12 Medication-Giving Tips for Children
Giving medication requires close supervision and communication with everyone that is in contact with the child. Mostly the dosage schedule and frequency of giving the stimulus drug will vary with different children. Below are 12 guidelines to help you during administering medication to the child.
1. For a right dosage, you need to establish the effectiveness of the drug and any side effect that it may cause to the child. The dosage is usually 3 to 8.mg/kg but mostly depend on the weight of the child. In case the stimulus fails to work, the doctor may opt for another one. The trial period takes as long as six weeks. The second stage is monitoring the long-term dose schedule. This is done by either increasing the dose during stressful times or drug holidays.
2. “Placebo responders” are people who respond to the power of suggestion and will get better with any prescribed therapy or a placebo/pretend pills. According to ADD specialist, some parents and children are placebo responders. Therefore, they recommend for placebo trial first or a look-alike placebo pill from your pharmacist.
In case of a significant change, such as change of school, a move, family upset don’t start the medication simultaneously. Give the child time to adapt to the new environment to find out if the drug is necessary. In case of past experience of the child being affected by significant changes, you are required to start the medication prior to the change.
3. To get the opportunity to observe the first-hand effects of the medication, you are advised to administer the medication on a Saturday morning or at the beginning of a school vacation.
4. Give the child the morning dose after breakfast or just before they depart to school to minimize appetite- decreasing effect of the stimulant.
5. If the child is required to be on his best behavior or at peak performance, you can give a dose at a particular time. Noticeable effects are evident one to two hours after giving the dosage to the child.
6. Child reminders such as alarm watches that alert the child during dosage time are good for medication given at school.
7. Consult your doctor about when you can skip the medication, use a lower dosage or on issues such as school holidays and weekends.
8. Give late afternoon dose earlier, lower or omit the dose completely to avoid sleep disturbance.
9. Give a second pill after the morning recess to avoid an academic disaster in the last class of the morning. A third pill in the afternoon is good for the hyperactive-impulsive child.
10. In case of a rebound effect on a child, give the next dosage three hours before the previous dosage instead of four hours.
11. Avoid the temptation of decreasing or increasing a dosage to a child in case the child is experiencing a bad day as part of the toddler or baby care. Assess the drastic changes unrelated to the drug effects.
12. Offer the child nutritious food throughout the day and large meals during the period where the medication is wearing off to avoid appetite diminishing.