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FDA Safety Communication on Withdrawal Itch from Cetirizine and Levocetirizine

If your child uses or has been using the antihistamines cetirizine (Zyrtec) or levocetirizine (Xyzal) as a maintenance therapy, this one’s for you — and yes, this includes you grown‑ups too! The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued a safety alert about a rather unexpected outcome:

Time Change Effects on Children’s Routines and Medications

Twice a year, most of the country sets its clocks forward or back, and parents everywhere groan. Fall is especially tough. The rest of the country gets an extra hour of sleep, but parents of young kids somehow lose three. I don’t understand how that math maths, but it’

How to Organize Medications for School and Sports

Every school year seems to start with a pile of forms, 16 different color-coded folders, a long and oddly specific school supply list (Ticonderoga brand pencils only?!), and at least one mystery permission slip that arrives two weeks late. If your house is anything like mine, this mess of school

Med Minute: Dicloxacillin

Dicloxacillin is another type of antibiotic in the penicillin class (we’ve discussed several!). The most common use in children is to treat skin infections; if your child has a suspected staphylococcal skin infection, such as impetigo, a boil, or cellulitis, your pediatrician might prescribe dicloxacillin. It’s a penicillinase-resistant

Ear Infection Care and Medication Best Practices in Cooler Weather

As soon as the temperature drops, my kids seem to catch every sniffle within a five-mile radius. From October to May, someone is sneezing, sniffling, or coughing. It’s a great time. Along with the runny noses and coughs, one thing parents often notice in winter is an increase in

Halloween Candy: Safety for Children

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays! Our neighborhood has lots of kids, and we have a blast trick-or-treating. I also have a mean sweet tooth, so I thoroughly enjoy confiscating some of my kids' candy – you know, for safety!  As much as I enjoy sneaking candy, I dislike

Fever Reducers for Kids: Safe Dosing and When to Treat a Fever

Every kid experiences a fever at some point during childhood. My children, in particular, tend to get them at 3 AM, while on vacation, or during holiday events. There’s also the always fun first fever of the school year. Never a dull moment!  This guide explains fever reducers, when

Pediatric Cough Medicine Safety and Effectiveness: What Parents Should Know

Scenario: it’s 2 AM, and you’re pulled from a deep sleep (or as deep as it ever gets when you’re a parent) by the sound of a cough coming from the bedroom down the hall. Instantly, your ears perk up, your head turns toward the source of

Managing Side Effects: What’s Normal Vs. What Needs Medical Attention

When my daughter was 4, she had a strange rash with some hives. We believe a virus caused them. After talking to her pediatrician, I decided to try an antihistamine. Cetirizine (Zyrtec®) would have been ideal, but I was out! So I gave her a dose of liquid diphenhydramine (Benadryl®

How Long Until a Medicine Should Start Working?

If you’ve ever given your child a dose of medicine and immediately started the countdown as if it’s rocket launch time, you’re not alone. I’ve done it too—when my toddler is cranky with an ear infection and I squirt amoxicillin in their mouth, then stare

Why Your Pediatrician Chose This Medication—and Not Another

Parents often ask why a doctor chooses one medicine over another, or why a drug used in adults isn’t recommended for kids. The short answer is that pediatric care has its own unique science! Doctors consider several factors, including how medicine is metabolized in growing children, its mode of

What to Keep in Your Child’s Travel Medicine Kit

Traveling with kids can feel like packing for a 3-month trip to a faraway foreign land. It’s amazing how much stuff tiny humans need! If you’re traveling this fall, it’s worth having a child travel medicine kit on hand, especially if you’re going to a remote

Med Minute: Penicillin V Potassium

One of the oldest antibiotics still widely prescribed for kids is penicillin. I’m sure you’ve heard of it! Penicillin isn’t the strongest or newest antibiotic, but it definitely has its place in treating common bacterial infections. This guide will help explain what it’s commonly used for,

Liquid Vs. Pill Forms: Which Is Best for Your Child?

Have you ever tried to get your toddler to drink a disgusting-tasting prescription liquid? (I have – a lot of it ended up on the walls…) Or debated bribing your older child to swallow a tablet instead of going through the hassle of getting a new prescription for a suspension?  Sometimes