Kids are prone to sicknesses and usually experience cough, colds, fever or pain time-to-time.

When your children suffer, you want to ease their discomfort, but before giving any medication, parents should be aware of the medication dangers that can arise from frequent medication use. Unfortunately, not all medicines are suitable for children, especially for babies, toddlers and young children. As parents, it is our priority to keep our children safe and healthy at all costs.

Hence, it’s essential to know which medication can harm your child’s health if given frequently.

Medications Not Recommended for Children’s Frequent Use

Aspirin

Aspirin is an over-the-counter (OTC) medication that is often used to relieve pain and fever in people. But aspirin is also not recommended for regular use in children and young adults.

This is because it may cause a rare but serious condition called Reye’s syndrome. Reye’s syndrome is a rapidly progressive encephalopathy in which accumulations of fat build up in the liver and other vital organs rapidly leading to liver failure and encephalopathy that can lead to coma, seizures, and death.

Therefore, it’s better to avoid Aspirin for children under 16 years of age unless prescribed by a healthcare provider.

Codeine

Codeine is an opioid medication used to relieve mild to moderate pain and cough. This medication is found in some prescription pain medicines and cough syrups that contain narcotics.

However, it’s necessary to know that codeine can seriously harm children when used frequently. Children with sleep apnea, obesity, or breathing difficulties can be especially sensitive to the respiratory effects of codeine, which can lead to severe breathing difficulties, such as breathing too quickly, too slowly, or even stop breathing.

Therefore, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under 12 years of age should avoid codeine and protect them from potential risks.