9 medicines not to give a baby: photos

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  Consult a doctor before giving any medication to your baby, especially the first time. Babies are much more likely than adults to have adverse drug reactions. If your baby throws up or develops a rash after taking medication, let the doctor know.
  
  Here are some medicines you shouldn't give your baby.
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  1. Aspirin

  Never give aspirin or any medication containing aspirin to your baby unless the doctor tells you to. Aspirin can make a child susceptible to Reye's syndrome — a rare but potentially fatal illness. (Instead, ask your doctor about giving your baby acetaminophen or ibuprofen for fever or discomfort.)
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  2. Over-the-counter cough and cold medicine

  The Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) recommends not giving OTC cough and cold medicines to babies. Studies show that they don't actually help soothe symptoms in kids this age. And they can be harmful, especially when a child mistakenly gets more than the recommended dose.
  
  In addition to side effects like drowsiness or sleeplessness, upset stomach, and a rash or hives, children can suffer serious effects such as rapid heart rate, convulsions, and even death. Every year, thousands of children end up in emergency rooms after swallowing too much cough and cold medicine.
  
  If your baby's miserable with a cold, you may want to try a humidifier or other home remedies.
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  3. Anti-nausea medications

  Don't give your baby a prescription or anti-nausea medication unless his doctor specifically recommends it. Most bouts of vomiting are pretty short-lived, and babies and children usually handle them just fine without any medication. In addition, anti-nausea medications have risks and possible complications. (If your baby is vomiting and begins to get dehydrated, contact his doctor for advice on what to do.)
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  4. Adult medications

  Giving your baby a smaller dose of medicine meant for an adult is dangerous. If the label doesn't indicate an appropriate dose for the weight and age of your child, don't give her that medication.
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  5. Any medication prescribed for someone else or for another condition

  Prescription drugs intended for other people (like a sibling) or to treat other illnesses may be ineffective or even dangerous when given to your baby. Give him only medicine prescribed for him and his specific condition.
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  6. Anything expired

  Toss out medicines, prescription and over-the-counter alike, as soon as they expire. Also get rid of discoloured or crumbly medicines — basically anything that doesn't look the way it did when you first bought it. After the use-by date, medications may no longer be effective and can even be harmful.
  
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  7. Extra acetaminophen

  Some medicines contain acetaminophen to help ease fever and pain, so be careful not to give your baby an additional separate dose of acetaminophen if she's taking such medications. If you're not sure what's in a particular medicine, don't give her acetaminophen or ibuprofen until you've first gotten the okay from your doctor or pharmacist.
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  8. Chewables

  Chewable tablets (or any medicines in tablet form) are a choking hazard for babies. If your baby's eating solids and you want to use a tablet, ask your child's doctor or pharmacist if it's okay to crush it and put in a spoonful of soft food, like yogurt or applesauce. (Of course, you'll have to make sure he eats the entire spoonful to get the complete dose.)
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  9. Syrup of ipecac

  Syrup of ipecac causes vomiting and used to be kept handy to prevent poisoning. Doctors no longer recommend syrup of ipecac, mainly because there's no evidence that vomiting helps in the treatment of poisoning. In fact, some poisons cause more harm if they're vomited back up. And syrup of ipecac may do more harm than good if a child continues to vomit after ingesting a remedy that has been shown to help, such as activated charcoal.
  
  The best way to prevent accidental poisoning is to keep potentially harmful substances locked up and out of sight. Call your local Poison Control Centre if you think your baby has ingested something unsafe.

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