Category: General Medical

If you are suffering from loss of hearing or perhaps one or both of your ears are itching or aching despite having tried out everything you possibly could to improve and resolve the symptoms, then you have a buildup of earwax that should be treated by a professional.

Good news is, here at Warwick Pharmacy, we are now offering Microsuction Ear Wax Removal Service by our expert and professionally trained pharmacists.

Why Microsuction?

Microsuction is the most modern, advanced, safest, and pain-free form of ear wax removal. It is the most effective and safest form of earwax removal as it avoids touching the sensitive area around the ear canal and avoids contact with the eardrum.

This method does not use high pressure water suction as seen with a syringing technique, therefore allowing it to be the safest, fastest and cleanest method of Ear Wax Removal.

What is the Procedure?

We strongly advise our patients to apply one to two drops of olive oil into their affected ear/s, for at least 5 days prior to but not on the day of the treatment.

We will take a comprehensive medical history of the patient on the day of the appointment to ensure patient’s safety.

After a microscopic examination of the inner ear canals and ear drums, the Pharmacist will use a low pressure suction probe in order to gently and safely remove earwax. The Pharmacist will wear a pair of illuminated microscopes, namely ‘loupes’, and air will be heard rushing through the suction wand during the procedure. There may be an occasional mild ‘pop’ as the wax is sucked through the probe. Generally, the appointment will be painless resulting the patient with better hearing and healthy ears!

Treatment Prices

• Consultation fee (no wax): £20
• Microsuction For One Ear: £40
• Microsuction For Both Ears: £60

Walk in Service for consultation is available at the Pharmacy. You can Also Book Online Here or just give us a call or send us an email to book an appointment.

Book Online Now

Please Select the Service, Pick a date and time slot for an appointment. Note that, Payment will be collected at the pharmacy on the day of the appointment.

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Buy Asthma Inhalers straight from your pharmacist

Your Pharmacist is now qualified to sell you a salbutamol (blue) asthama inhaler after a short consultation in the private consultation room.

This is not an NHS service and you will be required to pay for the inhaler, but there is no need for an appointment and provided you are suitable for the product you can leave with it straight away.

Salbutamol (sal-bue-tar-moll) is a medicine which is used in asthma and bronchospasm.

The information in this Medicine Guide for salbutamol varies according to the condition being treated and the particular preparation used.

Your medicine

In breathing disorders, Salbutamol relaxes muscles in the air passages of the lungs. It helps to keep the airways open, making it easier to breathe.

Inhaled preparations of Salbutamol are fast acting. They can make your breathing easier and relieve bronchospasm within minutes.

Always have your inhaler with you in case you need it. Ask your prescriber or nurse for advice on what to do if you have an asthma attack.

You can use Salbutamol to prevent asthma attacks caused by triggers such as house dust, pollen, cats, dogs and exercise.

When you are having an asthma attack you should use a fast acting preparation of Salbutamol as directed by your prescriber. If your normal inhaled dose of Salbutamol does not give you the same amount of relief then you should contact your prescriber for more advice. They may want you to have additional treatment.

You need to use Salbutamol as prescribed in order to get the best results from using it. The pharmacy label will tell you how much you should take.

Other information about Salbutamol:

• in certain situations your prescriber may advise you to use a higher dose of your medicine than normal
• Do not share your medicine with other people. It may not be suitable for them and may harm them.
• The pharmacy label on your medicine tells you how much medicine you should use. It also tells you how often you should use your medicine. This is the dose that you and your prescriber have agreed you should use. You should not change the dose of your medicine unless you are told to do so by your prescriber.
• If you feel that the medicine is making you unwell or you do not think it is working, then talk to your prescriber.

Whether this medicine is suitable for you

Salbutamol is not suitable for everyone and some people should never use it. Other people should only use it with special care. It is important that the person prescribing this medicine knows your full medical history.

Your prescriber may only prescribe this medicine with special care or may not prescribe it at all if you:

are allergic or sensitive to or have had a reaction to any of the ingredients in the medicine
have a low level of oxygen in the blood
have heartdisease
have thyrotoxicosis
Furthermore the prescriber may only prescribe this medicine with special care or may not prescribe it at all for a child under four years of age.

As part of the process of assessing suitability to take this medicine a prescriber may also arrange tests:

to check that this medicine is not having any undesired effects
Over time it is possible that Salbutamol can become unsuitable for some people, or they may become unsuitable for it. If at any time it appears that Salbutamol has become unsuitable, it is important that the prescriber is contacted immediately.

Bedwetting is common and often runs in families. It can be upsetting, but most children and young people will grow out of it. See a GP or school nurse for advice.

Things you can do at home to help with bedwetting

Do

• give your child enough water to drink during the day
• make sure your child goes to the toilet regularly, around 4 to 7 times a day, including just before bedtime
• agree with your child on rewards for positive actions, such as a sticker for every time they use the toilet before bed
• use waterproof covers on their mattress and duvet
• make sure they have easy access to a toilet at night

Don’t

• do not punish your child – it is not their fault and can make bedwetting worse
• do not give your child drinks containing caffeine, such as cola, tea and coffee – this can make them pee more
• do not regularly wake or carry your child in the night to use the toilet – this will not help in the long term

Bedwetting in young children is normal

Many children under the age of 5 wet the bed.

It can take some time for a child to learn to stay dry throughout the night.

Non-urgent advice:

See a GP if:

• you’ve tried things you can do at home and your child keeps wetting the bed
• your child has started wetting the bed again after being dry for more than 6 months

Treatments from a GP

The GP will be able to suggest other options such as:

• a bedwetting alarm
• medicine to reduce how much pee your child makes at night

The GP will check if treatment is helping. They’ll also be able to offer support if you are finding it hard to cope.

If these treatments do not work, your child may be referred to a specialist.

Causes of bedwetting

There are many reasons why a child might wet the bed. Causes include:

• not feeling the need to pee while sleeping
• making too much pee at night
• stress at home or at school

Bedwetting may also be caused by an underlying health condition such as diabetes or constipation.

How to choose a blood pressure monitor and measure your blood pressure at home

Find out how to choose a reliable blood pressure monitor so you can measure your blood pressure at home.

What is a normal blood pressure reading?

A normal blood pressure reading is below 140/90, but if you have heart or circulatory disease, diabetes or kidney disease, your blood pressure should ideally be less than 130/80.

If you want to monitor your blood pressureat home, it can be a good idea to get a blood pressure machine that lets you keep a track of your blood pressure readings at times that are suitable for you, in the comfort of your own home.

How to choose a home blood pressure monitor

If you decide to take your blood pressure at home, you will need to get a home blood pressure monitor. There is a wide range of home blood pressure monitors available, but it is important to be sure that the blood pressure monitor you choose is accurate and the right one for you.

• Ask your doctor: If your doctor asks you to measure your blood pressure at home or to wear an ambulatory blood pressure monitor in order to diagnose hypertension, they will provide a monitor that you can borrow for a set period of time.
• Buy a monitor with an upper cuff: If you are buying a home blood pressure monitor, choose one that measures your blood pressure at your upper arm, not your wrist or finger. The cheapest ones start from £10 and are available in most local pharmacies and larger supermarkets.
• Make sure the cuff is the right size for your arm: Make sure you have the right cuff size for your arm. It should wrap snugly around your upper arm, with just enough space to slide two fingertips underneath. Most home blood pressure monitors will come with a medium-sized cuff. If your upper arm is particularly larger or smaller than average, you may need to buy a different sized cuff separately.
• Make sure it’s UK approved: If you are buying a blood pressure monitor, make sure it is approved for use in the UK. To make sure your monitor is accurate, choose one that has been listed as validated for accuracy by the British and Irish Hypertension Society (BIHS). This means that the digital monitor has gone through a series of tests to make sure it gives results that you and your doctor can trust.
• Make sure you get it serviced  every 2 years: It needs to be regularly serviced and calibrated to make sure it is accurate – generally, at least once every two years. This usually involves sending it back to the manufacturer, who will probably charge a fee for this. If this option is too complicated or expensive it may be easier and cheaper to buy a new monitor.

See a list of monitors validated by the British and Irish Hypertension society.

Some monitors will have a memory to store your readings. These may cost more than more basic versions, but recording your measurements on a pen and paper will work just as well.

How to check your blood pressure using a blood pressure machine

1. In order for it to be an accurate reading it’s important that you’re resting and that you’re not feeling anxious or stressed.
2. Sit upright in a chair, your back against the back of the chair, and place your feet flat on the floor.
3. Rest your arm on a table if you have one and just make sure your hand and arm are relaxed on the table. It’s important that you don’t clench your fist when you’re taking your blood pressure.
4. Place the cuff over your upper arm and tighten the cuff over your arm, making sure you can fit two fingers underneath the cuff. You want the cuff to be over the upper part of your arm with the tubing leading down the centre or slightly to the right of your arm.
5. When you check your blood pressure, don’t talk and just relax. Press the on button, and then press the start button.
6. You’ll feel the cuff inflate quite rapidly. It may temporarily be a bit tender or uncomfortable for,  as the cuff inflates and deflates automatically, but this will only be for a short period of time. If it is too tender/uncomfortable you can just press the ‘Stop’ button and the cuff will instantly deflate.
7. Once you get your reading, make a note of the reading. Some blood pressure machines now come with a printer. This allows you to stick your print outs in your diary.
8. A few minutes after you’ve taken your blood pressure, it’s a good idea to check it again, to make sure the readings are similar and accurate.
9. If you’ve been asked by your GP or nurse to check your blood pressure, take it twice a day – morning and evening – and then make an appointment to see him or her to discuss the results.

You can often treat the flu without seeing a GP and should begin to feel better in about a week.

Check if you have flu

Flu symptoms come on very quickly and can include:

• a sudden fever – a temperature of 38C or above
• an aching body
• feeling tired or exhausted
• a dry cough
• a sore throat
• a headache
• difficulty sleeping
• loss of appetite
• diarrhoea or tummy pain
• feeling sick and being sick

The symptoms are similar for children, but they can also get pain in their ear and appear less active.

Telling the difference between cold and flu

How to treat flu yourself

To help you get better more quickly:

• rest and sleep
• keep warm
• take paracetamol or ibuprofen to lower your temperature and treat aches and pains
• drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration (your pee should be light yellow or clear)

Information:

If you have a high temperature or a new, continuous cough, it could be coronavirus.

Stay at home and use the 111 coronavirus service to find out what to do.

A pharmacist can help with flu

A pharmacist can give treatment advice and recommend flu remedies.

Be careful not to use flu remedies if you’re taking paracetamol and ibuprofen tablets as it’s easy to take more than the recommended dose.

Information:

Do not go to a pharmacy if you have a high temperature or a new, continuous cough, it could be coronavirus. Ask someone to go for you if you can.

Antibiotics

GPs do not recommend antibiotics for flu because they will not relieve your symptoms or speed up your recovery.

Immediate action required:

Call 999 or go to A&E if you:

• develop sudden chest pain
• have difficulty breathing
• start coughing up blood

How to avoid spreading the flu

Flu is very infectious and easily spread to other people. You’re more likely to give it to others in the first 5 days.

Flu is spread by germs from coughs and sneezes, which can live on hands and surfaces for 24 hours.

To reduce the risk of spreading flu:

• wash your hands often with warm water and soap
• use tissues to trap germs when you cough or sneeze
• bin used tissues as quickly as possible

How to prevent flu

The flu vaccine reduces the risk of catching flu, as well as spreading it to others.

It’s more effective to get the vaccine before the start of the flu season (December to March).

Find out if you’re eligible for the free NHS flu vaccine

Flu vaccination and side effects for adults

Flu vaccination and side effects for children

Cold sores are common and usually clear up on their own within 10 days. But there are things you can do to help ease the pain.

Check if it’s a cold sore

A cold sore usually starts with a tingling, itching or burning feeling.

Over the next 48 hours:

Small fluid-filled blisters appear.

The blisters can appear anywhere on the face.

The blisters burst and crust over into a scab.

Cold sores should start to heal within 10 days, but are contagious and may be irritating or painful while they heal.

Some people find that certain things trigger a cold sore, such as another illness, sunshine or periods.

When it’s not a cold sore

How long cold sores are contagious

Cold sores are contagious from the moment you first feel tingling or other signs of a cold sore coming on to when the cold sore has completely healed.

A pharmacist can help with cold sores

A pharmacist can recommend:

• creams to ease pain and irritation
• antiviral creams to speed up healing time
• cold sore patches to protect the skin while it heals

You can buy electronic devices from pharmacies that treat cold sores with light or lasers.

Some people find these helpful, but there have not been many studies to find out if they work.

Information:

If you regularly get cold sores, use antiviral creams as soon as you recognise the early tingling feeling. They do not always work after blisters appear.

Things you can do yourself

Cold sores take time to heal and they’re very contagious, especially when the blisters burst.

Important

Do not kiss babies if you have a cold sore. It can lead to neonatal herpes, which is very dangerous to newborn babies.

Do

• eat cool, soft foods
• wash your hands with soap and water before and after applying cream
• avoid anything that triggers your cold sores
• use sunblock lip balm (SPF 15 or above) if sunshine is the trigger
• take paracetamol or ibuprofen to ease pain and swelling (liquid paracetamol is available for children) – do not give aspirin to children under 16
• drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration

Don’t

• do not kiss anyone while you have a cold sore
• do not share anything that comes into contact with a cold sore (such as cold sore creams, cutlery or lipstick)
• do not have oral sex until your cold sore completely heals – the cold sore virus also causes genital herpes
• do not touch your cold sore (apart from applying cream)
• do not rub cream into the cold sore – dab it on instead
• do not eat acidic or salty food

See a GP if:

• the cold sore has not started to heal within 10 days
• you’re worried about a cold sore or think it’s something else
• the cold sore is very large or painful
• you or your child also have swollen, painful gums and sores in the mouth (gingivostomatitis)
• you’re pregnant – there’s an increased risk of neonatal herpes
• you have a weakened immune system – for example, because of chemotherapy or diabetes

Treatment from a GP

A GP may prescribe antiviral tablets if your cold sores are very large, painful or keep coming back.

Newborn babies, pregnant women and people with a weakened immune system may be referred to hospital for advice or treatment.

Why cold sores come back

Cold sores are caused by a virus called herpes simplex.

Once you have the virus, it stays in your skin for the rest of your life. Sometimes it causes a cold sore.

Most people are exposed to the virus when they’re young after close contact with someone who has a cold sore.

It does not usually cause any symptoms until you’re older. You will not know if it’s in your skin unless you get a cold sore.

Constipation is common and it affects people of all ages. You can usually treat it at home with simple changes to your diet and lifestyle.

Check if it’s constipation

It’s likely to be constipation if:

• you or your child have not had a poo at least 3 times in a week
• the poo is often difficult to push out and larger than usual
• the poo is often dry, hard or lumpy

But it’s not unusual for a breastfeeding baby to go a week without having a poo.

You may also have a stomach ache and feel bloated or sick.

Things to look out for in babies and toddlers include:

• a lack of energy
• being irritable, angry or unhappy
• soiling their clothes
• being less hungry than usual
• a firm tummy

What causes constipation

Constipation in adults has many possible causes. Sometimes there’s no obvious reason.

The most common causes include:

• not eating enough fibre – such as fruit, vegetables and cereals
• not drinking enough fluids
• not moving enough and spending long periods sitting or lying in bed
• being less active and not exercising
• often ignoring the urge to go to the toilet
• changing your diet or daily routine
• a side effect of medicine
• stress, anxiety or depression

Constipation is also common during pregnancy and for 6 weeks after giving birth.

In much rarer cases, constipation may be caused by a medical condition.

Simple changes to your diet and lifestyle can help treat constipation.

It’s safe to try these simple measures when you’re pregnant.

You may notice a difference within a few days. Sometimes it takes a few weeks before your symptoms improve.

Make changes to your diet

To make your poo softer and easier to pass:

• drink plenty of fluids and avoid alcohol
• increase the fibre in your diet
• add some wheat bran, oats or linseed to your diet

Improve your toilet routine

Keep to a regular time and place and give yourself plenty of time to use the toilet.

Do not delay if you feel the urge to poo.

To make it easier to poo, try resting your feet on a low stool while going to the toilet. If possible, raise your knees above your hips.

Increase your activity

A daily walk or run can help you poo more regularly.

• Getting started with exercise
• Getting active with a disability or long-term condition
• Exercise during pregnancy

Babies and toddlers: what causes constipation

Constipation in babies and toddlers has many possible causes. Sometimes there’s no obvious reason.

It usually happens when your child:

• first starts taking formula or processed foods as a baby
• is being potty trained as a toddler
• has just started school

The most common causes include:

• not eating enough fibre – such as fruit, vegetables and cereals
• not drinking enough fluids
• poor potty training – such as feeling pressured or being regularly interrupted

In much rarer cases, constipation in babies and toddlers may be caused by a medical condition.

Babies and toddlers: treating constipation

Simple changes to your child’s diet and potty training can help treat constipation.

You may notice a difference within a few days.

Sometimes it takes a few weeks before their symptoms improve.

Make changes to your child’s diet

If your baby is formula-fed, you can offer them extra drinks of water between feeds.

Do not add more water to formula feeds.

Breastfed babies rarely get constipated. They do not need anything but breast milk for the first 6 months.

Try gently moving your baby’s legs in a bicycling motion or carefully massaging their tummy to help stimulate their bowels.

Give older children plenty of fluids and encourage them to eat fruit.

Chop or purée it if it’s easier for them to eat. The best fruits for constipation include apples, grapes, pears and strawberries.

Do not force your child to eat as this can make mealtimes stressful.

Find out what to feed young children.

Helping your child with potty training

Some children feel anxious or stressed about using the toilet. This can cause them to hold in their poo and lead to constipation.

This usually happens during potty training or if their usual toilet routine has changed. For example, after moving house or starting nursery.

Give your child plenty of time to use the toilet while they’re still learning.

Encourage them when they do use the toilet. Some parents find a reward chart works.

Try these potty training tips.

A pharmacist can help with constipation

Speak to a pharmacist if diet and lifestyle changes are not helping.

They can suggest a suitable laxative. These are medicines that help you poo more regularly.

Most laxatives work within 3 days. They should only be used for a short time.

Laxatives are not recommended for children unless they’re prescribed by a GP.

Complications of long-term constipation

Long-term constipation can lead to faecal impaction. This is where poo has built up in your rectum.

The main symptom is diarrhoea after a long bout of constipation.

Faecal impaction may be treated with:

• stronger laxatives – prescribed by a GP
• a suppository – medicine you place in your bottom
• a mini enema – where fluid is passed through your bottom, into your bowel
• a doctor removing some of the poo

A cough will usually clear up on its own within 3 to 4 weeks.

How you can treat a cough yourself

There’s usually no need to see a GP.

You should:

• rest
• drink plenty of fluids

You could also try:

• hot lemon and honey (not suitable for babies under 1 year old)
• a herbal medicine called pelargonium (suitable for people aged 12 or over)

There’s limited evidence to show these work.

How to make a hot lemon and honey drink

Hot lemon with honey has a similar effect to cough medicines.

Information:

If you have a high temperature or a new, continuous cough, it could be coronavirus.

Stay at home and use the 111 coronavirus service to find out what to do.

You can ask a pharmacist about:

• cough syrup
• cough medicine (some cough medicines should not be given to children under 12)
• cough sweets

These will not stop your cough, but will help you cough less.

Decongestants and cough medicines containing codeine will not stop your cough.

Information:

Do not go to a pharmacy if you have a high temperature or a new, continuous cough, it could be coronavirus. Ask someone to go for you if you can.

What happens at your appointment

To find out what’s causing your cough, your GP might:

• take a sample of any mucus you might be coughing up
• order an X-ray, allergy test, or a test to see how well your lungs work
• refer you to hospital to see a specialist, but this is very rare

Important

Antibiotics are not normally prescribed for coughs.

Your GP will only prescribe them if you need them – for example, if you have a bacterial infection or you’re at risk of complications.

What causes coughs

Most coughs are caused by a cold or flu.

Other causes include:

• smoking
• heartburn (acid reflux)
• allergies – for example, hay fever
• infections like bronchitis
• mucus dripping down the throat from the back of the nose

A cough is very rarely a sign of something serious like lung cancer.

Dehydration means your body loses more fluids than you take in. If it’s not treated, it can get worse and become a serious problem.

Important

Babies, children and the elderly are more at risk of dehydration.

Check if you’re dehydrated

Symptoms of dehydration in adults and children include:

• feeling thirsty
• dark yellow and strong-smelling pee
• feeling dizzy or lightheaded
• feeling tired
• a dry mouth, lips and eyes
• peeing little, and fewer than 4 times a day

Dehydration can happen more easily if you have:

• diabetes
• vomiting or diarrhoea
• been in the sun too long (heatstroke)
• drunk too much alcohol
• sweated too much after exercising
• a high temperature of 38C or more
• been taking medicines that make you pee more (diuretics)

How you can reduce the risk of dehydration

Drink fluids when you feel any dehydration symptoms.

If you find it hard to drink because you feel sick or have been sick, start with small sips and then gradually drink more.

You can use a spoon to make it easier for your child to swallow the fluids.

You should drink enough during the day so your pee is a pale clear colour.

Drink when there’s a higher risk of dehydrating. For example, if you’re vomiting, sweating or you have diarrhoea.

How to prevent dehydration

Dehydration means your body loses more fluids than you take in. If it isn’t treated it can get worse and become a serious problem.

Carers: making sure someone drinks enough

Sometimes people you care for do not have a sense of how much they’re drinking.

To help them:

• make sure they drink during mealtimes
• make drinking a social thing, like “having a cup of tea”
• offer them food with a high water content – for example, soups, ice cream or jellies, or fruits like melon

A pharmacist can help with dehydration

If you’re being sick or have diarrhoea and are losing too much fluid, you need to put back the sugar, salts and minerals that your body has lost.

Your pharmacist can recommend oral rehydration sachets. These are powders that you mix with water and then drink.

Ask your pharmacist which ones are right for you or your child.

Call 999 or go to A&E if:

• you’re feeling unusually tired
• you’re confused and disorientated
• any dizziness when you stand up does not go away
• you have not peed all day
• your pulse is weak or rapid
• you have fits (seizures)

These can be signs of serious dehydration that need urgent treatment.

Under-5s with dehydration

The under-5s should get plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.

It’s quite common for young children to become dehydrated. It can be serious if it’s not dealt with quickly.

Urgent advice:

Take your baby or child to the GP urgently or go to A&E if they:

• seem drowsy
• breathe fast
• have few or no tears when they cry
• have a soft spot on their head that sinks inwards (sunken fontanelle)
• have a dry mouth
• have dark yellow pee or have not had a pee in last 12 hours
• have cold and blotchy-looking hands and feet

Once the dehydration has been treated, your child will need to maintain their fluid levels.

GPs usually advise:

Do

• carry on breastfeeding or using formula – try to give small amounts more often than usual
• for babies on formula or solid foods – give them small sips of extra water
• give small children their usual diet
• give regular small sips of rehydration solution to replace lost fluids, salts and sugars – ask your pharmacist to recommend one

Don’t

• do not make formula weaker
• do not give young children fruit juice or fizzy drinks – it makes things like diarrhoea or vomiting worse

Diarrhoea and vomiting are common in adults, children and babies. They’re often caused by a stomach bug and should stop in a few days.

The advice is the same if you have diarrhoea and vomiting together or separately.

How to treat diarrhoea and vomiting yourself

You can usually treat yourself or your child at home. The most important thing is to have lots of fluids to avoid dehydration.

Do

• stay at home and get plenty of rest
• drink lots of fluids, such as water or squash – take small sips if you feel sick
• carry on breast or bottle feeding your baby – if they’re being sick, try giving small feeds more often than usual
• give babies on formula or solid foods small sips of water between feeds
• eat when you feel able to – you don’t need to eat or avoid any specific foods
• take paracetamol if you’re in discomfort – check the leaflet before giving it to your child

Don’t

• do not have fruit juice or fizzy drinks – they can make diarrhoea worse
• do not make baby formula weaker – use it at its usual strength
• do not give children under 12 medicine to stop diarrhoea
• do not give aspirin to children under 16

How long diarrhoea and vomiting last

In adults and children:

• diarrhoea usually stops within 5 to 7 days
• vomiting usually stops in 1 or 2 days

Diarrhoea and vomiting can spread easily

Important

Stay off school or work until you have not been sick or had diarrhoea for at least 2 days.

To help avoid spreading an infection:

Do

• wash your hands with soap and water frequently
• wash any clothing or bedding that has poo or vomit on it separately on a hot wash
• clean toilet seats, flush handles, taps, surfaces and door handles every day

Don’t

• do not prepare food for other people, if possible
• do not share towels, flannels, cutlery or utensils
• do not use a swimming pool until 2 weeks after the symptoms stop

A pharmacist can help if:

• you or your child (over 5 years) have signs of dehydration – such as dark, smelly pee or peeing less than usual
• you need to stop diarrhoea for a few hours

They may recommend:

• oral rehydration sachets you mix with water to make a drink
• medicine to stop diarrhoea for a few hours (like loperamide) – not suitable for children under 12