Medicine Cabinet
Listed below are items that you may want to have in your medicine cabinet.
Prescription Medications
Please remember to always have any prescription medication current (not expired) and full. For example, an asthma attack is not a good time to realize that your child is out of albuterol (medication for wheezing).For refills, please call your pharmacy to contact your doctor directly.
Please throw away any unused antibiotics. Expired antibiotics can be dangerous, and your doctor will prescribe new antibiotics if needed.
Non-prescription Medications
All items are available without a prescription.- Oral diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
- Rehydration solution (Pedialyte, Infalyte)
- Thermometer
- First aid
- For more information
- Tips for giving medicine
Oral diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
Oral diphenhydramine (Benadryl) is an antihistamine for hives or itchy rashes or allergies.
Most children become sleepy after diphenhydramine, but a small percentage may become excited.
Benadryl is available as liquid (12.5mg/teaspoon = 12.5 mg/5 ml) and may be given every six to eight hours as needed.
| Weight in pounds | 10-15 | 15-20 | 20-25 | 25-35 | 35-50 | 50-100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dose in mg | 3 | 6.25 | 10 | 12.5 | 18.8 | 25 |
| Dose in tsp | .¼ | ½ | ¾ | 1 | 1 ½ | 2 |
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Rehydration solution (Pedialyte, Infalyte)
Rehydration solution (Pedialyte, Infalyte) for prevention of dehydration.
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Thermometer
For infants less than 6 months old, an ear thermometer does not appear to be as accurate as a digital thermometer. For infants less than 2 months old, a rectal temperature is the most accurate. We no longer recommend using mercury thermometers.
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First aid
- 1% Hydrocortisone ointment for itchy rashes, mildly irritated skin or insect bites
- Band-aids/bandages
- Antibiotic ointment (Polysporin, Bacitracin) for cuts and scrapes
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For more information
Food and Drug Administration to learn about safety recalls and the latest information on newly approved medications.
Medline Plus(U.S. National Library of Medicine). Learn about side effects of medications.
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Tips for giving medicine
See the related article on giving medicine to children and infants.
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