Caring for and assessing pediatric patients: Aspects to consider as a pharmacy practitioner

Pharmacists care for patients of all ages. Pediatric patients are not smaller versions of adults; thus, they provide a unique challenge to pharmacists. Basic components of patient assessment and considerations for medication dosing and administration for pediatric patients are reviewed here.

Each pediatric patient is different, and physiological changes occur as a patient ages. Growth, vital signs, and laboratory tests are common assessments for all patients. However, there are unique factors to consider within the pediatric population, and a pharmacist must understand how to assess and interpret these data for pediatric patients of all ages. Additionally, individualized medication dosing is based on patient factors such as age, weight, or body surface area in this population. Key information about the administration of medications and understanding of dosage formulations for this patient population is an area where pharmacists can make recommendations to prescribers and counsel patients and caregivers in order to improve patient outcomes and increase adherence.

Patient assessment by the pharmacist is a key step in developing a patient treatment plan. Assessment factors in the pediatric population can differ from those in the adult population. A working knowledge of differences within the pediatric population and understanding how to assess them is essential for providing optimal patient care to this population.