8 mistakes parents often make when giving their children medication

These mistakes are so easy to make that even the most conservative mothers can. How many mistakes do you realize you made in the following?

Many health experts say that many parents are very unintentional when giving their children medicine. These mistakes can lead to prolonged illness and even dangerous side effects, especially in babies and toddlers. This is also one of the reasons that the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend over-the-counter cough and cold medicines for children under 4 years old. The small body and immature metabolism make the baby vulnerable to mistakes.

1. Drug overdose

Many over-the-counter drugs contain the same active ingredient, but they treat different symptoms. For example, many cold symptom treatment recipes contain acetaminophen , an analgesic, antipyretic agent that is also available in Tylenol. If you treat your baby's nasal congestion and fever with Tylenol, your baby will take twice the recommended dose of acetaminophen.

The best way to treat children under 4 years old is to treat only the main symptom. You can check the labels of over-the-counter medications to determine if they are the best treatment for your child's symptoms (read the purpose and usage of the active ingredient). Stop taking two medications at the same time unless directly authorized by your doctor.

2. Forget about supplements

More than a third of American children take a vitamin or other supplement every day, and less than 40% of parents tell their pediatrician this. The doctor needs to be informed of everything about the child's medicine, which may interact or decrease the effect of the medication being treated.

A better treatment is to bring an up-to-date list of medications, dosages of medications, supplements or vitamins your child is taking, as well as a list of allergy foods (you'll be grateful for an emergency unforeseen health care). Be sure to bring a photocopy of the list to your doctor every time you follow up.

3. Ignore your doctor's instructions

When they see their child recovering from the illness, parents tend to let their child stop taking antibiotics. But the bacteria can remain and become resistant if you don't complete the treatment. If the illness recurs, your child will have to start on another new course of antibiotics and possibly more serious side effects.

So, give your child the correct dose as directed by the doctor.

4. Taking the drug for informal treatment purposes

Many parents let their children use Benadryl to keep their children asleep on the plane, but 10% of children experience excitement - not sleeping - after taking the drug. When scientists at the Georgetown University School of Medicine worked to prove Benadryl caused drowsiness, they discovered that it actually made children more hyperactive.

So, instead of giving medicine to your child, bring things that they love to play or read and need to be patient for the long journey.

5. Wrong dose

According to research in the Journal of Medicine, kitchen spoons can measure two or three times more standard spoons, syringes or measuring cups of standard solution in medicine containers. But even using medical tools can still be a problem if you don't pay attention. Another study found that 70% of parents poured more than the recommended amount in a measuring cup.

A better treatment is to use a dropper, syringe or measuring spoon (since 2011, the formula for concentrating acetaminophen for babies has been changed to the packaging, the measuring device is now a syringe instead of a spoon). Remember to always read labels carefully, tablespoons and teaspoons look quite similar. If you mix them together, your baby can take three times the medicine.

6. Self-medicate for your baby

When your healthy child complains of a sore throat like his sister, who has just been treated for strep, you will be more inclined to buy the exact same prescription for him or her. But if your diagnosis is wrong, your baby will get worse. Some babies have symptoms like streptococcal infection but actually have mononucleosis. In this case, the antibiotic causes even more rash. Taking over-the-counter antibiotics also puts children at risk of resistance.

A better treatment is to have a doctor diagnose the condition and never give a child a prescription, even if the illness is the same. The dose depends on the age, weight and medical history.

7. Take the dose of medication based on age instead of weight

Drug metabolism in babies varies based on weight - not age. This difference is especially important when your baby is overweight or underweight for age. One study found that obese children metabolize caffeine and dextromethorphan, the main ingredient in cough medicine, faster than children of average weight. This means your child needs more medicine than is recommended on the label.

A better treatment is always to discuss with your pediatrician before giving a child over-the-counter medications if the child's weight is high or below the corresponding age on the label. Pediatrician and pharmacist will base on actual weight when prescribing.

8. Not interested in drug labels

If your child has to take medication quite often, like an antihistamine for allergies, it's easy to get into the habit of giving him the same amount of medicine without realizing that the dose has changed as he gets older or the medicine has expired. Another important reason to read labels carefully is: doctors and pharmacists sometimes make mistakes when giving and writing prescriptions. Many errors come from the fact that drug names sound or look similar.

A better treatment is to make sure you read your doctor's prescription. If you cannot, please spell the correct name and dose of medication and write it down. Read the label when you are at the pharmacy for easy inquiries. Always ask your doctor and pharmacist about periodic prescription changes.