Parents frequently purchase over-the-counter (OTC) medicines to manage childhood ailments. How can pharmacists help ensure they are administered correctly?

Pain and fever are common experiences in childhood,^1,2 but seeing their child in pain can be highly distressing for parents, particularly if it is their first child.^3,4 As such, parents frequently purchase OTC medicines to help manage childhood ailments;⁵ however, studies show that parents may be struggling to accurately measure and administer these medicines.^6,7 In this CPD-accredited podcast, listen to pharmacist Rebekah Moles tackle some common myths about managing children’s pain and fever alongside a real parent, providing a first-hand perspective on the parent mindset during these occasions and areas that pharmacists have an opportunity to address to optimise acute pain and fever management in children.

Parents often receive a lot of conflicting information about how to manage pain and fever from sources such as friends, other parents, self-help books and the internet.² This can create misconceptions such as attributing certain symptoms like fever and diarrhoea to teething, or considering fever to have dangerous consequences such as brain damage.^3,8,9 These misbeliefs can lead to delays in the diagnosis