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Parents uncertain of dosage, labeling in OTC allergy medication for children
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While more than half of parents reported they administered over-the-counter allergy medicine to their child, 15% of parents gave their child medication labeled for adults. Moreover, 18% of parents reported they did not inspect the expiration date on the medication before administering it, according to a poll conducted by C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.
“Parents often face an overwhelming selection of allergy medicine without clear guidelines on how to choose the right one for their child,” Gary L. Freed, MD, MPH, co-director of the poll and professor of pediatrics at Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, said in a press release. “Some parents may be picking allergy medication based on their interpretation of different advice they’ve heard, which may not always be accurate.”
To analyze the use of over-the-counter allergy medication in children aged between 6 and 12 years, Freed and colleagues directed a nationally representative household survey, which was administered in January 2017 to parents aged 18 years or older (n=1,066).
According to survey responses, allergy medication was administered in the past year by 55% of parents with a child in this age group. Most parents (91%) gave their child medication to treat allergy symptoms; however, 51% of parents administered medication to prevent allergies. Advice on medication was most commonly given by a doctor (61%), but other sources of advice were used, such as a pharmacist (38%) and family or friends (32%).
While children’s allergy medications were used in most instances (89%), one in seven parents gave their children allergy medication in an adult formulation. Moreover, 31% of these parents gave their child an adult dose and 65% of parents administered a partial dose. Many parents (21%) reported that they struggled to determine the correct dose for their child.
The location where medication was obtained also varied, with 85% of parents giving their children allergy medication already in the house and 74% purchased new medication. Of the parents who administered previously purchased medication, 18% did not check the expiration date. When questioned about the ingredients in the allergy medications, 21% of parents had knowledge that the same ingredients can usually be found in cold medicines.
“If taken as directed, over-the-counter allergy medications are safe and effective for children, but parents should be very careful to give their child the correct dose,” Freed said. “Doses greater than recommended for children can result in more severe side effects.”
He added, “If parents are unsure how to navigate allergy medication choices, they should always check with their child’s health care provider.”— by Katherine Bortz
Disclosure: No relevant financial disclosures or conflicts of interest were reported.
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