The American Pharmaceutical Association Parent's Guide to Childhood Medications [Paperback]

Andrea Peirce (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1997

Surveys show consumers rely heavily on local pharmacies for information when buying medicine. How parents can rely on the next best thing--an authoritative guide sponsored by the most trusted source for accurate drug information. This reference is indispensible--every home with children should have one.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Overseen by a well-qualified editorial review panel, this book is a thorough guide to medications for children that are either prescribed or purchased over the counter. Although not as comprehensive as the more technical The Physician's Desk Reference or Physician's Desk GenRx, it boasts accessible language and a focus on children. Introductory chapters cover such topics as generic drugs, forms of medication, the administration of medications in all forms, and the wise use of drugs. Accounts are arranged alphabetically by generic name, with each account offering such information as brand names, purpose, forms (oral, topical, injection), administration, special instructions, mode of action, time until symptom relief, possible side effects, and safety and effectiveness in children. The index (not seen) lists generic and brand names, so information should be easy to locate. Though this book is not a substitute for an extensive discussion with a child's pediatrician, it provides a knowledge base from which a parent can ask informed questions. Highly recommended for consumer health collections and parents.?Constance Rinaldo, Dartmouth Coll. Biomedical Libs., Hanover, N.H.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 613 pages
• Publisher: Andrews Mcmeel Pub; 1 edition (February 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0836221389
• ISBN-13: 978-0836221381
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 1.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,406,036 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing and incomplete., February 7, 2002

By 

Jane James "homeschoolmum" (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The American Pharmaceutical Association Parent's Guide to Childhood Medications (Paperback)

I have found that I can't trust the data in this reference book at all.

For instance, under guaifenesin (an expectorant) it lists 22 over-the-counter liquids/tablets/capsules that contain guaifenesin, but it doesn't say which is in what form! So, if you are looking for guaifenesin in capsules (without the sugars and dyes found in the liquid), good luck! You'll have to contact 22 companies to find out which ones make it in capsule.

Then it mentions when to stop giving your child the medication - for instance, ifyour child becomes drowsy or develops nausea. Now, everything I've ever seen about guaifenesin indicates that rare nausea is the only known side effect, so this other warning about drowsiness doesn't make much sense to me. Why would a child become nauseated? No more info is given on it, so I'm left with a mystery...

Then, onto Ritalin, which I checked, just to see what it had to say. First of all, Ritalin doesn't have a listing by that name - but in the index it directs the reader to "Methylphenidate Hydrochloride", it's scientific, but little-known name. It mentions that Ritalin is a "mild central-nervous-system stimulant", but fails to mention that it is a Schedule II CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, in the same category as cocaine and methamphetamine!!!

It does list the serious potential side effects, such as Tourette's syndrome, seizures, hallucinations, convulsions, delirium, etc., as well as the importance of not keeping a child on Ritalin for long periods of time. But it does not mention the possibility of suicide in children when they are taken off the drug, nor the very high percentages of children who use other drugs once Ritalin is taken away from them! The entire addiction factor of Ritalin is ignored by this reference book.

Another example is the Talcom Powder listing. It doesn't mention that talcum powder sometimes contains asbestos, and that a relationship between talcum powder use and ovarian cancer has been established.

All in all, this is a very poor reference book, and I feel it's a potential liability to anyone who trusts the data within.