4 ways to avoid mistakes with liquid medicines

Follow me on Twitter @drClaire Measuring liquid medication should be easy, right? You just pour out the amount you need. It turns out, though, that it’s not so easy — and that lots of parents and caregivers do it wrong. In a study just published in the journal Pediatrics in which parents were asked to measure out some liquid doses, 84% made at least one measuring error, and 29% made a large error, measuring at least twice the prescribed dose. So the next time you measure out some acetaminophen or amoxicillin, here are four must-dos to be sure you do it right: 1. Don’t use a spoon. Even if it says “1 teaspoon,” don’t reach for your silverware drawer. Spoons can be different sizes. Measuring spoons, the kind used for cooking and baking, are better — but unless there is an exact fill line on them, it’s easy to measure too much or too little. What you should use is a medication syringe that is widely available in pharmacies (often for free with your medication, if you ask). 2. Know your units. This is crucial, and where many people mess up. Is the dose in mL (milliliters), cc (cubic centimeters, which is the same as mL), teaspoons, tablespoons, or ounces? Unfortunately, doctors use all of these. Experts are pushing for all dosing to be in mL so that it’s standard, but for the time being it’s important to double-check and make sure you know what you are dealing with. As most medication syringes are in mL, it’s also a good idea to be familiar with the mL in te...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Children's Health Drugs and Supplements Parenting Source Type: blogs