Category Archives: prescriptions

Drugs and young brains

Leave a reply

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), one in four young people (ages 12-17) who uses illicit drugs will also develop a dependency. This is a much higher rate than that for adults.

Why? No one is certain, but there are some known factors.

Heredity is one of those factors. Is there an addict or alcoholic (recovering or otherwise) in your family’s history? If so, be aware that this one factor can greatly increase your child’s chances of developing an addiction to drugs or alcohol. You should talk to your teen about this with the hoped-for effect that she will choose to be more careful.

Here are some other factors listed in an AAP web article:

  • “Untreated psychological conditions such as depression, anxiety, conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder and personality disorder. For these youngsters, as well as for those with untreated attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other learning problems that interfere with academic and social success, taking illicit drugs may be their way of self-medicating.
  • Temperament: thrill-seeking behavior, inability to delay gratification and so forth.
  • An eating disorder.
  • Associating with known drug users.
  • Lack of parental supervision and setting of consistent limits.
  • Living in a family where substance abuse is accepted.
  • Living in a home scarred by recurrent conflicts, verbal abuse and physical abuse.”

Start the conversation about drugs and alcohol early on, in age-appropriate ways. And don’t assume that just because you’ve had this talk once, that’s good enough. Young people are confronted with opportunities on a regular basis, so make sure that you leave the door open to talking with you about it.

Not sure how to begin? Here’s another great AAP article entitled “Talking to Teens about Drugs and Alcohol.” It gives great advice about a conversation that is essential to your child’s health.

Educate yourself about drugs and alcohol. Have open conversation. Don’t abuse substances. Help your teen stay healthy and free from addiction.

© 2016, MBS Writing Services, all rights reserved

How to save money on your prescription medications!

Leave a reply

If you are buying any prescription medications for your child, your teen, or yourself, then you know how pricey they can be. Sometimes they are covered by insurance; sometimes insurance only pays a fraction; and there are drugs that are not covered by insurance and families that don’t have prescription coverage at all.

No matter your situation, there are still ways you can save, even as prescription drug prices continue to rise.

Buy a generic drug alternative. Not all drugs have generic versions, but when they do the generic is usually quite a bit less expensive. Ask your physician or pharmacist if there is a generic available for a particular drug.

Talk to the doctor. In addition to knowing about generic alternatives, your pediatrician may know of a less expensive option for the drug your child is taking. There won’t always be another alternative, but it’s certainly worth asking about.

Look for cheaper prices. If you think the drug prices at your pharmacy are too high, call around. Sometimes there can be quite a difference from one pharmacy to another.

Look online for coupons or other resources. Some pharmaceutical companies have special programs for uninsured patients, or for patients who have difficulty paying even with insurance. In addition, you can often find coupons for particular drugs from a pharmaceutical company.

Drugs aren’t likely to get cheaper anytime soon, and yet they are often necessary. We want to help you find less expensive alternatives. Please ask us.

© MBS Writing Services, 2015, all rights reserved

Be careful to give accurate dosage amounts to children

Leave a reply

 

A new study in Pediatrics, a publication of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), shows that a surprisingly large percentage of adults give the wrong dosages of medications to children and infants.

 

Incorrect dosages can be harmful, even dangerous.  When the pediatrician writes a prescription or recommends an over-the-counter drug, they take into account a child’s health, age, size and other factors, including other medications he may be taking.  It’s important to be accurate when dispensing those meds.

 

The main problem, according to the study, has to do with measuring.

 

  • Adults who measured with teaspoons and tablespoons were twice as likely to make errors as those who used milliliters as their measuring standard.
  • Never just pull out a spoon from your flatware or plastic ware to measure medicine.  These spoons can vary widely in the amount of liquid they hold.
  • Purchase a measuring instrument (dropper or spoon) in the pharmacy department of your discount or grocery store.  Make sure it uses milliliters for measurement.
  • Measure accurately.
  • Keep a written record of when you’ve given a medication and how much.  Many people unintentionally create problems when one person in the household dispenses a drug, not knowing that someone else has already given the medicine.

 

If you’re ever unsure about a dosage, call your pediatrician’s office.  Safety with drugs, whether prescription or OTC, is essential.

 

© 2014, MBS Writing Services, all rights reserved

 

Why narcotics are prescribed carefully

Leave a reply

You may have noticed that narcotic prescriptions are increasingly difficult to get for patients of any age these days.  That includes children and teens.

Because of the common problems of prescription drug overuse and even abuse, narcotics are more tightly controlled than ever.  Before anyone (even a child) can be prescribed narcotics in Kentucky, the physician’s office must run a KASPER report on that person’s prescription drug history.  KASPER (Kentucky All Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting) “tracks controlled substance prescriptions dispensed within the state. A KASPER report shows all scheduled prescriptions for an individual over a specified time period, the prescriber and the dispenser,” according the official website.  The intent is not to prevent you from getting the medications you need, but to prevent overuse and provide a source of information for medical practitioners.

For this reason, refills and usage of narcotics are scrutinized closely within our office and narcotic cough suppressants (such as codeine) are rarely prescribed or suggested.

This is a good time to remind adults to store medications out of reach and out of sight.  A young child is curious, and differently colored and shaped pills can look like candy.  Older children and teens may want to experiment with drugs, and the ones in your medicine cabinet are free and accessible.  Serious consequences of overdose, addiction and even death can occur, so lock your medicines away so that your children and teens don’t have access to them.  Remind grandparents and other homes where you child visits of these important safety guidelines.

Narcotics are sometimes important, even essential, tools in your family’s health.  But they are to be used carefully and cautiously.

© 2014, MBS Writing Services, all rights reserved