Can I Give Liquid Albuterol and Benedryl to My 2Month Old?

First of all: you need to know what each medicine is for.

1) Albuterol: is NOT a cough medicine. NOR for 'congestion.'
It is a Bronchodilator.
To open up the bronchial tubes when it is inflamed and constricted. When airways are constricted... a person cannot breathe... nor normally, nor get enough oxygen into their lungs or blood-stream.
It is used, for Asthma.

2) Benadryl: is an Antihistamine. Per allergies. It dries up, mucus and mucus membranes and reduces histamines in the body.
It is NOT, a cough medicine.

Now: "Congestion" is due to:
1) Mucus
2) Mucus in the Sinuses & nasal passages
3) or Mucus in the Chest.

Now: I have had Asthma since I was a child. Hence, I know what Albuterol is, and I use it.
BE AWARE of any side-effects.
Such as, causing hyperactivity or racing heart etc.
Your child is so young... just a newborn.

I would NOT NOT NOT, give your infant, Benadryl.
You do NOT know how much, and... please bear in mind, an Infant this young... does not have fully developed Kidney's nor organs.... AND IF YOU OVERLOAD and Infant with all this stuff... you can, OVER-Load the Kidneys too. And the kidneys may not be able to clear it.

Your baby is a very young infant.
What exactly is the dosage of Albuterol for your baby?????
If given too much... it can even make the situation, worse... and increase side-effects.

Why, did your Doc, prescribe these things????

Congestion, can be from the head or chest. Or BOTH.
And you gotta... make sure baby is not getting worse or getting secondary infections... or... Pneumonia.
Because infants do not have, matured lung development yet.

DO NOT just willy-nilly mix medications.
You cannot just give a baby this young, anything.
Our Pediatrician, said NOTHING, no over the counter drugs... when this young.

My Dad, before he died, (just as an example), had a cold/cough. His Doc prescribed cough syrup with Codeine in it.
Do you know, that because he was so ill... and his organ functioning was not up to par... his body could not clear nor properly process the Codeine from his Kidneys, and he almost died. Because of a typical cough syrup.

I bring this up about my Dad... because, Benadryl has a "drowsiness" component to it. Like Codeine. Although they are NOT the same family of drugs.
For a Newborn, who knows what the dosage is, or if appropriate.

14 moms found this helpful

Your Dr. should always have someone on call. It's NEVER a good idea to guess at medications with a little one this young. (Or any kids, but especially a 2 month old.)

8 moms found this helpful

Any chance your doctor/pediatrician has an after hours paging system? Does a local hospital/ER have a pediatrician on staff that you could call and speak to? Medication for a 2 month old is something you have to get specific details on...

7 moms found this helpful

OMG these both sound like nothing to be given lightly to an infant!! Albuterol for a cough to a 2 month old? That seems a little overboard. The poor sweetie. I'd give her nothing without called the pediatrician's office and paging the doctor on call. Does she really need something? Coughs and congestion take a long time to go away - two days is not realistic - they are symptoms of an infection (ie a cold) and the body needs to fight off the infection. Nurse her as much as possible if you are nursing (she can use the antibodies in your milk to get better). Take her in the bathroom when you shower to help with the the congestion, do the bulb/aspirator thing. But unless it seems urgent and you can verify with a doctor, I'd hold off on those heavy duty meds. She's simply too young. You can't even give bendryl or regular over the counter cough medicine to anyone under two YEARS old these days i think!

good luck

7 moms found this helpful

No!

Call a nurse-line or your ped's after-hours number, or even poison control (poison control is staffed by pharmacists) - but don't guess!!

6 moms found this helpful

If your doctor can't be available and doesn't have an answering service, call the ER directly and ask. Not 911 lol the actual hospital. They are always open :) or you can call the walgreens pharmacy or something, if the pharmacist doesn't know then they probably shouldn't be one

I'm confused, she said in her post her daughter was prescribed the albuterol, right? On the other hand, albuterol is for asthmatic breathing/shallow breaths. If she doesn't have that then I'd wonder how good your pediatrician is. Also keep track of her heart. When I used to have to have it, my heart would start beating faster. I am curious, how do you know her head congestion is there? (I'm genuinely curious b/c I think I am confused what head congestion really is)

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Her doctor's office should have a pediatrician on call. Call the office and the phone answering system should direct you to a nurse or a pediatrician on call.

There should also be a 24-hour pharmacy somewhere nearby. They may be able to help too.

http://www.swpediatrics.com/web221/office/24hourpharmacie...
http://www.walgreens.com/locator/walgreens-9550-hageman-b...

6 moms found this helpful

First off: All major hospitals have a 24/7/365 Nurse Information Line. Just ring yours up, and ask the operator for the Nurse Info line, and they'll switch you right over to an RN... so you're never without exacting medical advice. :) :) :) I call ours all the time.

Secondly...

LOL... The cold medicine and infant thing has gotten, um, interesting. MILLIONS of babies as young as a day old are given these meds Rx'd, and they USED to be all OTC sold as infant drops (and still are in every 1st world country but ours, because we legislate to the lowest common denominator <rolls eyes>. Thank god I live near Canada where they don't treat the entire population as illiterate), so don't stress people's reactions. You were given a PRN prescription. You're fine. Just ring up the nurse line and double check that they can be given simultaneously, or if they need to be alternated.

5 moms found this helpful

Your doc should have a 24 hour advice line, or nurse line (?) that you can call. Try calling the doc's office, it will probably forward your call (or at least give you the number) of someone qualified to help :)

5 moms found this helpful

You need to call a pharmacist and your pediatrician. Walgreens pharmacy is open 24hours. Contact your doctor before giving those meds. Your baby is way to young to be trying things like that---could be super dangerous. I hope she feels better soon.

M

5 moms found this helpful

Isnt there an exchange number you can call? Just because the office is closed doesnt mean doctors arent on call. Look on the back of your insurance card, there usually is a nurses line. Please get professional advice before giving your baby anything.

And I just realized I said the exact thing everyone else said. So, I agree!

5 moms found this helpful

Your dr should have an answering service or call the local ER they should be able to help you out with that.

5 moms found this helpful

OMG! When my son got a cold at 4 months my doctor's office said there was NOTHING I could give him for it, NOTHING AT ALL. He was too young. Benedryl and liquid albuterol for a cold in a 2 month old? I would double check on that. I would call and see if they have an after hours on call doctor. I know when I call my office after hours I get referred to an on call nurse at the local children's hospital.
Please don't guess and please don't give her anything else until you talk to a medical professional. I know what albuterol makes me feel like when I take it as an adult (I have asthma). It makes my heart race, it makes me feel jittery. It's a steroid meant to open up the airways. A 2 month old doesn't need that unless there is an underlying condition.
You can get saline mist and use a bulb syringe to clear out the mucus in the nose. There is going to be a cough as the mucus drains into the back of the throat. The coughing also helps to keep it out of the lungs. You can put a rolled up towel under the mattress to put your baby at a slight incline to help with breathing from the congestion.
Here are a couple website links of things you can do to help your little one feel better.
http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/childhood-illnesses/clea...
http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/childhood-illnesses/coug...

5 moms found this helpful

You were probably given sheets of patient information when you filled these prescriptions. Read those carefully for dosage, side effects, and interactions. If your questions are not covered and you have any doubt at all, call the doctor's office (don't just assume there won't be a nurse answering for emergencies – most offices have an on-call person). If there is no answer, call your nearest hospital for guidance.

These are very strong drugs not usually prescribed for such young infants, so please be cautious. Illness in a baby is nerve-wracking for parents, but sometimes they just require a great deal of patience and extra care until they pass. Breathing and coughing are generally helped by a more upright position, maybe even sleeping in a baby carrier that can take a semi-sitting position, if necessary. Asthma is often worse when lying flat on the back.

Albuterol is not a steroid, but it does affect the nervous system strongly. It should be used only when clearly needed, and never increase dosage over the doctor's recommendation.

But please, don't experiment or guess with your baby. Get answers first. If there is a breathing emergency, take her to the ER.

4 moms found this helpful

If your two month old baby is coughing, get her tested for pertussis (whooping cough). Throw a fit if you have to, but demand the test. The test is a simple nasal swab. If anyone else in the house is coughing, get them tested too.

Pertussis is *very* common and rarely diagnosed. It can be fatal in infants. If she has pertussis, she needs to be on antibiotics NOW.

I know and know of many people who have had pertussis. Every single one of them got misdiagnosed by a doctor before getting properly diagnosed. Demand the test and demand it now.

And, ditto to what everyone else said regarding meds. Don't experiment with medications in a newborn.

4 moms found this helpful

Your babies doctor should have an answering service. I have never heard of giving a 2 month old benedryl, but I could be wrong. Check with your doctor, also I am sure you can call a 24 hour pharmacy and speak to a pharmacist as well to make sure.

4 moms found this helpful

Bynadril to a two month old? He'll no!!!
***There has got to be a rite aid or walgeens open somewhere in your state. Call one of the and the'll probably tell you the same thing i did.

4 moms found this helpful

I'm guessing you're nebulizing the liquid albuterol? Is there a nurse's hot line you can call?

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they used to have ask a nurse when my kids were younger, call a hospital and ask to speak to someone at a nurses station. Some Walgreens are open 24 hours, most doctors offices have an after hours answering service...unless one of the moms on here is an RN, this is not the place to ask for that kind of advice in my humble opinion.
Good luck...

3 moms found this helpful

I would give one or the other, never both unless she is being monitored AT the hospital. It's just too much for her tiny organs. I was always told there wasn't anything you can give a baby that young and never to treat a cough. Poor baby, I hope she feels better soon!

3 moms found this helpful

Please listen to these ladies!
Albuterol makes your heart feel like it is going to pound out of your chest and Benadryl makes you feel like you are slipping into a coma.

Not drugs to play around w/.

Best wishes, mama!

2 moms found this helpful

For the future, you should know that your pediatrician has on-call hours after business hours and on weekends and holidays. If your pediatrician in not on-call (vacation?) then they will have someone covering them. Don't just assume that they're not around. You call the doctor even on a weekend or in the middle of the night with issues like this and the doctor ought to have an answering service to take the message. You inform them that it's urgent and they'll forward it right away to the doctor who will call you back within an hour (usually, sometimes sooner if it's an emergency).

If you needed immediate medical advice and honestly had no way to get in touch with your pediatrician or an on-call doctor then you could have called your local emergency room for advice, especially when it comes to a 2 month old baby. If you were that concerned you could have brought her in to the ER. But just so you know you NEVER give Benedryl to a child that young.

Many CVS pharmacies are 24 hours. I have 2 CVS within a mile of my house. One is 24 hours, the other is open until 10 PM every night. Manny Walgreens and Arrow are 24 hours. You always have options when making phone calls for drug interactions.

EDIT: Also just so you know, a pharmacist will NEVER recommend giving a baby under 3 years old Benedryl or any other allergy medication. They just won't do it. Pharmacists can only give medicinal dosage advice based on what the manufacturers/labels suggest. They can't give you off label dosage advice because of liability issues. And Benedryl refuses to give dosage information to pharmacies for children under 3 years old.

2 moms found this helpful

2 months old seems REALLY young to be giving benadryl too.....
My BIL and SIL are pharamacists, and they feel my 3 year old is too young for it. I'd check w/ your Dr. about zyrtec or claritin.
I agree w/ other posters, you should never guess or take anyone's advice about medication other then a Dr. or pharamacist. Your Dr. should have an emergency line where a nurse or Dr. on call can help you.

1 mom found this helpful

If in doubt call a 24 hour pharmacy, but I can say from my many times in the hospital that it is fine to mix them.....Benedryl is used in pediatric care as commonly as motrin if not more so because it can help calm little ones so well :-) Good luck with your little one...it's so hard when they are sick :-(

Are you giving the albuterol through a nebulizer machine?

Benedryl is never ever given at this age.

closed or not - you call a dr for something like this. you NEVER want to guess at meds, or listen to some random people on the internet, for something like what meds and dosing for an infant. your pedi should have an answering service, or you can call a 24 hour pharmacy(although liability wise, i can't imagine a pharmacist telling you anything other than get to the ER or contact your pedi in this situation). the absorption rate of benadryl can be very unpredictable in small children/babies - i think 23 lbs is where they are okay with benadryl being used in anything other than an acute allergic reaction. i can't see the albuterol helping with head congestion, and unless it's allergies, something like benadryl isn't gonna help either. because the child is SO young, i'd get in touch with my pedi asap, in the meantime, suction her nose out and use the little saline drops.