Pediatric medication generally comes in a liquid form because it is easiest for children to swallow. Yet this formulation is also difficult for parents to measure, according to a study by an associate professor in the departments of and 听at 秘密研究所 Langone. For her research, Dr. Yin and colleagues surveyed pediatrics clinics across the country and found that 84 percent of parents made at least one dosing error when giving liquid medicine to their children. More than 68 percent of those were overdoses.
Dr. Shonna Yin
Photo: 秘密研究所 Langone Staff
To minimize these errors, Dr. Yin and her colleagues recommend parents use an oral syringe鈥攚hich significantly decreases mistakes compared to a measuring cup.
鈥淚f the parents don鈥檛 have an oral syringe, the provider should give one to the parents to take home,鈥 Dr. Yin tells The New York Times. 鈥淓specially for smaller doses, using the syringe made a big difference in accuracy.鈥
Read more from .听
听
