Parent’s Guide Covers Medication For Children
A lot of parents store medication in bathroom medicine cabinets, but according to a new book, that’s a bad idea with acetaminophen, or Tylenol. It needs to be kept away from heat, moisture and light to avoid damage.
“Children’s Medications: A Parent’s Guide,” by Washington State University professor Richard Bates, looks closely at about 130 different medications. Each listing explains common uses, usual dosage, medicines it interacts with, minor and severe side effects, proper storage and administration, and special instructions.
Why write such a guide? “We did it not only for teachers and day-care centers but also for parents,” Bates says. “Just normal, everyday teachers who take care of our kids while we’re at work.”
The dosage instructions include explanations for all types available, including liquid and tablet forms. Medications are listed alphabetically by generic name and can be looked up in the index by both generic and brand name.
The following are some examples of drug listings contained in the book.
Acetaminophen is a very common drug that children take to reduce pain and fever. It works by blocking chemicals in the brain responsible for pain and also has an effect on the portion of the brain that regulates the body’s temperature.
Amoxicillin is used frequently to treat ear infections. It should be shaken well before administering and should be refrigerated. It can cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and an upset stomach. If it is in capsule form, the capsule can be opened and the medication mixed with water or fruit juice.
Phenytoin sodium, marketed under the name Dilantin, is used to control seizures. It has a long list of medications it doesn’t interact well with and an even longer list of drugs it decreases the effectiveness of. It can also increase the risk for side effects associated with drugs like acetaminophen. Sedation and dizziness are also associated with the drug.
The book also has a list of certified poison control centers across the United States and what to do if your child ever finds some medication and swallows it.
Descriptions of how to give different types of medication are also included. For example, liquid medication should be given in a spoon or dropper specifically made for medication in order to ensure correct dosage; never use an ordinary kitchen spoon. Be sure to aim the liquid toward the side of the child’s mouth to prevent gagging.
Breast-feeding mothers can consult the list of drugs that can cause problems for the child if they are passed through the mother’s milk, such as aspirin, iodine, lead and morphine. Safe drugs include acetaminophen, caffeine and ibuprofen. Drugs such as cocaine, nicotine, marijuana and lithium, which is used for psychiatric disorders, should never be used while breast feeding.
Bates, a pediatric specialist, volunteered to write the book for parents and teachers to use while he was doing his infectious diseases fellowship at Ohio State University.
His supervisor, Milap C. Nahata, offered him the project after Nahata was approached by publisher Harvey Whitney, who said teachers had been calling them and requesting a reference book of medications, which didn’t exist at the time.
Bates says bookstores don’t have the book in stock yet, but manager Laurel Nett of the downtown B. Dalton’s has an explanation. “The wholesalers hadn’t gotten it in their warehouses yet,” she says. “… but it has been confirmed on its way.”
Nett expects the book to be in stores just after Christmas.
, DataTimes