publication date: Nov 7, 2007
As many as
42 per cent of children and young people do not follow
medical advice when using medicines, putting themselves
seriously at risk of further health problems.
Teenagers in particular are
ignoring directions about how to
properly use medicines because of
social concerns. This can lead to
dangerous practices such as:
- neglecting diabetic injections for fear of putting on weight; or
- leaving inhalers at home because they are embarrassed to use them in front of their friends.
One in five school children is taking
medicines in any one
week so it is
crucial that they are made
aware about their
safe and
effective use.
To this end,
Ask About Medicines Week kicks off a year of
activities around the country that will
focus on kids
asking about
medicines as they grow up.
Health professionals will use a new
Lesson Pack in schools produced by Ask About Medicines with the support of the
National Pharmacy Association and the
Department of Health, which contains lesson plans and
complements the national curriculum, where at present
medicines are only covered briefly.
Also being launched is the
My Medicine Guide, a one page sheet that
parents and
children can complete together to help children
understand more about the medicine they have been given.
To
download My Medicine Guide
click here
