Minimizing prescribing errors in infants and children

Family physicians frequently prescribe medications for children. The high volume of pediatric prescribing, particularly of antibiotics, means that even a low rate of prescription error would result in adverse consequences for a substantial number of children. Errors may be attributed to factors associated with drug names, packaging or formulation, particularly when a liquid preparation is marketed in several concentrations, as well as to human error in selecting and prescribing medications. A systematic approach that minimizes distractions during the prescribing process, provides a safety-checking mechanism by office staff and encourages the consistent use of standard techniques for calculating pediatric dosages is recommended. In the interest of clarity, prescriptions should be written legibly, abbreviations should be avoided, the indication for the medication should be specified and the times of day and number of times each day the medication is to be taken should be clearly stated.