Anbesol children come in a topical liquid and gel, which offers temporary pain relief in the mouth. Anbesol offers a range of local anaesthetics, including gels and liquids, which come in adult and child strengths. Comparatively, Anbesol children's liquid and gel both contain the same strength and are found behind the counter in the pharmacy. With Lidocaine as its active ingredient, Anbesol offers a safe and effective way to ease pain in children as young as five months old

Abidec Multivitamin is a liquid supplement designed to help ensure that children receive vital nutrients needed for healthy development. While a balanced diet remains the best way to nourish your child, dietary gaps are common, particularly in younger children. This is where Abidec can play a crucial role, especially during their formative years.

Teething is a natural but challenging phase in a baby’s development, marked by the eruption of their first teeth through the gums. This process can cause discomfort and distress for both the baby and their parents. As your baby begins teething, finding effective ways to soothe their discomfort becomes a priority. Teething gels are among the common remedies used to alleviate teething pain, but understanding how they work and how to use them safely is crucial for ensuring your baby's well-being. Understanding Teething Teething generally begins around six months, but often can start earlier or later. As the teeth push through the gums, babies may experience symptoms such as Swollen and Tender Gums - The area where the teeth are emerging can become red and swollen. Increased Drooling - Teething often stimulates saliva production, leading to more drool. Irritability and Fussiness - The discomfort from teething can make babies more irritable and difficult to soothe. Difficulty Sleeping - Pain from teething can disrupt a baby’s sleep patterns, leading to restless nights. Understanding these symptoms helps in recognising when teething gels or other remedies might be needed to provide relief.

Children catch stomach bugs really easily, and they feel pretty rotten while it lasts. It can be tough to see them unwell, but parents also feel exasperated that it will be a good few days before their child or toddler can return to school or nursery. Signs and symptoms of gastroenteritis in children Stomach bugs, also known as gastroenteritis or "stomach flu", mostly cause diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach ache, pain or cramps, and sometimes fever. Most tummy bugs are infections caused by a virus and essentially their body needs time to do the hard work. Unfortunately there's nothing we doctors can prescribe to chase it away any sooner, it resolves by itself. But there are ways to help them feel more comfortable while they battle on, and there are things you can give them to avoid further illness. What causes stomach bugs? Tummy bugs are most often viral, but bacteria and parasites can also cause them. Rotavirus is the most common gastric virus, with nearly every child in the UK coming across it by the age of 5, and they are given a vaccine in the UK childhood immunisation programme, to protect them. Adenovirus and norovirus can also cause diarrhoea and vomiting. Bacterial infection can cause fever and bloody diarrhoea, and they may appear more unwell. The most likely bacteria are Campylobacter, E. Coli and Salmonella.

If your baby’s nappy rash is in full effect, you may need one or a combination of medications to get it under control. Some of these can be bought from the pharmacy, others may need a prescription from the doctor but knowing what’s available will give you an idea of how to manage the symptoms better.

It’s difficult to see your child in pain with earache, toothache or a sore throat, and your instinct is naturally to take that pain away. There are certain things you can try at home, and we’ll talk you through how to increase pain relief, as needed. But bear in mind that pain has a function: it alerts us that something is wrong. Your child may not be able to articulate how they feel or exactly where the pain is, so if they seem in significant pain or it’s going on for more than a few hours, if you’re unsure of the cause or they have other symptoms, don’t hesitate to seek a medical opinion. This is especially true for tummy pain, a headache or hip pain.

Gaviscon Infant Sachets are available over the counter for children under 2 but should only be used under the recommendation of a healthcare professional. They are used to treat gastric reflux (heartburn and regurgitation. This happens when stomach contents move up the food pipe (oesophagus) which can cause your child to feel uncomfortable. This is common in infants, as they can have an undeveloped muscle that prevents movement of the stomach contents back up the food pipe. Gaviscon Infant Sachets contain a powder mixture, the two active ingredients are sodium alginate and magnesium alginate.

Symptoms of COVD-19 were around 3 classical ones: continuous cough, fever and loss of sense of smell or taste. However, the symptoms in children quickly adapted to include sore throat, diarrhoea, headache, tiredness, muscle joint aches, conjunctivitis, nausea or vomiting and runny nose. It’s much rarer for serious illness from COVID to afflict those under 18, but not impossible. If they experience shortness of breath and difficulty in breathing, this is reason to seek urgent medical attention, as you would in other illnesses. Post-COVID syndrome, or long COVID as most people know it, can occur in children, where certain symptoms such as cough, difficulty breathing or exercising, concentration difficulty or immense fatigue, can persist for three months or more after the initial infection.

Walking into a pharmacy can be quite overwhelming when it comes to trying to choose the right product to ease your child’s cough. The first thing to know is that the science behind cough medicines is not conclusive, but anecdotally people find them effective in helping to reduce their severity. The second is that your child’s cough is most likely caused by a virus – occasionally a bacteria – and the cough medicines are designed to ease symptoms but they can’t cure it or make it go any quicker. The third thing to bear in mind is that coughs are worse at night – gravity when lying flat causes the secretions from their nose, throat and chest to pool and irritate. Just when you want them to get a good night’s sleep. So cough medicines may be a good idea at night and to have by the bedside in case they wake with a coughing fit. Your child’s age is a good place to start when choosing a cough medicine. Many cough medicines are not suitable for children under the age of 6. For kids younger than 6 months, Calpol infant suspension and Nurofen infant suspension can be used to provide some relief, if your child has a persistent cough causing discomfort associated with a temperature. Different types of ingredients found within cough syrups have different properties to soothe irritation, hopefully aiding comfort and soothing them to sleep.

Bronchostop Junior is a cough medicine for all types of cough associated with a cold, including dry, tickly, and chesty coughs. It is suitable for children aged between one and eleven. You are able to buy it over-the-counter from any online or local pharmacy.

Bonjela Junior Gel is an over-the-counter medication that can be used by children over the age of 5 months, and is also safe for use by adults and the elderly.