Dealing with Every Day Medical Problems

Posted on: 30 August 2017

Compounding is a service that all pharmacies once offered, but with the rise of mass-produced medications, it gradually became a specialist service. Put simply, compounding involves making customised drugs to suit a patient's needs precisely, allowing for various possibilities and benefits over standard manufactured medication.

There are plenty of applications for compounding, but one of the most useful for families is making medication better for children. Any parent with a child who's needed medication in the past will understand how difficult it can be, so compounding can be an invaluable resource in keeping your children healthy. These are the ways it can help.

Appropriate doses

Since adult doses of most medications would be dangerous for children, there are normally special versions produced for them to take safely. However, the selection can be limited, and this means that something your child needs to get better might be unavailable.

With compounding, a pharmacist can create a medication just for your child, with the ideal dose for them to take safely while dealing effectively with their medical issue.

Better flavour

Many medicines — particularly liquid ones and those aimed at children — are flavoured to make them more palatable. Unfortunately, this isn't always a complete success, and some of the added flavours aren't very nice. Add to that the fact that everyone has their own preferences, and you have a high chance of being stuck with a bad-tasting medicine. That's a particular problem with children, who can be picky and easily put off taking something.

A compounding pharmacist can create medicine from a range of appealing flavours, so you can pick your child's favourite, and they'll be more encouraged to take it regularly. They might even look forward to it.

Easier-to-swallow medicine

Not everyone likes swallowing pills, especially children. A compounding pharmacist can create a liquid medicine for your child so they won't have to go through the ordeal of trying to swallow large tablets, which can easily put them off taking their medication.

More appealing form

In addition to making a liquid, some compounding pharmacists can even turn medication into lollies. Combined with the flavours and colours available for them to use, this is an excellent way to get a child to take their medicine without them even realising it. It's also useful for children with conditions like autism, who can be difficult to convince when it comes to anything unfamiliar. Making medicine look more recognisable could be just what you need to get them to take it easily.