Medication errors and adverse drug reaction are a common cause of death and injury. Though some errors are not serious and others can be cured after hospitalization, there are still many that can leave a life long effect. However interestingly, the rate for potential adverse drug events is three times higher in children and substantially higher still for infants.

Mentioned below are some over-the-counter medicines that parents should not give their children, unless prescribed:

• Aspirin:
Never give your child aspirin or any medication containing aspirin. Check the label beforehand for the salt contents on the medicine. If you're not sure whether a product contains aspirin, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Aspirin can make a child susceptible to Reye's syndrome — a rare but potentially fatal illness.

• Anti-nausea medications:
Don't give your child an anti-nausea medication unless his doctor specifically recommends it. Most bouts of vomiting are pretty short-lived and children usually handle them just fine without any medication. In addition, anti-nausea medications have risks and possible complications.

• Adult medications:
Giving your child a smaller dose of medicine meant for an adult as it could be dangerous. If the label doesn't indicate an appropriate dose for a child, don't give that medication to your preschooler.

• Any medication prescribed for someone else or for another reason:
Prescription drugs intended for other people (like a sibling) or to treat other illnesses may be ineffective or even dangerous when given to your child. Give him only medicine prescribed for him and his specific condition.

• Expired medication:
Check for expiry dates of medication before using it. Toss out medicines as soon as they expire. Also get rid of discolored or crumbly medicines. Also, don't flush old drugs down the toilet, as they can contaminate groundwater and end up in the drinking water supply.

Things to Keep in mind when giving medicine to your child

• Ask about the purpose of the medicine:
When you get a new prescription, ask your doctor or your pharmacist for a medicine information sheet. It will tell you about the medicine.

• Watch out for the timings:
When the prescription says ‘every six hours’, it generally means the medicine is taken four times a day (for example, at breakfast, lunch, supper and bedtime). It doesn’t necessarily mean to wake the child up at night to take medicine.

• Ensure correct dosage:
Use a special measuring device to get the correct dose. An ordinary kitchen teaspoon may not hold the right amount of medicine.

• Watch out for allergic reactions:
If your child has a bad reaction to a medicine or is allergic to a medicine, tell your doctor right away. This is important medical information. You should also keep a record of this information at home; the name of the medicine, the dosage directions, the illness the medicine was given for and the side effects the medicine caused. It will be of great help throughout.

• Chewable medicines:
Most children can handle chewable tablets, especially those that are fast-melting. But keep an eye on your child when you give him a chewable, especially if he isn't proficiently chewing solids yet. If you think chewable medicines might be a choking hazard for your child, crush the tablet and put it in a spoonful of soft food. Ensure that your child eats the entire spoonful in order to get the complete dose.

• Herbal medication:
Many herbal remedies are gentle and safe, but just because something is natural, or derived from a plant, doesn't mean that it's safe for your child. Check for the ingredients and ask experts.