Aussie Childcare Network Forum

please can someone give me some help....last question i need answered for assessment so that it can be submitted....explain why many services will not administer non prescribed medication to children???!!!!

thanks heaps your help will be much appreciated

All medication must have a pharmacists label with the childs name on it or letter from the doctor on it.
In our centre if the parents bring in ANYTHING that needs to be given to the child, orally or to be applied we need that documentation to protect us in case something happens.
However we keep panadol on the premises and should a childs temp get up to 38 we administer 1 dosage (as long as we know there is no issue with allergies)

It is dangerous to administer non prescribed meds to a child.... parents may think the child needs the meds and if something were to happen to the child whilst in our care we would be liable for giving the child the meds even though it did not have the childs name on it.

hi, i hope this information is useful

•Some alternative therapies, particularly herbal products and dietery supplements, might harbour risks.
•Unlike prescription and over-the-counter medicines, herbal products and supplements are not fully regulated by the government.
•These products are heavily marketed and promoted often without sound scientific evidence supporting their health-enhancing claims.
•Parents may be misinformed about the effects, beneficial or otherwise, of herbal products and supplements and unaware of their potential to cause harm.
•Depending on where and how an alternative medication was produced, there might be other substances such as plant matter, drugs, pesticides, or even heavy metals mixed in with the primary substance.
•In addition, some herbal products can interfere with the effectiveness of prescription and over-the-counter drugs. For example, when certain herbal substances like gingko, ginseng, and red clover are combined with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve), it may have a negative effect on blood flow and increase blood-clotting time.