There isn't anything I hate more than having to take medicine or, worse, having to give it to my kids. Unfortunately, there are times when meds are the only solution to getting rid of an infection or getting rid of the symptoms of some disease–as in the case of my kids, who suffer from asthma. Even though I always follow doctors' instructions to the T, the truth is that I'm human and there's always a possibility that I can make a mistake. In fact, it's estimated that more than 70,000 kids end up in the emergency room every year due to mistakes that their parents make when it comes to giving them medicine.
Here, f__our of the most common errors and how you can avoid them:__
1. Overmedicating: Pay special attention to the ingredients in each of your child's medicine. Sometimes one for cough may already contain acetaminophen and if on top of that you give him Tylenol (acetaminophen) to reduce fever, then you're giving your child an overdose of that medicine.
Read more ¿Qué más?: Heartwarming reunion between Latina army mom and daughter will make you cry (VIDEO)
2. Not following instructions: Many times when we see our kids feeling better, we think that they may not need the medicine that he or she was prescribed. But this is a huge mistake, and to avoid this you MUST follow your doctor's instructions carefully.
3. Sharing medicines: Just because it seems like your daughter is showing the same symptoms as the ones your son had when they diagnosed him with ear infection, it doesn't mean that she has the same ailment. So don't even THINK about giving her the same medicine that was prescribed to your son.
4. Giving the incorrect dosage: Don't use a regular teaspoon when giving your kids medicine, but use the one that comes with the medicine–every pharmacy should provide either a dosage spoon or a syringe with measurements. Also, make sure you ask your doctor or pharmacist what one teaspoon is equivalent to in case you only have certain measuring implements (for example, one teaspoon equals 5 mLs). Also, never base dosages on your child's age, always figure out the correct dosage based on his weight.
Image via nathansnostalgia/Flickr
