3-Minute Guru
Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2011
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Keep list of child's medications handy
BY DR. CHAD RUDNICK
One in five children are brought to the emergency room every year. With
statistics as staggering as this, there may unfortunately be a time
when you have to bring your child to the emergency room for medical
evaluation.
Having your ill child admitted to the hospital is never a fun
experience, but there are a few tips that will make the experience less
taxing on you and facilitate the medical care for your little ones.
While most parents know the vast majority of their child's medical
history, the area that is often forgotten or incorrectly recalled is
what medication(s) they are currently taking. This is in part due to
the fact that it is difficult to recall such details when parents are
only concerned with their child's well-being and also because hospital
admissions often occur during the late hours of the night or early
morning when parents have been awake for many hours and brains aren't
functioning at 100 percent efficiency.
Tip: Keep a paper or computerized list of what medications your child is currently taking. Record five things for each medication:
1. Medication name
2. Strength
3. Dose (how much is given each time)
4. Number of times a day that it is given and the route (i.e., by mouth, nebulizer, etc.)
5. How many days they are supposed to be on the medication.
The strength is usually listed after the name of the medication. For example: Amoxicillin 200mg/5mL.
Because lists can get long and can change frequently, have a copy saved
on your computer or smartphone so it can be updated immediately after a
medication is changed.
Don't forget to include all over-the-counter medications.
Remembering to print a list of medications before leaving for the ER is
not always on a parent's mind, so keep a copy stored in your email, your
purse or wallet, and another copy in your car.
This easy but often forgotten tip will help you, the medical team, and most importantly, your child.
Dr. Chad Rudnick, a native of Boca Raton, is a pediatric resident at Miami Children's Hospital. Read his blog at All Things Pediatric and follow him on Twitter @Peds_doc.
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