Updated: 07/14/2014 9:52 AM
Created: 07/14/2014 9:51 AM WDIO.com
By: LINDSEY TANNER, AP Medical Writer
CHICAGO (AP) - The song says a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, but a study says that kind of imprecise measurement can lead to potentially dangerous dosing mistakes.
The results, published online Monday in Pediatrics, underscore recommendations that droppers and syringes that measure in milliliters be used for liquid medicines - not spoons.
The study involved nearly 300 parents, mostly Hispanics, with children younger than 9 years old. The youngsters were treated for various illnesses at two New York City emergency rooms and sent home with prescriptions for liquid medicines, mostly antibiotics.
Parents were contacted afterward and asked by phone how they had measured the prescribed doses. They also brought their measuring devices to the researchers' offices to demonstrate doses they'd given their kids.
Parents who used spoonfuls "were 50% more likely to give their children incorrect doses than those who measured in more precise milliliter units," said Dr. Alan Mendelsohn, a co-author and associate professor at New York University's medical school.
Incorrect doses included giving too much and too little, which can both be dangerous, he said. Underdosing may not adequately treat an illness and can lead to medication-resistant infections, while overdoses may cause illness or side effects that can be life-threatening. The study doesn't include information on any ill effects from dosing mistakes.
Almost one-third of the parents gave the wrong dose and 1 in 6 used a kitchen spoon rather than a device like an oral syringe or dropper that lists doses in milliliters.
Less than half the prescriptions specified doses in milliliters. But even when they did, the medicine bottle label often listed doses in teaspoons. Parents often assume that means any similar-sized kitchen spoon, the authors said.
"Outreach to pharmacists and other health professionals is needed to promote the consistent use of milliliter units between prescriptions and bottle labels," the authors said.
(Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
Environmentalists Say St. Louis River Toxins Need Attention
Environmentalists and the Fond du Lac band of Lake Superior Chippewa say the state isn't doing enough to protect the public from toxins in the St. Louis River. A public meeting will be held about the issue tonight in Duluth.
August Job Gains Drive Down Minn. Unemployment Rate
Minnesota has gained 4,200 jobs in August, driving down the state's unemployment rate to 4.3 percent.
Wis. Unemployment Rate Drops; Job Growth Lags Nation
New statistics show Wisconsin's private sector job growth is lagging the national average. Meanwhile, the state's unemployment rate fell in August.
Family of Duluth Stabbing Victim: 'She was Always Happy'
The family of a Duluth stabbing victim spoke out on Wednesday after the 71-year-old woman's tragic death allegedly by the hands of her own son. Mary's ex-son-in-law, Ted Beaudoin, said he's still in shock.
Duluth Police Identify 2 Suspects in Last Month's Central Hillside Shooting
The Duluth Police Department has identified two suspects they believe were involved with an August 19 shooting on the Central Hillside.