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Almost half of all parents do not correctly follow the directions on prescription labels. However, labels have a lot of important information that you need to know. The illustration below shows the different parts of a prescription label and what they mean.
a. Prescription number. You will need this number when calling the pharmacy for a refill or for insurance forms.
b. Doctor's name and phone number.
c. Today's date.
d. Your child's name — this medication is only for the child whose name is on the label. Do not give medications to another child even if the other child has similar symptoms.
e. Name of the medication or the main ingredient — make sure this matches what your pediatrician told you. There also may be information on the strength of the medication (ie, 10-mg tablets).
g. Refills — the label will show the number of refills permitted. The label may also state "no refills — Dr authorization required," which means you have to talk to your pediatrician or other health care professional if you need more.
h. QTY — "quantity" or how much is in the package.
i. MFG — "manufacturer" or who makes the medication.
j. Expiration date — do not use the medication past this date. Do not save unused prescriptions. If your child gets sick again, talk to your pediatrician.
k. Instructions — this is information about how often and when your child needs to take the medication. Instructions on labels can be confusing. Talk to your pediatrician for specific instructions and make sure they match what is on the label. The following are some common instructions you may find on a label:
o "Take full course" — means that your child should finish taking the entire contents of the prescription even if she is feeling better. This is especially true if your child is taking antibiotics. The infection can come back if you stop too soon.
o "Take with food" — means that you should give the medication to your child after she has eaten a meal. Some medications work better when the stomach is full.
o "Take 4 times a day" — means to take the medication 4 times throughout the day (eg, at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and before bed). This is different than "Take every 4 hours," which adds up to 6 times in a 24-hour period (for example, 6 am, 10 am, 2 pm, 6 pm, 10 pm, and 2 am). If you are confused about when to give your child's medications, talk to your pediatrician or pharmacist. Most medications do not have to be precisely timed to be effective, but some do.
o "Take as needed as symptoms persist" — means the medication can be taken when symptoms are present.
The package may also have brightly colored warning labels with additional information. The following are examples:
· Safe storage instructions, such as "keep refrigerated"
· Instructions for use, such as "shake well before using"
· Possible side effects, such as "may cause drowsiness"