A study entitled, Out-of-Hospital Medication Errors Among Young Children in the United States, 2002-2012, the researchers found out that children under the age of six somehow experienced out-of-the-hospital medication errors every year between 2002 and 2012. Medicine error has been a frequently occurring incident especially involving children. An estimated 63,358 children or one child every 8 minutes experience medicine error every year.
According to data from the United States Poison Center, more than 200,000 cases of medicine error has been reported since 2003 and 30% of them, are children less than 6 years of age. The most common incident happens at their home or school.
Most medication errors involved liquid formulations (81.9 percent) and tables or capsules (14.9 percent). The most common medication mistakes involve pain killers and antipyretics (medicines to lower fever).
According to Dr. Huiun Xiang, the Director of Center for Pediatric Trauma Research at Nationwide Children's Hospital and lead researcher of the hospital's Center for Injury Research and Policy, the incidents happen more than what people may realize. He added that the true magnitude of the incidents is reflected by the numbers of data reported to poison centers in the country.
The common types of medication errors include giving the same medicine twice to a child, giving incorrect dosage of the medicine, and also, giving the wrong medication. About 25% of accidental medication mistakes happen in children under 1 year old. However, the rate is reduced as the children are older. Furthermore, 1,899 children were admitted to intensive critical units because of taking in the wrong medication wherein about 25 died.
Though medications are prescribed by health professionals, it is up to the primary care giver of the child to give the medicine correctly. Also, self-medicating of parents to give the medicine to the child is not recommended. Proper dosages should be given to children who are vulnerable to many chemicals in medicines.