Pepto-Bismol is a product used to treat minor digestive system upsets, which is currently produced by a company Procter & Gamble. It is known for effectively treating symptoms such as nausea, heartburn, stomach ache, diarrhea, indigestion and other discomforting stomachaches. It is, more importantly, also known not to be taken by children recovering from influenza or chicken pox, as well as during cold and flu season.

So, is it safe to give your kids Pepto-Bismol? Well, that is actually a very general question. Overall it is safe with the exception of a few situations. To know for sure if giving Pepto-Bismol to your kids is safe, during any given time of the year, ask your doctor.

Strength Pepto-Bismol can be harmful to your child, but there is a safe alternative. I am personally not sure why people give their kids Pepto-Bismol when knowing that giving kids aspirin or salicylate containing medicines increases the risk of Reye Syndrome, just for the purpose of resolving minor disturbing stomach problems. Pepto-Bismol has so called Bismuth Subsalicylate as main active ingredient, which is responsible for its distinct pink color. Again, allowing your child to take this ingredient in must be avoided while your child is recovering from chickenpox or the flu.

Two other factors that determine if it is safe to give your children Pepto-Bismol are your child’s age and which type you are considering to give. Even though the regular strength Pepto-Bismol seems to work as a miracle drug for stomach upsets like indigestion, heartburn, nausea, diarrhea, the benefit of solving these little upsets do not way over the risk of taking in Bismuth Subsalicylate, the main ingredient of strength Pepto-Bismol, being linked to the potentially life-threatening disorder Reye Syndrome.

Luckily, the FDA acknowledges this fact and only allows strength Pepto-Bismol to be available only with labeling instructions stating it can only be taken in by children over age of 12. Some doctors go even further recommending not even teenagers take it in.

So what is the safe alternative to strength Pepto-Bismol I talked about earlier? There is another alternative to strength Peptro-Bismol which are Pepto chewable tablets, especially suitable for children. These help to relieve sore stomachs, acid indigestion, heartburn, etc. thanks to the main active ingredient Calcium Carbonate. These tablets are okay for younger children, even at the age of two years, and they are not associated with the Reye Syndrome. Since it is basically a decent calcium supplement, it is perfect for those who rarely drink milk or other milk fortified beverages.

You may even say that chewable Pepto tablets are healthy for kids. Though, no matter where you buy these tablets, read the labeling instructions to ensure the tablets you buy contain calcium. You are the only one who can really double-check that and make sure.

Source by Yves Juliaan