Preventing Medication Errors in Paediatrics: A Narrative Review.

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Pharmacology
• Patient Safety
• Health Systems Research

Background:

• Pediatric medication errors are a significant, preventable cause of harm to children worldwide.
• Children's unique physiological and developmental factors increase their vulnerability to medication errors.
• High-risk clinical settings like NICUs and emergency departments report elevated error rates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the epidemiology, causes, and prevention strategies for pediatric medication errors.
• To emphasize system-level contributors and evidence-based safety interventions.
• To identify gaps in high-resource versus low- and middle-income countries.

Main Methods:

• This study is a narrative review of existing literature on pediatric medication errors.
• It examines common error sources, including dosing miscalculations and communication failures.
• It highlights technological and non-technological safety strategies.

Main Results:

• Dosing errors, interruptions, poor communication, and caregiver challenges are frequent causes.
• Technological solutions like CPOE, CDSS, BCMA, and smart pumps show promise in reducing errors.
• Standardized protocols, team communication, pharmacist integration, and patient education are effective.

Conclusions:

• Coordinated, system-level approaches integrating technology, standardization, training, and family engagement are essential for reducing pediatric medication harm.
• Gaps in safety persist in low-resource settings, and emerging technologies present new challenges.
• Sustained improvement requires a multi-faceted strategy addressing human factors and caregiver involvement.