Back to School! COVID-19 VS Allergies – Loratadine (Claritin)
As children gear up to go back to school (or even prepare for NTI), many parents have COVID-19 on their minds. PharmDToYou wants to remind you all that fall season is arriving which means many of us will suffer from allergy symptoms (if we haven’t been already). We want to make sure you know the difference between COVID-19 and allergy symptoms to help you care for your child.
To help out parents during this difficult time, PharmDToYou created some tables to help you determine dosing over-the-counter medications for your kiddos if they are showing symptoms of allergies (and some other indications listed). Also, be aware of the “Important Notes” section.
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Check out our last post about differentiating COVID-19 symptoms from allergies and information about how to dose Cetirizine (Zyrtec) at https://pharmdtoyou.com/index.php/2020/08/19/back-to-school-covid-19-vs-allergies-cetirizine/
We will continue today with Loratadine, brand name Claritin.
Facts:
- Loratadine (Claritin) is an allergy medication that can be used over-the-counter for children as young as 2 years old.
- May formulations are available (see table).
- The most common side effects in children are very uncommon but include nervousness (4%) and gastrointestinal complaints.
- Symptoms typically start to resolve in 1-3 hours.
- There is a gluten-free tablet formulation.
Important Notes:
- You do not need to use the brand name Claritin to get the full effect.
- Watch the solution concentration – it is usually 5mg/5mL so for a 5mg dose you use 5mL. For a 10mg dose, use 10mL.
- Do not use a teaspoon, use an oral syringe or dosing cup for accurate dosage.
- Call your pharmacist or physician if your child is suffering from one of these indications but is less than 2 years old.
Reference: Loratadine. Lexi-Drugs. Lexicomp. Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. Riverwoods, IL. Available at: http://online.lexi.com. Accessed August 19, 2020.