simethicone
Patient Counselling
Patient Counselling
- Simethicone drops are generally given after feedings to infants unless told otherwise by a doctor
- Make sure you shake the liquid well before use.
- The drops may be added to 2 to 3 teaspoons (10 to 15 ml) of baby formula or breast milk or it can be given directly from the dropper. If given from the dropper, slowly put the drops into the infant’s mouth, toward the inner cheek.
- The usual dosage for infants is 10-20 mg (0.25-0.50 ml), not to exceed a maximum of 6 ml per 24 hours.
- It is helpful to keep a colic diary to note how long the infant’s crying spell goes on for, other signs such as an arched back, and measures on how the parent soothed the baby. This will allow the caregiver to see if there are any patterns in their baby`s fussiness and it can give them a sense of control of the situation.
- Make sure the caregiver is aware of red flags such as development of fever, vomiting/spitting up a lot of milk/formula, difficulty breathing, and crying for 3 hours without stopping. The pharmacist should also tell the caregiver to monitor for symptoms such as excessive crying, caregiver anxiety, infant agitation or inability to fall sleep and refusal to eat or excessive fussiness after eating.