Medicine Safety

When it comes to giving your children medicines, you’ve got the best intentions. But mistakes are common, and in rare cases can even be fatal. You want your kids to feel better right away, but are you doing things correctly—and safely? Here's some of the most common mistakes parents make with their kid’s medicines, and ways to avoid them.

Dosages are frequently based on weight rather than age, so know how much your child weighs. Age recommendations are general guidelines that work for most children, but they might not be right for your child. If a medicine has weight guidelines as well, use those instead. If it doesn’t, talk to your child’s pediatrician for precise dosages and instructions according to your child’s weight.

—iVillage staff