Professional Perceptions

Pharmacists realize the large problem of accidental pediatric overdoses.  What they have to say is that a lot of the time the overdoses occur because of over the counter cold medicine.  They said that over 60% of problems were because of cold and flu medications, which isn’t a surprise since it is the most frequent occurring illness worldwide.  Because of the rise in overdoses a lot of different cold medicines have been taken off the market to help prevent accidental overdoses.  However it isn’t just the over the counter cold medicine that is the culprit; it’s also the prescription drugs.  The study that took place by the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital is the one that all the professionals are talking about.  It looks at poisonings from 2001-2008.  What they notice is that most of the emergency room visits are because of the child ingesting the medication themselves.  Pharmacists say that the prevention efforts have proved to be inadequate in the rising availability of prescription drugs and particularly more dangerous drugs.  Pharmacists think that the advancement in drugs also make it more likely that a child getting access to medications will be more fatal due to the potency of the new medications.  Pharmacists think in most ways the same as the non-professional community about this issue.  They both realize it’s a growing problem.  Pharmacists understand the drugs responsible and most of the effects and severity of the overdoses.  Pharmacists are beginning to go out of their way to help prevent and educate their patients on the importance of keeping medication out of the reach of children as well as dosing advice on the different over the counter and prescription medications.

References

Aguilera, Lydia. "USPharmacist.com Pediatric OTC Cough and Cold Product Safety."USPharmacist.com. Jobson Medical Information, 20 July 2009. Web. 21 Oct. 2011. <http://www.uspharmacist.com/content/d/feature/i/765/c/14137/>.

Bond, G. Randell. "The Growing Impact of Pediatric Pharmaceutical Poisoning." The Journal of Pediatrics. The Journal of Pediatrics, 16 Sept. 2011. Web. 21 Oct. 2011. <http://www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3476(11)00771-2/fulltext#abstract>.