“Social Medication” and the Control of Children: A Qualitative Study of Over-the-Counter Medication Among Australian Children

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Objective. The aim of the study was to identify the patterns of use of over-the-counter (OTC) medications among children.Methods. The study used a qualitative design, with in-depth interviews of 40 parents with children <5 years of age.Results. There were 3 striking and readily apparent themes in the use of OTC medications among children. One was the administration of OTC medications as a form of "social medication," to give parents control over children's behavior that they perceived as fractious and irritating. A related theme was the use of OTC medications to reduce the inconvenience to the parents of having a sick child, again giving parents greater control and better time-management abilities. Finally, acetaminophen was considered by many parents to have almost miraculous properties in calming, sedating, and lifting the mood of children.Conclusions. The use of OTC medications for the treatment of minor ailments among children is widespread, despite the lack of evidence of efficacy of the most commonly used medications and the potential for toxicity. With the increasing propensity to look to medication as a means of supporting changing lifestyles, there is an urgent need to review the prevalence and effects of social medication. Pediatrics 2004; 114:e378 -e383. URL: http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/ content/full/114/3/e378; parental stress, parental perception, child behavior, drug safety, over-the-counter. ABBREVIATION. OTC, over-the-counter T he late 19th century saw a rising culture of self-medication and ready-to-use drugs for infants, many of which were opiates. In Australia, for instance, proprietary medicines became a common feature in the home and were administered to children almost as soon as they became restless or "cross" in the night. 1 Syrups, "soothers," and teething powders were used for common, minor, health concerns such as "wind" and coughs. To pacify children, chemists, confectioners, and door-to-door salesmen sold narcotic lozenges, prepared with morphine and opium. 1 Teething, which was considered a major health problem for infants and was described as a period filled with "terror to a mother's imagination," was often recorded as the actual cause of death of a child, although now it is thought that the deaths were probably caused by the teething powders themselves, which were made of chloride of mercury and opium. 2 Although these products were marketed as "perfectly mild and free from danger," a coronial inquiry into a spate of infant deaths around 1880 found that many of these medications recommended unsafe doses of alcohol, morphine, and other opiates. An Australian Royal Commission in 1907 reported that 15 000 children were killed every year by soothing syrups and similar preparations. 3 Medications in various (more benign) forms have, however, remained an important feature in the management of many minor "ailments" among children. Over-the-counter (OTC) medications, for example, are promoted through television, radio, and print advertising. The advertisements, which are prim...

‘Codeine is my companion’: misuse and dependence on codeine containing medicines in Ireland

“…Within trajectories of codeine misuse and dependence, a wide ranging profile of codeine user exists; for example, the elderly (Roumie & Griffin, 2004;Agaba et al 2004); youth (Elwood, 2001;Peters et al 2003Peters et al , 2007aPeters et al , 2007bPeters et al , 2007cFord, 2009;Lao et al 2010;Wilson et al 2010;Tang et al 2012;Agnich et al 2013); parents (Allotey et al 2004); students (Acocella, 2005); pharmacy customers (Sweileh et al 2004;Albsoul-Younes et al 2010); drug and psychiatric treatment patients (Agyapong et al 2013); addiction treatment patients (Akram & Roberts, 2003;Myers et al 2003;Yang & Yuan, 2008;Cohen et al 2009;Thekiso & Farren, 2010;Cooper, 2013b) and internet drug forum users (Van Hout, 2015) each with their own motives, patterns and outcomes for use. However, there is a lack of consensus around a definition of misuse of pharmaceutical opioid narcotics (Barrett et al 2008;Casati et al 2012;Cooper, 2013a) with broad misuse of pharmaceutical definitions including incorrect but legitimate use for medical purposes; use outside of acceptable medical guidelines when self-medicating at higher doses and for longer than advised; use for reasons other than for the instructions on the label or the intended purpose; recreational use for intoxication purposes; and where risks and adverse consequences outweigh the benefits (Nielsen et al 2008;Casati et al 2012).…”

Prevalence of Parental Self Medication and Its Possible Effect to Their Children in Al-Madinah , Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“…Despite the lack of evidence for the effectiveness of many over-the-counter (OTC) medications [24,25], and the possible risks associated with their improper use among young children, [26,27], they remain widely used [28].The results of our study showed high prevalence of parental self-medication use among children 62.9%. These results are consistent with another study in Saudi Arabia reported that 53.8% of the parents practiced self-medication in their children [29].This proportions consistent with the global variation of prevalence of self-medication which has been reported by various studies to range between 30-70% [30].…”

A Randomized Open Comparative Clinical Trial on the Effectiveness, Safety and Tolerability of a Homeopathic Medicinal Product for the Treatment of Painful Teething in Children

“…It is expected that the use of OTC medications for symptom management in children will further increase [39]. Since in the present study, ChamBell-5-02 was shown to be safe, excellently tolerated and to reduce symptoms of teething, ChamBell-5-02 could be advised in the support of self-management of teething in children.…”