How to Take Care of Your Sick Family

Molina Healthcare 24 Hour Nurse Advice Line 1-888-275-8750 TTY: 1-800-688-4889 Molina Healthcare Línea de TeleSalud Disponible las 24 Horas 1-866-648-3537 TTY: 1-866-833-4703

Important Phone Numbers

24 Hour Línea de TeleSalud Nurse Advice Line Disponible las 24 Horas 1-888-275-8750 1-866-648-3537 TTY: 1-800-688-4889 TTY: 1-866-833-4703

Family: Neighbor: Other: 1 Table of Contents How to Take Care of Your Sick Family Introduction...... 2 Crying or Fussy Baby...... 4 Stomach Pain...... 5 Headache...... 8 Sore Throat...... 11 Cough and Cold...... 15 Painful Urination (Peeing)...... 20 Ear Pain...... 23 Vomiting (Throwing Up)...... 26 Fever...... 30 Diarrhea...... 34 Asthma or Trouble Breathing...... 40 Constipation...... 44 If you need this information in another language, large print, Braille, or in audio format please contact the number for Member Services on the back of your card. 2 3 Introduction help you decide if you or your family When your family does not feel well, you needs to see a health care want to help them provider. They can also let right away. This you know where your booklet gives you Provider’s office is. some quick tips on You can call our nurses 24 what you can do. hours a day, on any day. You should not use this booklet in place Nurse Advice Line La Línea de TeleSalud of what your health 1-888-275-8750 1-866-648-3537 care provider tells TTY: 1-800-688-4889 TTY: 1-866-833-4703 you. If you have problems with your After you talk to them, the nurses will health, be sure to see your health care call you back. They will do this to make Provider (or Primary Care Provider) for sure that you and your family are OK. treatment. When they call, you may ask them more questions if you have any. For questions about medicine or health concerns, you can call the Molina This booklet is to help you. It does not take Healthcare Nurse Advice Line. Our the place of your provider’s care. If you or nurses can talk to you. They are great at your family has an emergency, you should helping you choose what you can do to call your provider. Or, go to the nearest make your family feel better. They can emergency room. 4 5 Crying or Fussy Baby Stomach Pain What Causes Stomach Pain? There are a lot of Many things can cause things that can stomach pain. Some are: cause a baby to cry or be fussy. Here • Eating foods high in are some reasons: fat or sugar.

• Foods that have gone Stomach Pain bad. • Hunger. • Needs a diaper change. • Gas pains, constipation or diarrhea. • Diarrhea. • Teething. • An infection from somewhere else in • Fever. • Constipation. the body. • • Infection. • Cough and Cold. The flu or a bad cough. • • • An ulcer. This is a painful sore that can Ear Pain. Sore Throat. form in the stomach or intestines. You can call the Nurse Advice Line for • Stress and worry. help. You can call them 24 hours a day, on any day. What You May Notice • Diarrhea. • Pain in the belly area.

24 Hour Nurse Advice Line Línea de TeleSalud Disponible las 24 Horas 1-888-275-8750 TTY: 1-800-688-4889 1-866-648-3537 TTY: 1-866-833-4703 6 7 • Crying baby or child. Ways to Help You Feel Better • Sip clear fluids. You can drink water • Throwing up. or flat clear soda. To make a soda flat, open a can of clear soda (like “7-up”). • Your child Let all the bubbles go away (about 2 brings his or hours). her knees up to • You can also drink fruit juice mixed the stomach. with water. To do this, fill a glass half Stomach Pain • Your child way with water, and half way with lies down and juice. holds his or her stomach. • Do not eat greasy or fatty foods. Do not drink anything with caffeine in it, When is Stomach Pain a Problem? such as coffee or dark sodas like Coke. Most stomach pains are not a big problem • A warm towel or for adults or children. For the most part heating pad on the they will go away in a few hours. If you tummy can ease or your child has stomach pain, call the cramps. Nurse Advice Line. Our nurses can help • Do not drink you decide if you or your child needs to alcohol. see a health care provider. You can call our • Avoid cigarette nurses 24 hours a day, on any day. smoke.

24 Hour Nurse Advice Line Línea de TeleSalud Disponible las 24 Horas 1-888-275-8750 TTY: 1-800-688-4889 1-866-648-3537 TTY: 1-866-833-4703 8 9 Medicines to Help You Feel Better What You May Notice Adults and children should not take any • Pain above the eyes or around the drugs for stomach pain. Only do this if temples. your health care provider tells you to. Call • Nausea or vomiting. • Fever. the Nurse Advice Line for help. Do not • take aspirin or ibuprofen such as Motrin, Flashing lights, or lights may make Advil, Aleve or Naproxen. These drugs your headache worse. can hurt the stomach. When is a Headache a Problem? Headache Headaches are not usually a big problem Headache for adults or for kids. If the pain is very What Causes Headache? bad, or you or your child had an injury There are many types of to the head, you may need to see a health headaches. Usually it is care provider. Call the muscle tension. Some Nurse Advice Line. Our people get migraines, nurses can help you which can be severe. You decide if you or your can also get a headache child needs to see a when you have a cold health care provider. or flu. When a person You can call our nurses drinks caffeine a lot and 24 hours a day, on any then stops, this can also cause a headache. day. 24 Hour Nurse Advice Line Línea de TeleSalud Disponible las 24 Horas 1-888-275-8750 TTY: 1-800-688-4889 1-866-648-3537 TTY: 1-866-833-4703 10 11 Ways to Help You Feel Better • Do not take ibuprofen if you have • Put a cold wet washcloth or cold pack stomach problems or kidney disease. on the forehead for 20 minutes. Do not take ibuprofen if you are pregnant. Do not take acetaminophen • Rest in a dark quiet if you have liver disease. place. A nap can help relieve a mild • If your health care provider gave you migraine or headache. medicine for migraines, take it the way you were told as soon as it starts.

• Stretch and massage Sore Throat any tight muscles on Sore Throat the neck or shoulders. What Causes a Sore Throat? • Some people may get a headache when they need to eat. Most sore throats come with a cold. A stuffy or runny nose can Medicines to Help You Feel Better also cause throat pain. • You can take acetaminophen (Tylenol) Other causes of a sore every 4 to 6 hours. You can also take throat are an infection, ibuprofen (Advil & Motrin) every 6 to allergies, dry air, breathing 8 hours. Read the label for the dose. dirty air such as smoke, Or, you can call the Nurse Advice Line and yelling. It should go for help. away in 3 or 4 days.

24 Hour Nurse Advice Line Línea de TeleSalud Disponible las 24 Horas 1-888-275-8750 TTY: 1-800-688-4889 1-866-648-3537 TTY: 1-866-833-4703 12 13 What You May Notice Ways to Help You Feel Better • Pain when you swallow. • Get a lot of rest. • A red throat. • Drink a lot of • The throat has red, clear fluids to white, or yellow spots help the sore in it. throat. • A child that cries and does not want to • Stay away from smoke.

eat. Sore Throat • Your child tells you it is hard for him or • Sip warm drinks her to swallow food. and soup broth. • A child that pulls at his or her ears. • Avoid soda or citrus juices, like orange juice or lemonade. When is Sore Throat a Problem? • Children over 8 years old can gargle Sore throats usually go away when your with mouth wash or warm salt water. cold or allergies go away. But if it doesn’t, Do this 3 times a day. For salt water, you may need to see a health care provider. mix 1 teaspoon of salt in one cup of Call the Nurse Advice Line. Our nurses water. can help you decide if you or your child • Suck on hard candy. Or, suck on a needs to see a health care provider. You throat lozenge. You can buy these at can call our nurses 24 hours a day, on any the drug store. day. 24 Hour Nurse Advice Line Línea de TeleSalud Disponible las 24 Horas 1-888-275-8750 TTY: 1-800-688-4889 1-866-648-3537 TTY: 1-866-833-4703 14 15 Medicines to Help You Feel Better • Never take someone else’s drug. For most sore throats, you or your child • Do not use throat sprays sold in stores will not need drugs to make it go away. unless your health care provider tells Call the Nurse Advice Line if your child is you to. under 2 years old. Cough and Cold • To ease pain, you can take acetaminophen (Tylenol). But do not What Causes Cough and Cold? take acetaminophen if you have liver A ‘cold’ is an infection that can be in the Cold and Cough disease. nose, throat and ears. It is caused by a • Be sure to read the virus that an adult or a child can get from label to find out how others. much to take. Or, you • All colds are not the can call the Nurse same. Some are just Advice Line. runny noses with no • You can also take other problems. ibuprofen (Advil or • Other colds might need Motrin). Do not take ibuprofen if you a few days rest. Most have stomach problems. Do not take it colds last about a week. if you have kidney disease. Or, if you • There is no medicine an adult or a child are pregnant. can take to stop a cold.

24 Hour Nurse Advice Line Línea de TeleSalud Disponible las 24 Horas 1-888-275-8750 TTY: 1-800-688-4889 1-866-648-3537 TTY: 1-866-833-4703 16 17 What You May Notice • Blowing your nose can make it sore. • Sneezing. • Runny or stuffy nose. Use Vaseline (or a water soluble lubricant,)around the nose so it doesn’t • A cough. • Fever. get too dry. • Headache. • A fussy child. • Put one or two drops of warm water or salt water drops in your nose. This • Low energy or muscle aches. helps loosen up the dried mucus. Then When is Cough and Cold a Problem? blow your nose. • Cold and Cough Most colds get better on their own in Take a warm shower. The steam from the about a week. If your child has asthma shower will help and has a cough, call the Nurse Advice to clear your stuffy Line. If you have a cough and cold, take nose. your temperature. Do the same for your • If you are coughing child. Then call our nurses. They can help because of a “tickle” you 24 hours a day, on any in your throat or a dry throat, try to suck day. on a lollipop. Hard candy works too. Ways to Help You (Butterscotch seems to work best). • Avoid smoke. Feel Better Breathing in warm steam will help your • Get plenty of rest. Drink child too. How to make steam at home: lots of warm liquids and breathe in warm steam. 1. First, turn the shower on hot in your bathroom to make steam. 24 Hour Nurse Advice Line Línea de TeleSalud Disponible las 24 Horas 1-888-275-8750 TTY: 1-800-688-4889 1-866-648-3537 TTY: 1-866-833-4703 18 19 2. Close the door and window of the Medicines to Help You Feel Better bathroom. For Adults 3. Sit with your child in the steamy There are no drugs that will make colds go bathroom for about 15 minutes. away. But for adults, there are some over- 4. Do not put your child in hot water. the-counter (OTC) drugs that can help to • Some people like to soak their feet in make you feel better. warm water for 15 • A cough suppressant minutes. Make sure helps to calm your Cold and Cough the water is not too cough. This is good hot. You or your for dry coughs. Call child can get a hot our nurses if you need water burn if it is advice on a cough too hot. syrup. • Some Asian • For fever relief, take cultures may also acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen use “Coin Rubs” (Motrin & Advil). Call the Nurse Advice or “Cupping” on Line for help. Do not take ibuprofen if their child. If your you have stomach problems or kidney family does this, disease. Do not take ibuprofen if you are be sure to tell the pregnant. Do not take acetaminophen health care provider about it. if you have liver disease. 24 Hour Nurse Advice Line Línea de TeleSalud Disponible las 24 Horas 1-888-275-8750 TTY: 1-800-688-4889 1-866-648-3537 TTY: 1-866-833-4703 20 21 For Children What You May Notice No medicine will make colds go away. For • You need to go to the bathroom very children, it may hurt more than it helps. badly. But when you do go, only a few Be sure to talk to your health care provid- drops may come out. er, a pharmacist, or call the Nurse Advice • Urine that smells very strong. Line. • Urine may look cloudy or have blood in it. Painful Urination (Peeing) Urination Painful • What Causes Painful Fever or chills. Urination? • Nausea or vomiting. Painful urination (peeing) • Toilet trained children may wet the can be a sign of a Urinary bed at night. Tract Infection, or a UTI. When is Painful Urination a Problem? If an adult or a child holds If you or your child has painful urination in urine, it can cause a (peeing) or signs of a UTI, call the Nurse UTI. Painful urination Advice Line. Our nurses (peeing) can also be caused can help you decide if you by something that irritates the opening or your child needs to see a that leads to the bladder. An example is health care provider. You toilet paper or soaps that have a strong can call our nurses 24 hours scent. a day, on any day. 24 Hour Nurse Advice Line Línea de TeleSalud Disponible las 24 Horas 1-888-275-8750 TTY: 1-800-688-4889 1-866-648-3537 TTY: 1-866-833-4703 22 23 Ways to Help You Feel Better Ear Pain • Drink extra fluids. Drink Cranberry What Causes Ear Pain? juice. If you take certain drugs or have diabetes, you may not be able to drink Many times the ear hurts cranberry juice. Ask your health care because your nose is provider or the Nurse Advice Line for stuffy. Fluid behind the help. ear drum can cause ear • Wear cotton underwear. pain. The ear canal may • also be sore. Sometimes this is because of Do not hold in your pee an ear infection. Pain Ear for a long time. Go to the bathroom when you What You May Notice need to. • Make sure to empty the • A fever. • A loss of balance bladder all the way. • Adults and children may not hear as • Women and girls should well as before. You may sit closer to wipe from the front to back after they the TV than before. use the bathroom. • A fussy child. Medicines to Help You Feel Better • Your child pulls, pokes, or rubs the If you or your child has a UTI you may ear. need medicine. Call the Nurse Advice • He or she has a hard time sleeping. Line. 24 Hour Nurse Advice Line Línea de TeleSalud Disponible las 24 Horas 1-888-275-8750 TTY: 1-800-688-4889 1-866-648-3537 TTY: 1-866-833-4703 24 25 • Your child does not want to eat. • Put a warm pack or a warm washcloth • on the outer ear Your child tells you his or her ear for 20 minutes. hurts. This helps with the When is Ear Pain a Problem? pain. You or your child may • Only use ear drops have an infection. that your health There is usually a fever care provider orders. Do not use at the same time. Or, ear drops if you are going to see a there might be some- health care provider today. Pain Ear thing stuck in the ear. If you or your child has Medicines to Help You Feel Better signs of ear pain, call • Adults can take acetaminophen the Nurse Advice Line. Our nurses can (Tylenol) every 4 to 6 hours. You can help you decide if you or your child needs also take ibuprofen (Advil & Motrin) to see a health care provider. You can call every 6 to 8 hours. Read the label to our nurses 24 hours a day, on any day. find out how much to take. Or, you can call the Nurse Advice Line for help. Ways to Help You Feel Better • Do not take ibuprofen if you have • Do not put cotton or other things in stomach problems or kidney disease. the ear. Do not use Q-Tips. Do not take ibuprofen if you are 24 Hour Nurse Advice Line Línea de TeleSalud Disponible las 24 Horas 1-888-275-8750 TTY: 1-800-688-4889 1-866-648-3537 TTY: 1-866-833-4703 26 27 pregnant. Do not take acetaminophen • Ear problems or infections. if you have liver disease. • Motion sickness. • You can give your child • Anxiety or stress. acetaminophen (Tylenol). • Or, you can give your A cough. A cough child ibuprofen (Motrin can tickle the gag or Advil). Read the label reflex. This can cause to find out how much to you or your child to throw up.

give your child. Call the Vomiting Nurse Advice Line if you • Eating meat or fish need help. If your child is under 2 years that is not cooked well enough. Eating old, ask the nurses before you give him food that has gone bad. This is also or her any medicines. known as food poisoning. • Never give aspirin to a person under 21 • Side effects from some medicine. years old. • A bad headache or migraine.

Vomiting (Throwing Up) What You May Notice What Causes Vomiting? • Nausea and/or fever. Common causes are: • Diarrhea and stomach pains. • Eating too much. Or, eating too many • sweets or junk food. Babies may spit up small bits of food or 24 Hour Nurse Advice Line Línea de TeleSalud Disponible las 24 Horas 1-888-275-8750 TTY: 1-800-688-4889 1-866-648-3537 TTY: 1-866-833-4703 28 29 fluid during or after being fed. This is Ways to Help You Feel Better not throwing up. • Let the stomach rest. Do not eat or When is Vomiting a Problem? drink anything for 2 hours. Throwing up can make the body lose a lot • Drink small amounts of of water. This is called dehydration. An clear liquids or eat ice adult who is awake, feels well, and who is chips to stop water loss. Drink small amounts of not thirsty or dizzy is not dehydrated. A all fluids more often. child who is awake, happy, and playful is not dehydrated. To find out the signs of • Adults can drink Vomiting dehydration, or water loss, turn to the sec- fluids like Gatorade or Powerade. Mix it with tion on Diarrhea on page 35. water. If you or your child is vomiting (throw- • Children can drink Pedialyte or eat ing up) or has signs of dehydration (water popsicles. loss), call the Nurse Advice • Adults and children can also drink Line. Our nurses can help clear soda (like “Sprite”). Let it stand you decide if you or your on a table for 2 hours so the soda “goes child needs to see a health flat.” care provider. You can call • For children of any age who wear our nurses 24 hours a day, diapers, write down what time your on any day. child had his or her last wet diaper. A

24 Hour Nurse Advice Line Línea de TeleSalud Disponible las 24 Horas 1-888-275-8750 TTY: 1-800-688-4889 1-866-648-3537 TTY: 1-866-833-4703 30 31 wet diaper every 4 hours means he or Take your temperature or your child’s with she is not dehydrated. a thermometer if you have one. If you do not know Medicines to Help You Feel Better how to use one, or do not You or your child should not take any have one, call our nurses. drugs if throwing up. Call our nurses for What You May Notice advice. • Muscle aches. Fever • Headache.

What Causes a Fever? • Chills or shakes. • Fast heart beat. Fever A fever is not an illness. • Moist, wet, sweaty, or sticky skin. It is the way the body • Feeling light headed. reacts to being sick or • hurt. A fever can be Feeling weak, you don’t want to eat or drink. caused by an infection from a virus. These • Feeling sick to your stomach. fevers last for 2-3 days. • Children and babies may be fussy. Some shots or immuni- When is Fever a Problem? zations can also cause a fever. These fevers go away in about 24 hours. If you or your child has a fever, call the Nurse Advice Line. Our nurses can help 24 Hour Nurse Advice Line Línea de TeleSalud Disponible las 24 Horas 1-888-275-8750 TTY: 1-800-688-4889 1-866-648-3537 TTY: 1-866-833-4703 32 33 you decide if you or your child needs to Medicines to Help You Feel Better see a health care provider. You can call our • For fevers over nurses 24 hours a day, on any day. 101 degrees F Ways to Help You Feel Better you can take acetaminophen • Make sure to drink a lot of fluids. (Tylenol). Or, you • Dress in one layer of can take ibuprofen light clothes. Sleep (Advil or Motrin). with one light blanket. • Read the label to • Take a lukewarm find how much to Fever shower for 10 minutes. take or to give your child. If your child Children and babies can is less than 2 years old, call our nurses take a lukewarm bath. for help. Make sure the water • Do not take ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) is not too hot or too cold. Lukewarm if you have stomach problems. Do not water should be warm enough that it take it if you have kidney disease or are does not make you shiver or shake. pregnant. Do not take acetaminophen You should tell your health care provider (Tylenol) if you have liver disease. if your family uses “coining,” “cupping,” • Never give aspirin to a person less than “pinching,” or acupuncture. 21 years old.

24 Hour Nurse Advice Line Línea de TeleSalud Disponible las 24 Horas 1-888-275-8750 TTY: 1-800-688-4889 1-866-648-3537 TTY: 1-866-833-4703 34 35 Diarrhea When is Diarrhea a Problem? What Causes Diarrhea? Call our Nurse Advice Line if diarrhea lasts Diarrhea is often caused by: more than 3 days. • A cold, the flu or other Diarrhea can cause sickness. dehydration if the body • An infection. loses too much water. An adult who is awake, • Eating too many sweets.

feels well, and who is not Diarrhea • Eating fish or meat that is not cooked thirsty or dizzy is not dehydrated. A child well enough or is still raw. who is awake, happy, and playful is not • Some medicines dehydrated. Children and babies can get diarrhea when Signs of Dehydration (Water Loss) they are under stress. Babies sometimes For Adults get diarrhea when they are teething. • You feel thirsty and have very little What You May Notice urine or pee all day. Urine may be dark • Watery stools. • Fever. yellow. • • Not wanting to eat. Light headed when you stand up. • • Cramps or stomach pain. Fast and deep breaths. 24 Hour Nurse Advice Line Línea de TeleSalud Disponible las 24 Horas 1-888-275-8750 TTY: 1-800-688-4889 1-866-648-3537 TTY: 1-866-833-4703 36 37 For Children If you or your child has diarrhea call the • Child is very Nurse Advice Line. Our nurses can help thirsty. Babies you decide if you or your child needs to may be fussy, and see a health care provider right away. You quick to drink can call our nurses 24 hours a day, on any when given fluid. day. • Child has a dry Ways to Help You Feel Better mouth and very For Adults little urine or pee Diarrhea all day. His or her • Drink plenty of pee may be dark yellow. fluids to • help stop water Child or baby does not have tears when loss. he or she cries. • • Soup broth can Baby has less than 4 wet diapers in a also help. Try day. Or, baby is less than 6 months old to sip chicken and goes 6 hours without a wet diaper. broth. • Child is very sleepy and is hard to wake • Avoid caffeine. up. • Eat bananas, rice, • Child has a very fast heart beat. applesauce, toast or crackers.

24 Hour Nurse Advice Line Línea de TeleSalud Disponible las 24 Horas 1-888-275-8750 TTY: 1-800-688-4889 1-866-648-3537 TTY: 1-866-833-4703 38 39 • DO NOT eat food with a lot of child Gatorade mixed with water. Fill sugar and fat. These foods can make a glass half with water and half with diarrhea worse. Stay away from: Gatorade. »»Ice cream. »»Gummy candy. • Try giving your child »» »» bananas, rice, Pudding. Fried foods. applesauce, toast or »»Dairy foods like cheese, yogurt, or crackers in small milk (for 2 days). amounts. • Put a warm towel or heating pad on the • It is ok to give your tummy. This can help ease cramps. baby breast milk or Diarrhea For Children Over 1 Year Old formula. • Make sure your Medicines to Help You Feel Better child drinks a lot For Adults of fluid to help stop • Adults can take medicine such as Pepto water loss. Have Bismol. Do not take more than directed your child drink on the package. Do not take this drug small amounts of for over two days. clear fluids. • Adults can also take Imodium AD. • Kids can drink But do not use this drug if you have a Pedialyte or suck fever over 100 degrees F. Do not use it popsicles. Or, you can give your if there is blood or mucus in the stool. 24 Hour Nurse Advice Line Línea de TeleSalud Disponible las 24 Horas 1-888-275-8750 TTY: 1-800-688-4889 1-866-648-3537 TTY: 1-866-833-4703 40 41 Do not use it for over two days. • Feather pillows. • Read the label to find out how much • Being sick (cold or flu). to take. Or call the Nurse Advice Line • for help. Exercise (for some people). • Strong feelings (crying or anger). For Children What You May Notice Do not give your child any medicines. • A cough. • Wheezing. Talk to a health care provider first. Or call our nurses for help. Do not use any left- • Breathing fast. over prescription creams. • You feel short of breath. Asthma Asthma or Trouble Breathing • Skin between the ribs sucks in with breathing or crying. What Causes Asthma or Trouble Breathing? When is Asthma or Trouble Breathing a Problem? • Pets, or if there is pollen in the air. Asthma attacks are • scary. Call the Nurse A quick change in the Advice Line. Our weather. nurses will talk to you • Cigarette smoke, to see if you can use dust, pollution. the medicines you

24 Hour Nurse Advice Line Línea de TeleSalud Disponible las 24 Horas 1-888-275-8750 TTY: 1-800-688-4889 1-866-648-3537 TTY: 1-866-833-4703 42 43 have at home. You may need more help • Stay indoors and do not exercise if the outside your home. If you can, get the air is dusty or smoky. medicines you use and have them by you when you call. If you don’t have them, call Medicines to Help You Feel Better anyway. Start you or your child’s quick-relief asth- You can call our nurses 24 hours a day, on ma medicine (inhaler or nebulizer). Do any day. this at the first sign of coughing or short- ness of breath. Take it as your health care Ways to Help You Feel Better provider tells you to. Asthma • Drink fluids. This helps • Keep using the you cough up mucus. asthma quick-relief • A humidifier can help. medicine until • cough or wheeze is Breathe steam from the gone for 24 hours. shower. • • If you or your child Stay away from tobacco has a controller smoke, pets, or feather medicine, keep using it the way your pillows. health care provider told you to. • Wash sheets once a week in hot water. • Do not use a cough suppressant. • Stay indoors when pollen is high. • If you or your child has allergies that

24 Hour Nurse Advice Line Línea de TeleSalud Disponible las 24 Horas 1-888-275-8750 TTY: 1-800-688-4889 1-866-648-3537 TTY: 1-866-833-4703 44 45 cause your breathing problems, talk to This can happen if: your health care provider. Or you can • They are afraid to use a new call the Nurse Advice Line for help. bathroom. • They forget to use the bathroom when Constipation they are playing. What Causes Constipation • They are stressed or nervous. Common things that cause Constipation may also be caused by a change in

constipation: Constipation diet. In women, it can • Not drinking enough be due to pregnancy. fluids. What You May Notice • Not eating enough foods that are high in fiber • Pain when passing a (lettuce, wheat bread, stool. Or, it is very bran). hard to pass a stool. • • No stool for over 3 days. Not enough exercise. • Stools that are hard and dry. • Some medicines. When is Constipation a Problem? • Hemorrhoid pain. Constipation can get better quickly with If children wait too long to pass a stool, changes in the diet. If you or your child they can get constipated. has constipation, call the Nurse Advice 24 Hour Nurse Advice Line Línea de TeleSalud Disponible las 24 Horas 1-888-275-8750 TTY: 1-800-688-4889 1-866-648-3537 TTY: 1-866-833-4703 46 47 Line. Our nurses can help you decide if • Walking can also make your bowels you or your child needs to see a health care move more, so take a walk. provider. You can call our nurses 24 hours • If your child is afraid to use the toilet at a day, on any day. school, give your child breakfast a little Ways to Help You Feel Better early. Then have your child sit on the • Add more fluid and fiber to meals. Eat toilet at home before he or she goes to fruit, vegetables, school. • and whole grains Tell your child to run Constipation (wheat or bran) 3 and play. This helps times a day. This the body move the will help the stools food along. pass through the • A warm bath will help body. Do not drink too. alcohol. • DO NOT eat these Medicines to Help You foods until stools are normal again: Feel Better »»Cheese. »» Ice cream. Adults can use medicines to help with »» »» constipation. Call our nurses for help. Rice. Bananas. Children should only take medicine as »»Carrots. »» Fried Food (chicken directed by health care provider. nuggets, fries). 24 Hour Nurse Advice Line Línea de TeleSalud Disponible las 24 Horas 1-888-275-8750 TTY: 1-800-688-4889 1-866-648-3537 TTY: 1-866-833-4703 48

CA: 2/8/2010 FL: 2/26/10 MI: 2/18/2010 QI-356/Rev2/16/10 MO: MHD Approved: 2/17/10 NM: 1/13/2010 Molina Healthcare services are funded in part under contract with the State of New Mexico. Los servicios de Molina Healthcare están financiados en parte bajo contrato con el estado de Nuevo México. TX: 1/15/2010 UT: 1/14/2010 WA: 2/18/2010