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Q. Can I give my kid some ibuprofen and diphenhydramine at the same time? He has a cold.
Dr. Zibners' Answer:
Kudos to the mom who asked before combining medications! You have to be really careful when giving your little one pain or fever medicines because some products are combination medications containing more than one active ingredient. While intended to simplify your life, they can sometimes result in the inadvertent overdosing of one or more ingredients. So, the answer is: Yes, it is okay to give ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) with diphenhydramine (Benadryl), as long as each bottle contains a single ingredient. However, that doesn’t change the fact that there is no medication that effectively and safely treats coughs and colds in little kids. Ibuprofen and acetaminophen are great for the discomfort and fever. But allergy or cold medications are unlikely to help and very likely to make your kid either really sleepy or completely nuts.
Update Week of January 25
This Week’s Hot Topic
I once again begin with an apology for missing last week. Hopefully you’ll forgive me when you hear why. My daughter, Zoe, was born on Friday morning. Now this might confuse those of you who have been paying attention because you know that Eva was born in October. Yes, I have 2 little girls who are 13 weeks and 2 days apart in age. Some people (like my father) think that I’ve completely lost my mind. At the very least, family photos are a little confusing right now. I’ve got one baby grinning at the camera and her sister, who is very close to the same size, curled up in a little newborn lump, oblivious to her surroundings.
Q. When can I kiss my baby on his mouth?
Dr. Zibners' Answer:
I am forever kissing my baby on her cheeks and occasionally she turns her head and I get half a lip but I really do try to avoid smearing my germy mouth all over hers. We all have bacteria in our mouth (even if we are avid gum wipers) and it is possible to transmit bacteria from mom to baby by either kissing on the lips or putting something in your mouth that will wind up in his. Not only can this transfer obvious things like colds and flu, but it is also possible that the bacteria responsible for dental cavities can be transferred over as well. Therefore, I would say you should do your best to avoid kissing his lips until he has a well-developed immune system. Personally I’m going to wait until she can kiss me back before we smack lips. Of course if you are sick or have a cold sore, it’s best to avoid kissing at all until you are better.
Update Week of January 11
This Week’s Hot Topic
Has everyone recovered fully from the holidays? Kids back in school? Decorations once again taking up room and collecting dust in some area of your home? I have officially shaken off the winter holidays and am looking forward to Valentine’s Day. Already bought Eva some red pants. She’s such a trooper, putting up with her various costumes. She’s just sitting here with me this morning quietly watching me delve into Myth #3: Dehydrated kids need an IV.
Do I need to use sterilized water to make my baby’s bottles?
You should have seen the look on my babysitter’s face when she asked where the water for the formula was and I pointed to the tap. The short answer is: if you live on a farm and use well water or you carry your water to your house from the nearest stream, then yes, you need to use either boiled or bottled water to feed your baby. But if your town provides clean water directly to your home, then there isn’t any need to “be a Gum Wiper” and use special water. In fact, if your water supply is fluoridated, it is better to use that water than bottled which lacks fluoride. So that someday he’ll have pretty teeth for you to brush.
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"WHAT I LIKED: This book is written in a funny, down to earth way that doesn't make you feel like an idiot. I really would have appreciated something like this when my kids were really little and I freaked out over everything they put in their mouths. It has a scenario/question and answer format, with clear answers on when not to panic and when to call 911."
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