With all of the alarming stories about over-the-counter medicines in the news recently, parents have a lot of questions about dosage, recalls and drug interactions. That’s why we asked Mimi Pappas, Director of Communications & Outreach for Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) to help us out! At some point every child is going to get sick, and as parents we want to make them feel better. Despite common use, administering over-the-counter medications improperly can create serious risks and Mimi had some great tips on how to minimize or avoid those risks.

Mimi emphasized the importance of carefully reading the list of active ingredients on a drug label. It’s especially important to pay attention to this if your child is taking multiple medications at one time so that you do not accidentally give them more than the recommended dosage of any active ingredient.  In the webinar, Mimi explains that many cough and cold medicines contain a fever reducer like acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol) and it is important to make sure that you do not accidentally give your child two doses of acetaminophen.

Pay careful attention to expiration dates. Mimi emphasized that once a medication has expired, the manufacturer can no longer guarantee it. That means that it may not be effective. More importantly, if something about a medicine seems a little ‘off’- if it has an unusual smell, taste, or appearance- then you shouldn’t give it to your child even if the expiration date has not passed yet.

Recalls can be scary, and it seems like we hear about them all the time. CHPA recommends checking out the Food and Drug Administration’s website: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls 

If you follow the link you have the option of signing up to receive email alerts when the FDA makes a recall, and as you sign up you’ll also have the option to receive alerts immediately or once a week as well as the choice to specify the type of alerts you are interested in. If you have a medicine that has been recalled, you will be able to check the lot number on the medication and compare it to the products being recalled. 

Mimi also updated us on some *New Labeling* DO NOT use cough or cold medications in children under 4 years old. Because this is new, it is likely that some medications in your house don’t have the warning, so be sure to check with your pediatrician if you have any questions. 

A bottom line recommendation for all parents and caregivers: If you are unsure about something, take the cautious route and check with your child’s doctor or a local pharmacist.

ALL PARENTS AND PROVIDERS: Don’t forget! Put the phone number for the poison control helpline in a visible place and stored in your cell phone.

Poison Control Helpline: 800.222.1222

Missed the webinar? You can still access all of this important information and MUCH more, including information on how to read drug labels, how to safely dispose of medicines and other common mistakes parents make!

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/858909043