If Your child has G6PD Deficiency....

There are certain precautions that must be taken for the rest of his life:

1. At every visit, tell the doctor or dentist that your child has G6PD deficiency
2. Don't use mothballs on clothes and bedding
3. Don't give your child any traditional medicines such as certain herbs and beans such as san zi zi, fava beans (bian dou or kacang parang) and chuan lian (banned in Singapore)
4. Remind the bdoctor that your child has G6PD deficiency if any of certain western medicines are prescribed for him
5. Don't buy any medicines yourself from a pharmacy for your child without consulting a doctor

This is a list of the more common medicines to avoid. please consult your family doctor for information on other medicines;

Antipyretics (for treating fever):
Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid)
Phenacetin (acetophenetidin)
Acetanilid
Antipyrine
Aminopyrine

Antibiotics (for treating infection):
Nitrofurantoin (furadantin)
Furazolidone
Nitro Furazone
Sulfisoxazole (Gantrisin)
Sulphamethoxazole
Sulphamethoxy pyridine
Sulphanilamide

Antimalarials (for preventing malaria):
Primaquine
Pamaquine
Pentaquine
Quinine
Chloroqiune

Others:
Nalidixic acid
Phenylhydrazine
probebecid
Vitamin K3

• Chemicals in mothballs, certain medicines, herbs and beans make the red blood cells break down in people with G6PD deficiency.
• Breastfeeding mothers should not take any of the above too as the chemicals can reach the baby through breast milk.

Health Promotion Board, Singapore.
www.hpb.gov.sg/www.healthylife.org.sg