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You're never too small to be medicinewise
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Medicines given incorrectly by parents and carers is the most common reason for accidental poisonings in Australian children under 12 months.
Small mistakes can cause big problems in little bodies, so parents and carers need to know how to give medicines to children safely. Find out more about the things you need to know about medicines and children this Be Medicinewise Week.
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TOP TIPS FOR BEING MEDICINEWISE WITH CHILDREN
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Read the label
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Children's medicines come in different forms and strengths for different ages. Make sure you know the strength of the medicine when measuring a child's dose, so you don't over or under dose them.
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Know the active ingredient
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The active ingredient is the chemical that makes the medicine work. Common active ingredients like paracetamol can be found in a range of medicines either on their own or in combination formula, so don't risk double-dosing.
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Dose according to age and weight
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Over-the-counter children's medicines often contain age and average weight dosage recommendations. Read these carefully. It's important to weigh children regularly to help interpret medicine dosage information. Do not give more than the recommended dose for the child's age. If your child is small or large for their age, ask for dosing guidance from your doctor or pharmacist.
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Measure accurately
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Accurate measurements for liquid medicines matter. Spoons are for the kitchen, not medicine. Use the dosing device provided in the package, such as a dropper, oral syringe or medicine cup, or ask your pharmacist for a recommendation.
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Write it down
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Keeping a record can help you to avoid exceeding the maximum daily dose and reduce the risk of double dosing, especially when there is more than one person caring for a child.
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Use technology
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Use the MedicineList+ app to keep records and set reminders about medicines. Parents, carers and child care providers can work together via the app. Parents and carers can email through their child's current medicines, allergies and emergency contact details to keep everyone up to date. |
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This Be Medicinewise Week, read the You're never too small to be medicinewise fact sheet to find out more information. It's also a great resource for child care providers to display.
You can also visit nps.org.au/be-medicinewise-week to see a whole list of our resources for each day of Be Medicinewise Week.
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| If you have any questions about medicines and children, call the NPS Medicines Line |
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| from anywhere in Australia for the cost of a local phone call (calls from mobiles may cost more), Mon–Fri, 9am to 5pm AEDT.
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