How to give medicines correctly
When giving your child medicines, observe the following rules:
• Check if you do not understand the dosage: how many, how often, how many days before, during or after meals. Most medicines should be given just before meals. If you give the medicine during a meal or after a meal, you risk losing both the medicine and the meal.
• Most prescription drugs are given three to four times a day, but it is rarely necessary to wake up a sleeping child at night to give him a medicine. Theoretically, the drugs give the best result if given at regular intervals all twenty-four hours a day. In practice, if your doctor does not recommend otherwise, they can be given at regular intervals during waking hours.
• If the instructions on the package differ from what you heard from your doctor or pharmacist, call back to clarify.
• Measure medication gently. Be as accurate as possible. Most of the children's medicines are measured by teaspoons. It is better to use a measuring spoon or medical pipette with a measuring scale, rather than a teaspoon kitchen counter, when you measure the medication for the baby. One teaspoon is equal to five cubic centimeters, or five milliliters. In the pharmacy you will find many different medical spoons, cups and pipettes with a scale designed for liquid children's medicines. Your pharmacist will help you with the choice.
• Hang a reminder on your calendar to not forget
on time, or put a timer to ring every four or six hours. The missed medication is the most common mistake, which explains why the child's body does not respond to the medication. If you are forgetful parents( and we are all such), ask the doctor if it is possible to give the same medicine once or twice a day instead of three to four times. Some antibiotics, for example, can be given in an increased dose twice a day, and they work as efficiently as if taken four times a day. And some medicines are available in a more concentrated form so that you can give a smaller amount.
• Most medicines, especially those on which "suspension" is written, must be vigorously shaken before use.
• Carry out a full course of treatment. Fight with the temptation to stop taking the drug because your child is better. For example, antibiotics usually relieve symptoms for a day or two, but a full course of treatment is required to completely destroy the bacteria and prevent relapse of the disease.
• Find out why it is safe to mix the medicine. Although almost all children's medicines can be easily mixed with a spoonful of jam or sweet treats, some can not. For example, the effectiveness of penicillin may decrease if taken together with