How to Manage Medicines Safely

Families often have multiple medicines to keep track of and manage. Each medicine may have different instructions. This can feel overwhelming. But there are things you can do to stay organized and manage medicines safely. Older children and teens can also learn to help manage their medicines in ways that are safe for their age and medical needs.

Keep a record of all medicines

Keeping track of your child’s medicines is important for medication safety. To help with this:

• Keep a simple and easy-to-use list of your child’s medicines, drug information, and instructions.
• Make sure all caregivers have access to this list.
• Take the medicine list with you each time you visit your health care provider or pharmacy.

Knowing basic information about each medicine helps in several ways: 

• Gives patients and families more control and engagement in the treatment plan
• Promotes better communication between family and care team
• Helps prevent medication errors, such as:  
  • Giving the wrong dose
  • Giving the medicine at the wrong time
  • Giving the medicine too often or not enough
  • Mixing up medicine
  • Storing the medicine the wrong way 

Keep this medication information in your records:

• Medicine name: Be aware of the brand name, the generic name, and the exact name on the label for each medicine your child takes. Do not use nicknames, like “the orange pill.” 
• Purpose of the medicine: Know why your child takes the medicine, such as for pain, infection, or to treat their illness. This helps you follow the care plan and talk with your health care provider or pharmacist. It also helps avoid problems like taking too much medicine or having dangerous interactions.
• Side effects: Learn what side effects to watch for, including those that are common and those that are rare. This will help you catch problems early and report them to your care team. 
• Appearance: Be aware of what the medicine looks like or take a picture with your cell phone of the medicine and the label. The label on the medication bottle should also include a description of the medicine’s appearance. If the medicine looks or tastes different than usual, contact your pharmacist. It is always better to ask questions and stay safe.
• Storage and disposal: Some medicines should be refrigerated. Others should be stored at room temperature. Follow instructions to make sure that medicines work as they are supposed to. Avoid storing medicines in humid areas like bathrooms. Keep medicines out of the reach of children. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of unused medicines.
• Safe handling: Some medicines, like chemotherapy, can be dangerous for caregivers. Follow instructions for safe handling. 
• Interactions: Know if your child should avoid certain foods, supplements, or over-the-counter medicines while taking this medication. Interactions can make medicines less effective or increase the chance of side effects.

Know the instructions for each medicine

Be aware of specific instructions for each medicine your child takes. These instructions should include:

Dose of medicine: 

• How much medicine should be taken each time?
• How should each medicine be measured (pill, syringe, medicine cup)?  Use the measuring device the pharmacy gives you, not household spoons.

Medicine schedule: 

• How often should the medicine be taken?
• At what time should each medicine be taken?
• What to do if a dose is missed?

Special instructions for giving the medicine: 

• Should the medicine be taken with or without food?
• Should the medicine be taken at a certain time of day?
• Does the medicine need to be prepared in a certain way?

Tips to manage medicines

At home:

• Store medicines in their original containers.
• Keep medicines and supplies organized in a specific place.
• Use charts, calendars, or alerts to remind you when to give medicine.
• Keep the same schedule every day.
• Track when you give each medicine to avoid missed or extra doses.
• Know how much medicine is left so you can refill it before you run out.
• Pay attention to the expiration date. Some medicines may lose effectiveness or be unsafe after a certain amount of time has passed.

At the pharmacy:

• Use the same pharmacy for all your medicines and get to know your pharmacist.
• Tell your pharmacist about any allergies your child has, including allergic reactions to medications, foods, or environmental triggers.
• Check each prescription before you leave the pharmacy. Ask questions if anything is unclear.
• Make sure all labels are easy to read and have all the important information.
• Ask your health care provider to write down instructions so you do not have to remember all the details.

Refilling a prescription

Ask your health care provider or pharmacist about refilling medicine. Some medicines may need extra steps before you can get them. For example, clinic visits or lab tests might be needed before the medication can be refilled.

Some prescriptions expire after a certain time or only allow a certain number of refills. When this happens, a health care provider needs to prescribe the medicine again before you can fill the prescription. 

Pharmacy insurance plans may re-check coverage or require new approval before they can be refilled. 

To help you plan, write down refill instructions for each medicine, such as: 

• “Call the pharmacy when you have 5 pills remaining.”
• “This medicine has to be approved by insurance before refilling.” 
• “Lab tests are needed before refilling.”

Tools for keeping track of your medicine list

Different tools can help you stay organized and keep track of medicines. Talk to your health care provider about what might work best for you and be aware of special instructions. Tools to help you manage medicines may include:

• A pillbox: These can be purchased at a pharmacy and help you organize medicines by day and time of day. Pillboxes are typically not child-resistant, so keep them out of the reach of children.
• Electronic health record or pharmacy website: You can often view visit notes, prescriptions, and other information in your child’s medical record.
• A medication chart or calendar: Work with your health care provider to create a system that works for you. Use stickers or color coding for each medicine, and track when you give medicines. 
• A mobile app to track medicines: Several different apps are available that offer alerts and tracking features.
• List of medicines: Ask your health care provider or pharmacist for a printed list of medications and patient education handouts for each.

Questions to ask your doctor or pharmacist

• What tools do you recommend for keeping track of medicines?
• What should I do if I skip a dose of medicine or give an extra dose or too much medicine?
• What should I do if my child vomits after taking the medicine?
• What should I do if my child has problems taking the medicine?
• Can the medicine be mixed into food or drink?
• What do I do if I run out of medicine or supplies?

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