When syringing oral medication to infants, always use the proper size syringe for the infant’s age. The syringe should be filled with the correct amount of medication for the infant’s age, weight, and health condition. The syringe should be placed into the infant’s mouth at a 45-degree angle, and the plunger should be gently depressed to administer the medication.
There are a variety of reasons why liquid medications are commonly prescribed to children. A medicine spoon or cup is not as precise as an oral syringe. Keep in mind that if you squirt too much medicine into your child’s mouth at once, he or she will become chocked. You should only use the program as directed by the instructions.
Take the tip of an oral syringe and place it between the gums and the inside surface of the cheek of your child. After pushing the plunger, squirt a small amount of medicine into the side of your child’s mouth. Before attempting to push the plunger, allow your child to swallow it.
How Do You Administer Oral Medication To An Infant?
Administering oral medication to an infant can be done by using a syringe or an oral syringe. The syringe should be filled with the prescribed amount of medication. The syringe should be placed in the infant’s mouth and the plunger should be slowly depressed. The infant should be allowed to suck on the syringe while the plunger is being depressed.
One of the most important responsibilities for a nurse is to care for infants and children. When a nurse administers medications, she has a legal obligation to do so safely and accurately. Children’s physical and psychological needs must be identified at each developmental stage to ensure the child’s cooperation and to administer the medication safely and in the least traumatic way. Child development should be considered in the development of a medication regimen for a child. The health care provider should be able to educate the parent and child on medication as part of the medication adherence process. Children should be familiar with the fundamentals of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics in order to be successful in their medications. Because most medications are absorbed into the small intestine, the drug must be absorbed in a specific dosage form that will be most effective.
Gastrointestinal motility can cause a baby or young child to be less likely to take medication. When emptying the stomach, babies experience intermittent and unpredictable emptying; this can be especially true for older infants. Consuming more peristalsis can have an adverse effect on intestinal motility in people who have certain health conditions. It is critical that the peripheral blood flow is adequate to ensure adequate intravenous (IV) medication absorption. A medication’s distribution to the body is dependent on the blood and bodily fluids it is administered to. Children require a higher dose of a water-soluble medication per kilogram of body weight due to their increased fluid volume per weight. As we get older, the pH of our skin can change, making it difficult for us to take in topical medications.
The more frequently children suffer from contact dermatitis, the more likely it is to occur. Some medications are metabolized in the liver, while others are excreted through the renal system. Because newborn and premature infants’ metabolic enzymes are not mature enough to metabolize all medications in a given dosage, they may not be able to properly metabolize all medications in the dosage they require. In addition to being unable to concentrate urine, infants and young children are also unable to do so in comparison to older children or adults. Medicating a child must always take into account differences in his or her age group. The presence of parents can alleviate the child’s concerns and fears about medication. Make it a point to give the child as many options as possible to alleviate his or her feelings of powerlessness.
Medication administration relies heavily on honesty, praise, and rewards. Nurses should empower parents in the following ways: Obtain information from the parents before administering medication. All medications given to infants must be kept up to date with the parents. If liquid, oral medications, or injections are to be avoided, proper administration techniques must be used. Children as young as toddlers and preschoolers have a strong preference for magical thinking. Toddlers in their late teens and early twenties may see medication as a form of punishment for bad behavior. The toddler is best suited to sit on the parent’s lap while on medication.
Even when invasive procedures are used, school-age children frequently cooperate fully. When adolescents respond to procedures that appear inconsistent with their age, they display a hyper-response. The most common type of medication error in pediatrics is an incorrect dose. Before administering medication, a nurse must check the accuracy of the medication’s dosage. A child’s dose can also be determined by taking the body surface area (BSA) (mg/m2) into account. Figure 38-2 shows how to use a nomogram to determine an infant’s BSA. When a child is admitted to a hospital unit, the nurse will provide a list of all prescription and over-the-counter medications.
The nurse compares the medications the child has been receiving at home to the medications prescribed for him or her in the hospital. To avoid medication errors, it is critical to reconcile medications. Because of the development of mechanisms such as pharmacokinetics, dosage by weight or body mass, and narrow therapeutic-to-lethal ranges for many medications, children are more likely to develop medication errors and adverse drug events. A web-based or computer dose calculator has been shown to reduce dosage calculation errors in children. Electronic systems have the potential to significantly reduce the incidence of medication errors. To effectively use oral medication, it should be tailored to the child’s developmental level and ability to take the medication in a specific manner. If you want to know which type of medication a child takes at home, look into how the child takes it.
If you intend to mix medications with certain foods, such as formula, you should do so with caution because it will affect the food’s flavor. Toddlers and preschoolers can easily take liquid medications with the help of an oral syringe. Tablets and capsules can be swallowed by a large number of older, school-age children. Oral medications can be fed directly into the gastrointestinal tract through a feeding tube. After taking oral medications, children have the option of eating or drinking whatever they want. The majority of the time, injections are given for one-time treatments such as antibiotics, immunizations, insulin administration, and tuberculosis skin testing. Some parents may request that they be present to hold their child while undergoing an injection.
Oral medications, when used in conjunction with traditional medications, can be life-saving for infants and children with serious illnesses. You and your child will be able to administer oral medications in a natural and simple manner. Following administration of the medication, the child is given a food or fluid item, such as formula, juice, or ice cream, if it is not prohibited. To get them to open their mouth, stroke their cheek gently. On the back or cheeks of your baby’s tongue, fill a small cup with a small amount of the oral syringe. Give them a second small dose of the medicine as soon as they swallow. Continue until the end.
Administering Oral Medications To Infants
In order to allow infants to swallow and prevent aspiration, oral medications should be administered in an upright or slightly referential position. The medication is administered to the baby once it has been given, and if necessary, the baby is given a food or fluid item, such as a formula, juice, or an ice pop. IV administration should take place in conjunction with oral liquid medications, the vastus lateralis, rectus femoris, and ventrogluteal muscle sites, and should take place with a needle, dropper, or nipple. Because the deltoid muscles and gluteus maximus muscles are still developing in the infant, they should not be given to him or her.
When Administering Oral Medication To An Infant The Nurse Should?
When administering oral medication to an infant, the nurse should ensure that the infant is in an upright position and has a clear airway. The nurse should also use a syringe or dropper to administer the medication, and should avoid giving the infant more than one dose at a time.
How To Use Oral Medication Syringe
To use a oral medication syringe, first remove the cap from the syringe. Next, draw the desired amount of medication into the syringe by pulling back on the plunger. Once the plunger is fully retracted, insert the needle into the mouth. To release the medication, slowly push down on the plunger. After the medication has been released, remove the needle from the mouth and replace the cap on the syringe.
