MODULE 2

EXERCISE:
Read the text and write down all difficult words.

Key facts OTC medicines 

• You can buy OTC medicines without a prescription.
• There are OTC medicines you can only buy in pharmacies, but you can buy other medicines in general shops, such as supermarkets and health food stores.
• Speak to a pharmacist for healthcare advice before buying OTC medicines.
• You might experience side effects from OTC medicines and they can interact with your prescription or other medicines.

What are over-the-counter (OTC) medicines?
You don't need a prescription for some medicines. These are called over-the-counter medicines, or OTC medicines.

You can buy pain medicines, for example, paracetamol and ibuprofen, as well as cough and cold remedies, over the counter. You can also buy complementary or alternative medicines over the counter. Like all medicines, you should think about the risks and benefits of OTC medicines before using them.

Types of over-the-counter medicines
In Australia, over-the-counter medicines can be supplied in three ways.

Pharmacist-only medicines
There are some over-the-counter medicines you can only buy after you have spoken to the pharmacist. Examples include inhalers (puffers) for asthma and mild steroid-containing creams for skin irritations. Your pharmacist is a qualified expert in medicines and can help you and your family with advice on health and medicines.

Pharmacy medicines
There are other over-the-counter medicines that you can only buy in pharmacies, but you do not need to speak to a pharmacist to buy them. Examples include medicines to treat diarrhoea and symptoms of allergy.

Medicines for general sale
You can buy some over-the-counter medicines in supermarkets and health food stores. Examples include cough and cold remedies, some pain medicines such as paracetamol, and vitamins.

What are the risks of taking over-the-counter medicines?
Over-the-counter medicines have side effects as well as benefits, just like any other medicine. For example, there are some over-the-counter pain medicines you shouldn't use if you have stomach, kidney, liver or heart problems, or are pregnant.

Some over-the-counter medicines and alternative medicines can interact with other prescribed medicines, making them less effective for you. Combining medicines, including OTC medicines, may increase your chance of experiencing side effects.

Always let your doctor or pharmacist know what prescription, over-the-counter and alternative or complementary medicines you are taking.

EXERCISE:
Read the text and write down all difficult words.

Pharmacist
If your child is sick, you'll probably think of countless questions to ask your child's doctor. But how many times have you made a list of questions and concerns to share with your pharmacist?

If you're like most parents, the answer is probably "very few" or "none." But today's pharmacists are trained to provide valuable information about the prescriptions they fill and to answer questions that affect the patients they serve. To encourage questions from their customers, many pharmacies provide counselling rooms where pharmacists can talk to patients and families in a private setting.

Why Should I Talk to My Pharmacist/Pharmacy Assistant?
Pharmacists cannot diagnose medical conditions, but your pharmacist can answer many questions about medicines, recommend non-prescription drugs, and discuss side effects of specific medications. And some pharmacists can also provide blood sugar and blood pressure monitoring and offer advice on home monitoring tests.

Most pharmacists who graduated in the 1980s received 5-year bachelor's degrees. Recently, it has become popular for pharmacists to receive a doctor of pharmacy degree. This 6- to 8-year-program requires pharmacists in training to go on hospital rounds with doctors and be there when decisions are made to begin drug use. These skills are particularly useful for pharmacists who operate within hospital settings.

Pharmacists are required to stay up-to-date on the changing world of medicine and to take continuing education classes on drug therapy. (Requirements can vary from state to state.)

How Do I Start a Conversation With My Pharmacist?
Many pharmacies have private counselling areas where you can sit and talk without interruption. Some pharmacists also accept questions over the telephone. And if you ask, almost all pharmacies will provide you with detailed literature about a particular medication.

It's never too late to ask your pharmacist a question. Even if you don't think of one until after you get home, you can still call the pharmacist for advice. That's part of his or her job.

What Questions Should I Ask?
A typical question parents have is about allergic reactions. First and foremost, make sure that your pharmacist knows exactly what allergies your child has and what medications your child is already taking. This will help the pharmacist protect against possible drug interactions that could potentially be harmful.

Once you have received your child's medication, always look at it carefully before you leave the pharmacy. Read the instructions to be sure you understand how to give it to your child. Even if the medication is a refill, check to make sure the drug is the same size, colour, and shape that you are used to receiving. If anything doesn't look right, ask.

Consider the following additional questions for your pharmacist:
Does this medication require special storage conditions (for example, at room temperature or in a refrigerator)?

• How many times a day should it be given? Should it be given with food? Without food?
• Should my child avoid certain foods (such as dairy products) when taking this medication?
• Are there special side effects that I should look for? What should I do if I notice any of these side effects?
• Should my child take special precautions, such as avoiding exposure to sunlight, when taking this medication?
• What should I do if my child skips a dose?
• Is it OK to cut pills in half or crush them to mix into foods?
• Will this medicine conflict with my child's other medications, including over-the-counter medicines and alternative treatment such as herbal remedies?

Common Problems With Childhood Medications
Some parents may forget to have their children finish a prescription. If the medication (for example, a pain medication) is to be taken "as needed for symptoms," you don't need to finish the entire prescription within a set number of days. But with prescriptions like antibiotics, the medication must be finished for it to be effective.

Throw away any old prescriptions.
If your child doesn't finish a medication, it's not a good idea to save it for a future illness because most drugs lose their potency after 1 year. Do not use after the expiration date and talk with your doctor before giving old prescriptions to your child.

Another common problem is the sharing of medications between siblings. Pharmacists and doctors recommend that no one take a drug prescribed for anyone else or offer prescription drugs to another person, no matter how similar the symptoms or complaints.

Tips From the Pharmacist
Pharmacists offer the following advice:

• Do not keep medicine in the medicine cabinet! Ironically, the medicine cabinet in a steamy, moist bathroom is not the best place to keep any medication — prescription or otherwise. The room's moisture can make medications less potent. It's best to keep medicines in a hall closet or on a high shelf in the kitchen.
• Remember to keep prescription and nonprescription medications out of the reach of children.
• Never repackage medications; keep them in their original child-proof containers so that you'll have the expiration date and instructions on hand.
• Toss medications when they have expired (usually 1 year for pills or sooner for liquids — check the prescription label for the expiration date) or the doctor has told you that your child should stop taking them.
• Though most liquid medications are now flavored, some may not be very palatable to a young child. Some medicines can be mixed with chocolate or maple syrup to encourage children to take the entire dosage. Check with your pharmacist to see what would work best with which drug. However, pharmacists discourage putting liquid medication into a bottle for babies; if they don't finish the bottle, they won't get all the medication.
• When giving liquid medicine, it's best to use a medication syringe (instead of a household spoon) to ensure that your child will get the exact amount prescribed. You can buy a medication syringe at your pharmacy.

What if your child takes the wrong dosage? Call the pharmacist or doctor right away, and follow his or her instructions.
If medications need to be refrigerated, make sure you keep them cool while traveling. Freezer packs in coolers work fine. If you can, take the entire medicine bottle; that way, you won't have any reason to forget the prescription dosage and if something happens to the medication, you can get a refill. And never mix two different drugs in the same pillbox.

How Should I Choose a Pharmacist?
It's important to establish a relationship with one pharmacy so that your pharmacist has a complete history of your family's prescribed medications. A pharmacist is an important resource when it comes to making sure your child is getting the right medicine.

If you move, you might want to consider staying within the same chain of pharmacy stores to ensure that your patient profiles and records are available in a common computer database. Or you could request that your most recent pharmacist give you a copy of your family's patient profiles and pharmaceutical history to take with you and share with your new pharmacist.

READING
What's the Big Sweat About Dehydration?
When it's hot outside and you've been sweating, you get thirsty. Why? Thirst is a sign of dehydration. Dehydration means that your body doesn't have enough water in it to keep it working right. A person gets water by drinking and eating. You lose water when you sweat, urinate, have diarrhea, or throw up. You even lose a little water when you breathe.

Our bodies need water to work properly. Usually, you can make up for the water you lose — like when you come in from outside and have a long, cool drink of water. If you don't replace the water your body has lost, you might start feeling sick. And if you go too long without the water you need, you can become very ill and might need to go to the hospital.

Why Am I Dehydrated?
Many times kids get dehydrated when they are playing hard and having fun. Have you ever gotten really sweaty and red-faced when you've been playing? This often happens when it's hot outside, but it can happen indoors, too, like if you're practicing basketball in a gym.

Kids also can get dehydrated when they're sick. If you have a stomach virus, you might throw up or have diarrhea. On top of that, you probably don't feel very much like eating or drinking. If you have a sore throat, you might find it hard to swallow food or drink. And if you have a fever, you can lose fluids because water evaporates from your skin in an attempt to cool your body down. That's why your mom or dad tells you to drink a lot of fluids when you're sick.

Signs of Dehydration
In addition to being thirsty, here are some signs that a person might be dehydrated:
• feeling lightheaded, dizzy, or tired
• rapid heartbeat
• dry lips and mouth

Another sign of dehydration is not peeing as much. Normally, urine should be a pale yellow color. Dark or strong-smelling pee can be a sign of dehydration.

What to Do
If you can, try not to get dehydrated in the first place. If you're going to be going outside, it's a good idea to drink water before, during, and after you play, especially if it's hot. Dehydration can happen along with heat-related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke. In addition to drinking water, it's smart to dress in cool clothes and take breaks indoors or at least in the shade.

If you're sick, keep taking small sips of drinks and soups, even if you're not that thirsty or hungry. Eating an icepop is a great way to get fluids. How is an icepop a liquid? Well, it's basically frozen water and flavoring. The warmth in your mouth and stomach turns it from a solid to a liquid. Other foods, such as fruits and vegetables, contain water, too