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Is my child at risk of a pharmacy sound-alike drug mistake?

 

A: Unfortunately, yes. Due to their small size and underdeveloped bodily systems, children who suffer a prescription drug mistake are not only likely to suffer an injury due to a mediation error, they are also more likely to suffer permanent injury as a result.

Consider the case of a child prescribed Lodine to relieve swelling in a broken leg. Lodine, like ibuprofen, is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), but is available only with a prescription. Instead, the pharmacist misreads the scrip and fills a prescription for codeine. 

Children are often given codeine in liquid form to treat pain, or as a cough syrup additive to help ease persistent or uncontrollable coughing. While the child who has been given the wrong prescription may tell his parents that he feels better, he is in fact under the effects of a narcotic painkiller, which at high doses can cause children to stop breathing. 

If the reverse happens--a child was given Lodine instead of codeine--there will be no relief for his cough, but he will be at an increased risk of gastrointestinal side effects, including bleeding or intestinal perforation. Although it may seem dangerous to prescribe to children, Lodine’s prescribing information states that it can safely be given to children ages seven and older.

Due to problems with capitalization and handwriting, Lodine is also often confused with Iodine, a topical treatment used to prevent and treat infections in cuts and scrapes. If topical iodine is given to a child, very little will be done to relieve his pain.

If someone you love suffered a prescription drug mistake, we can help. Call Kennedy Hodges today at 888-526-7616 to receive a FREE consultation with one of our trusted prescription drug error lawyers. For more information on your case, click the link above to receive a FREE copy of our informational guide, How to Make Pharmacies Pay for your Injuries Caused by Medication Errors. 


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