Children and medications: Getting the dose right

Calm, console and distract: When a child is ill, parents have their hands full. They have to help their child get through a difficult phase, and may also have to give him or her medication. That is not always easy.
In children, many illnesses will go away on their own after a while and don't need to be treated with medication. So it may be worthwhile considering whether drug treatment is really necessary, and if the pros outweigh the cons.
For medication to work properly, it's important that it's taken as recommended. This can sometimes be difficult, especially if you are dealing with younger children. They might keep their mouth tightly shut, spit tablets out again, or protest loudly against taking any medicine. This can be stressful – for both the parents and the child. If you're stressed, mistakes are more likely to happen when measuring a dose of medicine, and doses are more likely to be forgotten.