skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, March 29, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

Expert: Read the Label to Avoid Risks with Cold Medicine

play audio
Play

Thursday, December 18, 2014   

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Most adults will get one to three colds every year, and experts say there are some things to keep in mind before heading to the drugstore for treatment. Dr. Angela Golden, nurse practitioner and co-president with the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, says many cold medicines contain acetaminophen, and only so much of it should be taken in one day.

"Acetaminophen when taken at levels that are safe, really help with fever, body ache, sore throat, things like that," says Golden. "But when you take too much it's dangerous for the liver and if you take an overdose it can actually cause liver failure."

Four-thousand milligrams is the daily limit for acetaminophen. Golden says it's crucial to always read the label, know the proper dosage, and never take two medications with acetaminophen at the same time. She adds, other medications used to treat a cold also have potential risks; decongestants can raise blood pressure and nighttime medications can cause drowsiness the next day.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, colds are the most common illness children experience. Golden says parents need to use medications for children as directed, and never give a child a medicine intended for adults. She says it's also important to keep all medications out of a child's reach.

"It's easy to think about just leaving that medicine on the counter for the next time you need it, but if there are children in the house, keep that medicine up away and out of sight," Golden says. "So it's not tempting for children, because even the tamper-resistant lids children can get into."

Use medicine sparingly with children, she says, and try saline sprays for nasal congestion, and honey for a cough. Most colds run their course in about a week, and Golden says parents should call their doctor if symptoms last more than 10 days or if a child has a fever higher than 100-point-four degrees.



get more stories like this via email

more stories
Many factors affect a customer's bill amount, including energy usage, weather, and the number of days in a billing period, according to Arizona Public Service. (Jason Yoder/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …


Social Issues

play sound

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…

Social Issues

play sound

A mix of policy updates and staffing boosts has helped to put wage theft enforcement on the radar in Minnesota, and officials leading the efforts are …


More than six in 10 Americans favor keeping the abortion pill mifepristone available in the U.S. as a prescription drug, while over a third are opposed, according to a Gallup poll. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

New research shows more than six in 10 abortions in the U.S. last year were medically induced, and U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto - D-NV - is …

Social Issues

play sound

Colorado is working to boost the state's agricultural communities by getting more fresh, nutritious foods into school cafeterias - and a new online …

Social media platform X temporarily shutdown searches of "Taylor Swift" following the release of explicit deepfake images in early 2024. (Mdv Edwards/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Missouri lawmakers are concerned with protecting people from the potential risks of the increasing accessibility of AI-generated images and videos…

Social Issues

play sound

A 2023 study from the University of Nebraska Medical Center concluded the number of Nebraskans with a mental health or substance abuse disorder has pr…

Environment

play sound

A farm group is helping Iowa agriculture producers find ways to reduce the amount of nitrogen they use on their crops. Excess nitrates can wind up …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021