Children have side effects Also

Although commonly used medications are mild, they can still create side effects that are harmful to everyone, not just children. In the past 10 years, side effects of medications send, annually, over half a million American children to outpatient clinics and emergency rooms to seek help. Researchers at Children’s Hospital in Boston have brought these disturbing statistics to our attention. Between the years 1995 and 2005, a total of 585,922 cases of adverse drug events occurred annually among children 18 years and younger. A visit to the emergency room saw twenty two percent of these children. Accounting for approximately forty-three percent of all these events, the greatest risk of medication side effects was found to be with children ages four and younger. The next highest risk was seen among teens with ages of 15 and 18 at a total of 23 percent. Skin-related disorders, like rashes, were found to be the most common with a total of 45 percent of all the complications among children. Allergies to some antibiotics are often noticed with the first does to young children. Remaining watchful and being aware of potential problems is important, after all, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.