Health Tips for October 29

Health Tip: If Your Child Takes Medicine

While pharmacists can't diagnose an illness or condition, they can recommend over-the-counter medications or discuss side effects.

The Nemours Foundation suggests talking to your pharmacist whenever your child needs to take medication. Here are the foundation's safety suggestions:

• Store medications in the kitchen or in a closet -- never in the bathroom or another area with lots of moisture. Always keep medicines out of your child's reach.
• Keep medications in their original containers, so you can reference safety instructions and expiration dates.
• Throw away expired prescriptions, or any that your child has finished taking.
• Talk to your pharmacist about safe ways to make medication taste better for children.
• Administer liquid medications with a medication syringe, instead of a spoon.
• If it says "refrigerate" on the drug your child is taking, be sure to keep it cool while you're on the road.
• Never combine more than one drug in the same container.

Health Tip: Fluoride Use by Children

Fluoride is a natural substance found in water, and is added to many municipal water supplies to help prevent cavities.

The Nemours Foundation offers these guidelines about the use of fluoride in children::

• Children should only use fluoride supplements if they live in areas with non-fluoridated water, or if they drink only non-fluoridated bottled water.
• Children under age 6 should never use a fluoride mouth rinse.
• Children under 6 months don't need fluoride supplements and shouldn't been given them.
• Fluoride toothpaste should not be used on children younger than 2 unless recommended by a doctor or dentist.
• Children should use only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste.
• Watch children up to age 6 when they brush their teeth to make sure that they spit out the toothpaste, and that not too much is swallowed.