Patient's question:
For several consecutive days, she has had high fever and a persistent cough. Now she still has some coughing, and despite getting IV drips at the pet hospital several times, there hasn’t been any improvement. When we are at home, we dare not give her medicine because we fear it might affect her. Additionally, we know nothing and are unsure whether such a young child can take medication. What kind of assistance is needed: Can my daughter, who has a fever and cough, take medicine? What kind of medicine would be best?Doctor's answer:
Children are the most susceptible group to fever, but because of their unique physical constitution, medication for children should be used with caution to prevent side effects. For example, many fever or cough medications contain ingredients such as phenylpropanolamine (PPA) and alcohol. According to existing statistical data and information from the National Center for Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring, taking medications containing PPA is likely to lead to severe adverse reactions again; excessive caffeine in medications can cause anxiety; alcohol can interfere with the pharmacological effects of various drugs, including anti-inflammatory drugs. Therefore, children should preferably take medications specifically formulated for them.