The new non-drowsy formulas have really helped children, says Orser. Reactine has a 5 mg tablet, and we've even broken this up for people, when necessary. Orser suggests an antihistamine with a decongestant for the first few days of treatment, and then advises switching to a plain antihistamine. McLeod advises patients to check with their doctors for ongoing symptoms. The first line of treatment should be to rest the bowel, say pharmacists and doctors alike.
Experts also tend to advise parents to stop giving milk until the bowel has settled down.
However, cautions Newman, kaopectates have their place if the child becomes dehydrated due to prolonged diarrhea. Then, if vomiting continues, try dimenhydrinate suppositories such as Gravol. While Newman acknowledges dimenhydrinates as the best OTC treatment for vomiting, he cautions that they can make it difficult for a doctor to make an accurate diagnosis. Gravol tends to make children sleepy and lethargic, so it's hard to tell whether the listlessness is part of the illness or the 'cure'. But that's not constipation, say experts.