The child has indigestion... Do the medications differ depending on the symptoms?
Unlike adult products that are subdivided into digestive enzyme agents, gastrointestinal motility agents, gas removers, and traditional herbal digestive medicines, children's digestive medicines are essentially unified in type. This can be attributed to children's limited expressive abilities. Baek Young-sook, Academic Director of the Korean Pharmaceutical Association (pharmacist), said, "Adults can accurately describe where and how they are hurting, but children have limitations in expressing their symptoms," and "Children's digestive medicines are not as subdivided as adult digestive medicines." Therefore, children's digestive medicines mainly consist of herbal preparations with broad efficacy. Notable examples include GC Green Cross's 'Baekcho Syrup Plus,' Donghwa Pharmaceutical's 'Kkomahwal-myeongsu,' and Donga Pharmaceutical's 'Benachio Kids,' all of which are herbal-based children's digestive medicines.
Even within the same herbal medicine formulations, there are differences in ingredients between adult and children's products. For example, unlike the adult digestive aid 'Kass Hwal Myeong Su,' 'Kkomahwal Myeong Su' does not contain herbs such as capsaicin, menthol, or ginger root, which could be irritating to children.
Meanwhile, different products are recommended for children's digestive aids depending on the situation. In the case of Baekcho syrup Plus, which contains many cooling ingredients such as yellow root, coptis, and huang bai, it is best used for diarrhea accompanied by fever, such as when eating spoiled food or experiencing water loss (traveler's diarrhea) during travel. On the other hand, Kkomahwal-myeong-su or Benachio Kids, which contain warm ingredients such as cinnamon, ginseng, nutmeg, and coltsfoot, are better suited for symptoms like loose stools after eating cold foods or when hands and feet become cold and the face turns pale.
If a child's symptoms do not improve even after taking a children's digestive medicine, a visit to the hospital is necessary to determine the exact cause of the illness. Usually, the instructions for children's digestive medicines indicate that if symptoms do not improve after several days of use, a hospital visit is recommended. However, if there is no improvement within 1 to 2 days, it is better to seek medical attention quickly rather than continuing to give the medication. This is because children are at a higher risk of severe complications from acute illnesses such as enteritis or indigestion compared to adults. Baek Young-sook, a medical director, said, "Children's organs are not fully mature compared to adults," and "If symptoms do not improve after a day or two of medication, it is best to take the child to the hospital quickly."
You may need to go to the hospital again, but if you cannot go to the hospital like on weekends, you can try various methods including dietary adjustments. Pharmacist Hwang Eun-kyung from Ogeori Pharmacy said, "First, examine what disease is accompanied by indigestion and check whether that condition has worsened," and "It is also necessary to review the foods consumed so far." Afterwards, it is recommended to avoid cold and greasy foods, flour-based foods, ice cream, fast food, etc., and to feed the child small amounts of warm, bland, and soft foods like porridge frequently. If the child's vomiting is severe, giving an additional dose of an adult digestive medicine containing simethicone in proportion to the child's dose can be helpful. If there is diarrhea, administering a suspension containing smectite on an empty stomach is also acceptable. In case of dehydration due to frequent diarrhea, it is good to replenish fluids with warm barley tea, plum tea, or sugar water. Additionally, massaging the child's abdomen clockwise, which is the direction of intestinal movement, or using hot packs to warm the abdomen can also be helpful. However, care should be taken to avoid tearing the skin, as this can cause tissue damage or bacterial infection.
Meanwhile, when children experience indigestion, they often have mild or high fever, leading to concerns about whether to take antipyretic and analgesic medications (such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, dexibuprofen, etc.) together. In this case, taking digestive aids and antipyretic and analgesic medications simultaneously generally does not cause significant problems. Pharmacist Hwang Eun-kyung said, "Since herbal digestive aids are not taken long-term, there is no need to worry about interactions with antipyretic and analgesic medications." If a child with indigestion has a fever and is given an antipyretic and analgesic, it is better to choose an acetaminophen-based medication that does not cause severe gastrointestinal disturbances.
If a child frequently experiences indigestion, taking digestive medicine may not be the solution. Enteritis ultimately means that bacteria or viruses frequently invade the intestines, and in this case, the child's immune system may be weakened, so considering ways to boost immunity could be an alternative. Academic Director Baek Young-sook said, "If a child often suffers from enteritis or indigestion, it is also recommended to administer immune boosters or probiotic preparations," and added, "If symptoms are severe, it is best to visit a hospital to identify the proper cause."