children may become fussy, nervous, or restless. Check with your child's doctor before giving this medicine. Scientists are starting to think it may not help. |
Decongestant (nose drops) | Can help make breathing easier. | Never give decongestant nose drops to a baby. See "Saline (saltwater) nose drops" below instead. If your child is sleeping and eating well, there's no need to treat a stuffy nose. If your older child is using them, don't give these drops for more than 2 to 3 days. The more you use them, the less they work. And symptoms can come back worse than before. |
Hydrocortisone or Cortisone Cream | Treats insect bites, mild skin rashes, poison ivy, and eczema | Ask the doctor how often you can put it on your child's skin. Don't put any on your child's face unless the doctor says it is OK. Never use this cream on burns, infections, cuts, or broken skin. |
Pain and Fever Medicine | Helps fever and headaches or body aches. Also can help with pain from bumps or soreness from a shot. | Examples are acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Tylenol is one brand name for acetaminophen. Advil and Motrin are brand names for ibuprofen. |
Saline (saltwater) nose drops | May help if your baby is having trouble eating or sleeping because of a stuffy nose. | Put 1 to 2 drops into each side of the nose. Then use a bulb syringe to suck out the drops and mucus. Using a bulb syringe can make the nose sore, so try not to use it too often. |
Stomach Medicines | Treats problems like heartburn, gas, not being able to pass stool (constipation), or loose, runny stools (diarrhea). | There are different kinds of medicines, depending on what the problem is. Talk with your child's doctor before using any of them. Most of these problems go away on their own. Sometimes just changing your child's diet helps. Some stomach medicines also contain aspirin, which can harm your child. See "Aspirin" on the first page of this handout. |
Robafen DM (Dextromethorphan 20 mg and Guaifenesin 200mg / 20
Age | Dose |
|---|---|
Children Under 12 years | Do Not Use |
Adults & Children 12 years and over | 20 mL every 4 hours |
Do Not take more than 6 doses in 24 hours.
Delsym 12-Hour Cough Suppressant (dextromethorphan 30mg/5mL)
Age | Dose |
|---|---|
Children Under 4 years of age | Do Not Use |
Children 4 to Under 6 years of age | 2.5 mL every 12 hours (not to exceed 5 mL in 24 hrs) |
Children 6 to Under 12 years of age | 5 mL every 12 hours (not to exceed 10 mL in 24 hrs) |
Adults and Children 12 years of age & over | 10 mL every 12 hours (not to exceed 20 mL in 24hrs) |
Locations and Hours
New Horizon Health Center
191 E. Price Road
Brownsville, Tx 78521
Mon\Tues\Thurs\Fri - 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesdays - 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturdays - 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Sundays - CLOSED
New Horizon Health Center
2137 E. 22nd Street
Brownsville, Tx 78520
Mon\Tues\Thurs\Fri - 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesdays - 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturdays and Sundays - CLOSED
Insurances Accepted
New Horizon Health Center accepts the following insurance plans:
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United Healthcare
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Wellmed
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Humana
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Aetna
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Blue Cross Blue Shield
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Gravie
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CSHCN (Children with special Health Care Needs)
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Ambetter
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Medicaid
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Medicare
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Heathy Texas Women
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Champva
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Prominence
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Railroad
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Oscar
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Tri-Care
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BPA
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Cameron Care
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Magellan
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March Vision
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Evolve Vision
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VMR
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...and more
If your insurance plan is not listed, please
call 956-548-7400 to confirm coverage.
Why choose New Horizon Health Center?
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Same-day & Walk-in Appointments
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Sliding Fee Scale
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Insurance and Benefits Assistance
