Medications for children: Getting the dose right

There is a tendency for parents to give young children too much medicine, mainly because their low body weight might not be accounted for enough. Also, the marks on dispensers may be confusing, or the information found on package inserts may not be easy to understand. It can be easy to give them too much medication, particularly if the medicine is in liquid form, such as liquid antibiotics, painkillers or cough syrup. Too high of a dosage can have serious health consequences.

But there are a few things parents can do to prevent mistakes from happening when giving children medication:

• Package insert: Carefully read through the package insert and follow the recommendations.
• The correct dosage: Pay special care to how much medicine you have to give, and double-check the amount to be sure before you give the first dose: It must be suitable for the child’s age and weight. Placing children on a scale is safer than estimating their weight.
• How the medication is to be used: Follow the instructions on how to use the medication – for example, use enough water when the child swallows a tablet and check whether it needs to be taken before, with or after a meal.
• Dispensers: Any dispensers that are included in the packaging should be used. Droppers, dosing caps or measuring cups are the most commonly included types of dispensers. Dispensers are only suitable for the medication that they came with, not for any others. If the dosing instructions specify a “spoonful,” check whether they mean a teaspoon or a tablespoon. The size of these spoons can vary a lot, though. The standard measurement is usually 5 milliliters (ml) for one teaspoon, and 15 ml for one tablespoon. Instead use disposable syringes available from the pharmacy to measure liquid medicines – this can be especially helpful when giving medication to infants.
• Lighting: Make sure there is enough light when measuring the dose of medication – especially at night.
• Reminders: Put a sticker or slip of paper on the bottle of medicine and make a note whenever you give the child a dose. This is especially important if the medicine is needed several times a day and specific times need to be followed, or if the medicine is given to the child by different people at different times.
• Over-the-counter medication: Also carefully read the instructions for medication that can be bought over the counter. If you aren’t sure about whether the medication is suitable for children, seek advice from a doctor or ask at the pharmacy. This is especially important if no dose recommendations can be found for the weight or age of the child or the child is taking other medicine at the same time.
• Original packaging: Do not pour drop solution into another bottle or dilute them. Doing this could change the size of the drop, which affects the dose.

Some medications may not be crushed or broken into smaller pieces, and mixing them with food can also cause problems. If you feel unsure about any of these things or have other questions, it is a good idea to consult a doctor or pharmacist.

If an accidental overdose occurs, it’s important to seek advice from a doctor, pharmacy or poison control center hotline as soon as possible. You can ask them what to do next.

If one of the doses was forgotten, the child vomited after taking the medication or spit out part of it, don’t give a double dose the next time just to “even things out.” Instead, it is recommended to continue taking the medication according to schedule, but also to see your doctor or pharmacist.