Aim: This study aimed to determine the epidemiology of therapeutic errors among children in the community setting. In almost all cases (474, 96.5%, 95% CI 94.4, 97.9), the caller was advised to observe the child at home, and no child experienced significant morbidity. Preventive strategies included attention to administration care and routine, communication, medication storage, administration devices, packaging and labelling issues. Conclusion: Very young children are at particular risk, especially from single, over-the-counter medication dosing errors, made at home by family members.Key words: adverse event; child; medication error; paediatrics; therapeutic error.A therapeutic error has been defined as 'an unintentional deviation from a proper therapeutic regimen that results in the wrong dose, incorrect route of administration, administration to the wrong person, or administration of the wrong substance'. 1 Such errors are a major problem in all areas of health care 2 including the community setting where most medical care of children takes place. 3,4 Despite this, little is known about the frequency and types of therapeutic errors, their clinical importance and effective strategies for error reduction. 5-7 Furthermore, a relative paucity of Australian reports have examined this problem.There is some evidence, however, of the extent of the problem. First, children are significant consumers of both prescription and non-prescription medications, with the 1995 National Health Survey indicating that 50.5% of those aged 0-14 years had used a medication in the previous 2 weeks. 8 This population is, therefore, 'at risk' of therapeutic error. Second, over an 18-week period at three hospitals, 3.3% of emergency department paediatric attendance was associated with medication-related problems. Of these, 51.3% were thought to be preventable. 9 Finally, Kaushal et al. 6 found that adverse medication events were common in the paediatric ambulatory setting, occurring in about 16% of children treated. Of these, 20% of events were thought to be preventable, and 70% of these were related to parental medication administration.This study aimed to explore the epidemiology of therapeutic errors among children in an Australian community setting. It determined the nature, causes and outcomes of those errors reported to the Victorian Poisons Information Centre (VPIC). By following up the carers, their actions taken and recommendations to prevent future errors were determined and will inform the development of prevention initiatives.
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