Things You Need to Know about Pediatric Drug Information

1. Things You Need to Know about Pediatric Drug Information Pediatric labeling information is important to prevent the “off label” use of pediatric medications in children, which could particularly be more risky for those under 2 years of age. Pediatric Research Equity Act (PREA) was passed by the US Congress in 2003, requiring all new drug applications to include pediatric assessments. Pediatric drug information labeling provides guidance to doctors and healthcare providers on how to use a drug. For example, children 2 to 5 years of age need only lower 5 mg dose of Claritin (loratadine) syrup to treat allergies and hives, while Luvox (fluvoxamine maleate) tablets prescribed for compulsive-obsessive disorder need to be increased to the recommended adult dose in adolescents, while girls aged 8 to 11 may need lower than the recommended dose. Children are not smaller adults The pharmacokinetics processes of the medication’s absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion are different in children than adults, as these processes undergo changes due to growth and development. Doctors often prescribe many pediatric doses based on a child’s age and weight; these may need adjustments based on a child’s clinical response as the children are not smaller adults. There are dynamics of growth, changes in body proportion and maturation of organs that affect how medications are metabolized in children at different stages of life. So, it’s important to have the correct dose calculations that cannot always be extrapolated based on adult studies. The calculated dose should be able to be administered safely to a child and may be rounded for easy measurement by the family and caregivers. The US Food and Drug Administration require pediatric studies of a drug submitted in a new drug application if it is to be used in a substantial number of children’s populations. Accurate prescription amount is important Medications with a wide safety margin are a good option for treating children as they are unlikely to cause adverse side effects, toxicity or ineffectiveness. However, drugs with narrow safety margins, such as phenytoin and gentamicin, should be given only with accurate prescription amounts as even a small change can result in toxicity in children. Adjustments in doses may be needed Pediatricians or child specialist doctors should use an appropriate pediatric reference source, such as AMH Children’s Dose Companion, while prescribing for children. Many doses are given in mg/kg as the weight of the child is important for medication, and may not allow for different rates of childhood development. Moreover, the recommended dose may not be optimum for

2. some children, so adjustments in doses may be needed in some cases based on the clinical response. With the accurate pediatric drug information, you can feel more secure knowing that your child is being treated appropriately. Need help with medications’ savings? Many Americans need help affording children’s medications and saving on prescriptions, especially those living on a budget and without health insurance. SaveOnMeds drug discount card is a useful prescription savings program for affording pediatric and adult medications as it allows you to save on meds of up to 85% on various branded and generic medications for pediatric and adult use. The card is delivered activated for free, and can be used immediately to save on prescriptions at over 65,000 pharmacies in the USA including the big chains such as Publix, CVS, Walgreens, Kroger and Rite-Aid. You can also check drug prices at www.savingsonmeds.com for the lowest price of medications at pharmacies near you to maximize your savings on meds. Download your Save On Meds drug card for prescription savings Use your SaveOnMeds drug discount card as flu vaccine savings cards, Albuterol HFA inhaler prescription savings card, Adipex discount card, or as an all-purpose prescription savings card for saving on meds for children and adults’ prescription fillings. SaveOnMeds savings card can be downloaded for free from www.savingsonmeds.com or you can also get your digital drug savings card in your mobile by sending the keyword “Saveonmeds” to phone number 21000. Everyone is eligible to download the SaveOnMeds drug card for free, irrespective of their age or income. The drug savings card can also be used with insurance, as you may find many medications at a lower price with SaveOnMeds drug card than what you will with copays or high deductibles, and also for out-of-coverage medications. Just show your SaveOnMeds drug card to the pharmacist while filling your prescription to get an instant discount on prescription medications each time you fill the prescription for your children or family. The card can also be shared with friends and colleagues.