Article written by Amor Herbst on Medication Safety | Child Safety Articles | 4akid

Medication Safety

We often consider “Medication Safety” as ‘storing medication out of reach from children’ and disposing of it once it’s reached its expiry date. We also tend to think that prescription medication is ‘stronger’ or more harmful than over-the-counter drugs, when all medications should be treated with caution. In actual fact, most accidents occur with over-the-counter medications such as paracetamol or nausea drugs. However, Medication Safety starts the moment it is prescribed by your Doctor.

The Doctor’s visit:
Your little one is ill and the Doctor has made a diagnosis and written a prescription. As parents we usually ask how long until we will see an improvement in our child’s condition and question any symptoms we should look out for that would indicate a worsening condition. However we seldom question the medication prescribed, as we naturally place our trust in our Doctor.
Medication Safety starts with your Doctor’s visit and you should remember to ask that all the Medications he has prescribed should be explained to you:

• What it’s for – often we don’t know what the drug does!
• Dosage instructions – take notes if necessary – it has happened that Pharmacies print incorrect dosage instructions on the labels of medicines out of human error or illegibility of scripts. Usually medicines need to be taken with meals, but some medication should not be taken with specific foods e.g. in some instances formula / cow’s milk hampers the absorption of certain medications.
• How long to use it – Anti-biotic courses have to be completed whilst some drugs can be discontinued once symptoms improve.
• Possible side-effects – find out if any of the medication (or the combination of medicines) might cause side-effects and how you should treat it.
• Remember to mention any other medication/vitamins your child might be taking, and find out whether you should continue to give it, or stop it for a while.

The pharmacy:
Once you’re filling your script at the pharmacy, continue to be cautious when your medication is dispensed:

• Check that the Dosage instructions are printed correctly on the label (and agrees with what your Doctor has told you). The Pharmacist should also confirm how and when each drug is taken.
• Make sure that the Package Insert of the medication is always included with your medicines. Often, medication is decanted or re-packaged from the original box or bottle (to ensure you receive the correct amount of drugs). Ask for the package insert (or a copy of it) in this case – this gives you an ‘at-home’ reference for side effects and other useful information.
• If syrups are dispensed, ask for appropriate measuring spoons or syringes in the case of an infant.

Medicating at home:
There are some important points to remember when administering medication to your child at home:

• Never refer to medicine as ‘sweets’ to coax your children into taking them – medicine is dangerous and your child shouldn’t be tempted to get hold of his medicine as a treat! Children’s palettes are not yet as evolved as an adult’s and bad-tasting medicine is not enough of a deterrent for them.
• Always shake the bottle before measuring the dose, as contents might separate.
• As a rule, only one adult in the house should administer medication to children. This is probably the most important thing to remember as it will ensure your child is never ‘overdosed’ by accident.
• If your child vomits the medicine out within 45 minutes of taking it, repeat the dose.

Proper storage of medication:
The package insert included with your medication will certainly suggest proper storage. Some medications need to be kept in the fridge, whilst others can be kept in a cupboard at room temperature.

• Never throw away packaging or package inserts whilst you are still using/storing the medication – should adverse effects occur in your child, take the packaging with to your doctor or hospital.
• Always keep medication out of reach from children – for young children, a high shelf or cabinet is fine; for older children who are resourceful enough to drag a chair to a cupboard to stand on, use a child-proof container to store medication in.
• Never keep medication in your bathroom medicine cupboard – the steam from bathing or showering will cause the temperature to rise in the bathroom, which is not suitable for medications. Rather opt for a ‘cooler’ space in your kitchen or other room in the house.
• Medications that are kept in refrigerators should be out of reach from children – if you have a small fridge, use a child-proof container to store it in.
• Dispose of medication once it has reached its expiry date. It is never a good idea to simply throw it in the dustbin – your child might get hold of it, or if it does reach the landfill site chances are that children from nearby informal settlements might get hold of it, thinking it is a treat. Where appropriate, pour liquids down your drain and dissolve tablets in hot water first. You can also take the expired medication back to your pharmacy – they will be happy to dispose of it on your behalf.

Medication can be dangerous and even fatal if not managed correctly or with respect. However with the proper care and caution, it helps our children recover from illness faster and can be life-saving.

Article written by Amor Herbst