NON-Rx
Fitness
Safety First
do you need to see your provider, but you still should use the same level of caution as with any prescription medication. When given as directed, OTC medicines can help treat your child’s symp- toms. However, as with all medicines, if misused, they can be harmful — even deadly. To make sure you are using OTC medicines safely, follow these guidelines.
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Store Medications Safely Every day in the U.S., about 165 young kids are seen in emergency rooms after getting into medications. Limiting accessibility to OTC medications is an easy way to monitor your child’s dosage, and prevent medication-related accidents in your home. • Always store medicines and vitamins in a centralized, locked location, out of children’s sight and reach. • Don’t leave medication bottles on the counter between dosing. Lock them up immediately
arents often use over-the-counter (OTC) medications for treating their child’s cough or cold, reduc- ing fever or treating another symp- tom. To buy these medications, you don’t need a prescription, nor
The right way to use OTC medications
BY VANESSA ELIAS, DOLORES C. JONES, EdD, RN, CPNP, CAE, AND CATHY S. WOODWARD, DNP, RN, PNP-AC
after giving them to your child. • Avoid keeping medications in a purse, backpack, briefcase or in an unlocked cabinet or drawer. • Store any medications in a cool, dry space away from heat and light sources, unless otherwise specifi ed. • Ask anyone in your home taking OTC or pre- scription medication, including guests, to store it safely or give it to you to do so.
Measure Out Medication OTC medications are serious medicines, so you must read, understand and follow label instruc- tions. Medication dosing instructions can be confusing. You may see the following measure- ments on the label: • Tablespoon (Tbsp). • Teaspoon (tsp). • Mil- ligram (mg). • Milliliter (mL). • Ounce (oz). Using a kitchen spoon to measure liquid
medicines, such as cough syrup or cold medi- cine, may prevent you from getting the right dosage, and lead to overdosing/under-dosing. Your most reliable method of distribution is through dosage delivery devices that often come with OTC medications. As of 2011, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends that
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