Giving basic over-the-counter medicines to children should be relatively easy for Dr. Mom, but a new study shows many of the most common children’s liquid medications have confusing instructions. The label may call for a teaspoon, yet the measuring cup inside may be in milliliters.
Nearly all of the 148 products tested had some kind of inconsistency between the dosing directions and measuring device. About a quarter didn’t come with any measuring spoon or cup at all.
Dr. Darren Dewalt of the University of North Carolina wrote an editorial on the new study. He says the issue can lead to dangerous overdoses or, more commonly, too low a dose.
“A lot of parents are giving too low of a dose and they may not be adequately treating their child’s pain or fever,” he said.
One thing parents can do is ask a pharmacist for standardized measuring syringes or cups because kitchen teaspoons aren’t accurate.
“As long as we put teaspoons on the label, people are gonna continue to go into the drawer and pull those spoons out,” said Dr Dewalt.
Researchers looked at products that were on the market as of 2009, the same time the Food and Drug Administration issued guidelines, urging standardized measurements on children’s medicine.
“When the measuring device comes with the medicine, it should be consistent with what’s on the label. It’s quite simple stuff,” said Dr. Dewalt.
However, it might be dangerous stuff if given in the wrong doses.
The Consumer Healthcare Products Association points out that since the FDA guidance was issued last year, many drug makers have taken steps to include correct dosing devices with their products.
The goal is to have all children’s OTC medicines comply by the end of 2011.
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