All medications have the potential to cause secondary, unwanted and/or adverse effects.
Adverse Effects
Adverse effects are any undesirable experience associated with the use of a medical product in a patient. Medication side effects can include:
- Upset stomach
- Diarrhea or loose stools
- Dry mouth
- Drowsiness
- Change in activity or mood
- Dizziness
- Flushing, sweating
- Rashes
- Rapid heartbeat
The effects of medication can vary from child to child. For example, the same antihistamine can make one child sleepy while another becomes jittery and hyperactive. Side effects that could be normal for one medication might be abnormal for another. A fast heart rate, for instance, is expected for albuterol, an asthma medication, but not for an antibiotic.
Allergic Reactions
Allergic reactions may involve many different types of symptoms such as:
- Swelling
- Rash
- Difficulty breathing
Allergic reactions are difficult to predict and range from mild (redness of skin, itching) to severe (life threatening). Skin disturbances are the most common.
When To Call
When you see signs of distress including:
- Loss of (or change in) consciousness
- Blue color or difficulty breathing
- Difficulty swallowing
- Swelling of lips, tongue, or face, or drooling
- Seizure activity
- Rapidly spreading rash or hives
- Impaired speech or mobility
- Getting worse quickly
- When in doubt
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- When medication is given to the wrong child
- When the wrong medication is given to a child
- When the wrong dose is given (overdose)
- When a medication is given by the wrong route or using the wrong procedure
- When a medication is given at the wrong time (and it results in an extra dose)
Note: The AAP no longer recommends that syrup of ipecac be used |
