Children and pain relievers

[Coney]

I don't have any kids (yet) but what do any of you think about giving Tylenol or Asprin to a child?

Isn't there something about asprin causing the shingles, or something crazy like that, with very small children if they have a fever? I always heard asprin was bad for kids with fevers. Although for aches and pains, it works great with no crazy possible side effects, right? Asprin has been around for more than a hundred years, so I'm more likely to trust that than very recently created drugs. I'm just unsure about the fever thing.

I want to have a kid someday, and I'm faced with the whole Tylenol industry, and I know I'd rather find more natural pain relievers than use that stuff, but it actually works really well. I use Ibuprofen sometimes, but I'd like to keep my kid as un-tainted as possible by the drug industry, y'know?

Are there any vegan moms out there who don't give their kids dairy? Have you found that your kids don't get sick as often as kids who eat dairy? What do you choose for pain relief for your child?

Thanks for any info you might have.

[kristadb]

Asprin isn't for fever. Tylenol is

Of course, there are those that swear they are both the same product, but I don't believe them. In the hospital, they give you Tylenol for your fever, not asprin.

I was a no dairy child from about 5-10 and I can tell you, I was sicker more during that period then any other time in my life. So, for me, I'm not sure if I believe the dairy causes all evils people. Then again, I also don't believe the dairy heals all causes people, either.

If you have a sick kid, you'll give them anything to make them feel better.

[Cissy]

I was always given tylenol/acetominophen as a child - I've always heard that aspirin can cause problems in children, so I definitely don't reccomend giving that to them.

[Thalia]

Well, I think aspirin can lower a fever, but aspirin should never be given to anyone under 17 because it may cause reye's syndrome.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/e...cle/003090.htm

[Cissy]

Originally posted by Thalia
Well, I think aspirin can lower a fever, but aspirin should never be given to anyone under 17 because it may cause reye's syndrome.

That's what I meant - I always forget what it's called.

[soilman]

thalia writes:
============
Well, I think aspirin can lower a fever, but aspirin should never be given to anyone under 17 because it may cause reye's syndrome.
=================

Yes aspirin lowers fever about as well as Tylenol (acetaminophen). Plus aspirin relieves pain better. Apirin relieves swelling. Tylenol does not relieve swelling at all.

Aspirin can cause Reye's syndrome, if given to someone under 17 who has the flu. Even then, this is a rare occurence.

Aspirin is toxic to the gastro-intestinal lining. Prolongued use can cause erosions, ulcers, which can occaisionally bleed, and occaisionally bleeding can be severe, life-threatening. It has slight toxicity to the cochlea and prolongued use of high doses can damage hearing.

Acetamino[hen is toxic to the liver. In combination with moderate does of alcohol, in susceptible individuals, normal doses of acetaminophen can cause permanent, fatal liver damage.

Prolongued high doses can cause similar liver damage. High doses are doses at the maximum recommended range on the label. It may be liver-life-threatening to take such doses for more than a couple of weeks. Prolongued use of aspirin is safer. Acetaminophen-caused fatal liver damage is very likely to be sudden and without warning. Gastro-intestinal damage from aspirin can occaisionally be without warning, but usually you have gastric pain first, then non-bleeding ulcers -- you don't just get sudden, unexpected permanent damage like you do with acetaminophen.

[chiaraluna]

I was always given Children's Tylenol (acetominophen) for fevers and for pain... No signs of weirdness yet.

Nah, I take that back... No signs of physical damage yet.

[SallyK]

My son is vegan. He's 18 months old. So far he has not needed tylenol or anything of the sort. He's the only kid out of my entire mom's group who has never had an ear infection or fluid in his ears, or any other infection. He's had a couple colds, but they have been very manageable (compared to the horror stories I've heard from other moms with kids the same age).
Since giving up dairy about 3 years ago, I have been ill only a couple times, and never sick enough to warrant a trip to the doctor for meds. Prior to that, I was sick about once a month for about a week each month.
I definitly think giving up dairy was the best thing I've done for my health.

[veggiewriter]

My mother gave us Tylenol whenever we had a fever, but for most other cold/flu symptoms she would just tell us to gargle salt-water. I HATED that she would say that (from the time I can remember, that was her solution to EVERYthing...I just wanted the fun grape medicine that my friends got to take!) but perhaps there was something to it. Just letting your minor colds be and wear themselves out is probably okay for you. After all, my doctor told me that when she gets sick, all she takes is an aspirin or ibiprophen--never any 'medicine.'

Also, while we did drink cow's milk, we really only had it on cereal for breakfast and a very small glass for dinner (water for lunch) and we were always healthier than our friends who drank gallons of it. Substituting soy or rice milk would be fine for little ones.