Tylenol for Cranky Babies? Call Your Pediatrician First

Question: As a mother of a 5-month-old, I need advice on liquid Tylenol. Is there any danger in using it when my baby isn’t sick, but very cranky?

I know you shouldn’t give aspirin to children, but I thought Tylenol would be all right.

Answer: In general we caution against giving medicine to anyone who isn’t ill. This is especially true for babies, who may not be able to eliminate drugs as efficiently as adults.

The maker of Tylenol (acetaminophen) suggests that its medication should be given to children under 2 years old only after a doctor has been consulted. If your baby is cranky, he may be teething, and Tylenol would be appropriate. But please check with your pediatrician to make sure nothing else is wrong.

Q: My mother’s doctor wants her to get Vitamin B-12 shots every month for extra energy. She lives in a rural area, and it is hard for her to make the long drive to his office that often.

I noticed Vitamin B-12 tablets in the pharmacy and asked him why she couldn’t take them instead. He said they wouldn’t work.

A: There is some doubt among scientists that Vitamin B-12 will provide extra energy or anything else unless a person is actually deficient.

Doctors used to be taught that Vitamin B-12 pills were only for strict vegetarians who might not be getting enough of this vitamin in their diets. Other people who needed Vitamin B-12 supplementation were given shots, on the theory that they could not absorb the vitamin from the stomach.

A reevaluation of this theory suggests, however, that many of those who need extra Vitamin B-12 can get enough from pills (JAMA, Jan. 2, 1991). Even though the vitamins are available without a prescription, dose and effectiveness need to be monitored by a doctor.

Q: I have taken Cardizem for hypertension for about five months now. It seems that my legs have started feeling numb and hurting below the knees since I began taking it. Can Cardizem cause a loss of feeling in the legs and feet?

A: Cardizem (diltiazem) is usually well tolerated, but it occasionally affects nerves and may cause numbness and tingling. We’ve not heard of anyone losing sensation in their feet though, so you should talk to your doctor about this reaction. He may wish to try another blood pressure drug to see if the numbness disappears.