Although medications such as paracetamol and dipyrone are analgesics and antipyretics of relatively safe use in children, considering appropriate doses, chronic and abusive use must be prevented.21 Paracetamol and ibuprofen are on the list of children’s medications of the WHO.22 The safety of dipyrone, a low-cost analgesic/antipyretic and selleckchem part of the list of medications subsidized by the federal government’s Popular Pharmacy program, has been questioned in several parts of the world. Results of the Latinstudy, a multicenter case-control study conducted in seven

locations in Brazil, two in Argentina, and one in Mexico, indicate a low incidence of aplastic anemia (1.6 cases per one million CAL-101 supplier inhabitants/ year) and lack of association with dipyrone.23 Among medications acting on the respiratory tract, the most often used were antihistamines, cough medicines

and expectorants, and nasal preparations. Several systematic reviews have shown that there is insufficient evidence that these medications show greater benefit than placebo in the treatment of symptoms caused by upper airway respiratory infections, such as nasal congestion and rhinorrhea associated with the common cold24 and acute cough.25 Although some of the medications used to treat the respiratory Bay 11-7085 tract, such as dexchlorpheniramine and the association of phenylephrine-brompheniramine are contraindicated for children younger than two years, it was observed that approximately 17.18% of children using these medications were in this age group. 8, 26 and 27 In addition to the intrinsic adverse effects of each active substance, there are other factors that can make them potentially dangerous for this age group, including the incorrect dose interpretation

or dose interval, use of inappropriate dispensing measures, or the simultaneous administration of several medications, in order to achieve greater symptom relief.8 and 22 The authors also emphasize the significant use of nimesulide and diclofenac in children younger than 1 year, an age group for which the medication is contraindicated. The efficacy and safety of this drug for use in pediatric patients has yet to be established.8 and 27 In this study, the high percentage of medicinal herb and plant use (74.9%) is noteworthy, corresponding to 37.7% teas and 37% infusions. Even if the evidence of safety or effectiveness of complementary therapies is limited when compared to conventional therapies, such products are generally considered safe and/or natural by the parents, who administer them to their children with or without the doctor’s awareness.