‘Color outside the lines’ when it comes to your child’s health

Alternative dosage forms, flavored medicine and strength variations are some of the reasons your child's doctor may wish to contact a compounding pharmacist.  Many children have difficulty swallowing capsules or tablets, especially when it involves more than one medication during the day. Physicians and compounding pharmacists can work together to find alternative dosage forms for your child. These include lollipops, syrups, freezer pops, lozenges, and other forms.  All produced in any number of flavors that your child won't mind taking. Each child is unique ~ variations in size, weight, allergies and drug tolerance can pose a problem when dealing only with commercially available medications. A compounding pharmacist can aid in formulating a medication that will meet the special needs of each individual child.  

 

 

Benefits of Pediatric Compounding 

1. Increased compliance by compounding medications to meet the unique needs of children (e.g. due to allergies, size, weight, drug intolerance, etc.), which is particularly important for medications that need to be taken for an extended period of time. 

2. Medications provided in a variety of forms and dosages that are otherwise commercially unavailable. 

 

3. Child can choose their favorite flavour ~ can medicine really be this exciting?! 

 

 

How do I know what is available for my child? 

When your physician prescribes a medication for your child’s specific condition, come to the Ryan's Pharmacy to talk with us about what might be an effective compounding option for your child’s prescribed medication and condition, while incorporating their likes & dislikes. This may include changing the form of the medication, for instance, to a lollipop; or perhaps flavouring a bitter tasting medicine to taste like chocolate, cherry, or bubble gum… Just come see us and together we will find the best way to ensure your child takes their medication with the least amount of tears! The most creative and effective compounds are often for pediatric purposes. Getting a child to take medication can be challenging, given that children often do not learn to take tablets and capsules until they are school-aged. Often commercially available medications are unpleasant or ill tasting, and in some cases the commercial market simply provides no options. 

 

But there is hope! Compounding pharmacists have many trade secrets to make administration easier, and thus increase compliance for even the youngest patients with sensitive tastes, tummies and skin!  Our innovative techniques provide alternative specialized dosing, forms (oral, suppositories, creams & gels, etc.), and flavoring to meet the needs of your little ones. Perhaps it’s time to get creative for the sake of your child’s health!