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Claritin Side Effects in Children

Children with allergies need not suffer from their symptoms. One medication on the market, Claritin, provides reliable, safe relief. Adverse effects appear rarely and tend to be mild, especially compared to the misery of an allergic reaction. Still, caretakers can offer comfort when they do occur. In the exceptional event of a more severe reaction, awareness and proper medical attention can keep kids safe.

  1. About Claritin

    • Claritin, Schering-Plough's brand of the drug loratadine, is a second-generation antihistamine. Unlike older antihistamines, second-generation antihistamines such as loratadine generally do not cause drowsiness. Available over-the-counter in the U.S., doctors recommend it for allergic reactions that may include nasal congestion, sneezing, itchy eyes and hives. Claritin is available for children in chewable tablets, as a syrup and as a "Reditab"--a pill that dissolves quickly in the mouth.

    How It Works

    • In allergic individuals, the body's immune system launches reactions to otherwise harmless substances. These allergic reactions--watery eyes, sneezing and itchiness--represent efforts to expel what the body mistakenly sees as a danger.

      This reaction releases from immune cells a hormone called histamine. Loratadine is an antihistamine; it blocks histamine from binding to the receptors that then cause allergy symptoms.

    Suitability for Children

    • Children over the age of 2 years may take Claritin. The normal dosage for children from 2 to 5 years is 5 mg daily. Children age 5 and older may take 10 mg daily.

      Without a recommendation from a physician, do not administer loratadine to a child with an impaired liver or kidneys. Negative drug interactions with loratadine are extremely rare. However, do consult a pharmacist or physician before giving it to a child already taking other medications.

    Side Effects

    • Loratadine offers dependable allergy-symptom relief with few side effects. Its more common side effects tend to be mild, generally diminishing with continued use. The most frequent of these include sleepiness, lack of energy, headache and dry mouth.

      More severe reactions to loratadine occur with extreme rarity but require immediate medical attention when they appear. They may indicate a more serious condition than the allergy under treatment. These include difficulty breathing, wheezing, fainting, seizures, low platelet count and liver toxicity.

      All in all, doctors and pharmacists consider loratadine to be a very safe drug with minimal risks.

    For Comfort

    • While Claritin can take care of troublesome allergy symptoms, it can sometimes cause annoying side effects. With a little bit of care, however, a child experiencing them can find relief.

      For a headache, place a warm, moist cloth over the child's forehead. If warmth doesn't help, try a cool cloth instead.

      For a sleepy or fatigued child, allow him to rest until the symptoms subside, perhaps offering relaxing activities like books or puzzles if boredom strikes.

      If the child has dry mouth, offer her beverages frequently and consider more novel fluids such as ice pops or fruit-flavored gelatin.

      Bear in mind that side effects tend to diminish the longer the child is taking the medication. In the meantime, small comfort measures can go a long way.

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