Measuring medicine to give an ailing child seems like one of the easiest jobs to do, but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, accidental overdoses in kids have gone up 20 percent in recent years.
Why?
Experts say every year thousands of children swallow or eat medicine without adult supervision, and oftentimes the marketing isn’t always clear or consistent with the directions on the medicine’s package. Last May, the Food and Drug Administration issued a guidance to firms that manufacture, market, or distribute over-the-counter liquid medicines. The guidance calls for them to provide dosage delivery devices with markings that are easy to use and understand. Additionally, in December 2011 the CDC launched a campaign aimed to prevent overdoses from happening by telling parents to keep all medication out of reach, and out of sight. Experts say it’s important to put medicine back in a safe spot after you use it, and to make sure you hear the safety cap click when you’re done with the bottle.
The FDA recommends parents and caregivers can also reduce accidental overdoses by avoiding giving too much or too little of an over-the-counter medicine. Following are five tips:
– Know the “active ingredient” in the medicine.
This is what makes the medicine work and it is always listed at the top of the Drug Facts label.
– Give the right medicine, in the right amount.
Medicines with the same brand name can be sold in different strengths, such as infant, children and adult formulas. The dose and directions also vary for children of different ages and weights.
– Use the dosage delivery device that comes with the medicine, such as a dropper or dosing cup.
A different device, or a kitchen spoon, could hold the wrong amount of medicine.
– Know your child’s weight.
Dosage amounts for some medicines are based on weight. Never guess how much to give your child or try to figure it out from the adult dose instructions. If a dose is not listed for your child’s weight, call your health care professional.
– Know the difference between a tablespoon (tbsp.) and a teaspoon (tsp.).
A tablespoon holds three times as much medicine as a teaspoon.
