Pediatric Patients More Often Affected By Medication Errors, Study Shows

A recent study out of Pennsylvania shows that more pediatric patients are affected by medication errors. Medication errors can be quite serious, cause significant permanent injury, including death, and could be considered medical malpractice.

This study found that children who are hospitalized may experience three times as many medication errors as adults, and these errors are frequently harmful. Medication errors can include underdosing a patient, overdosing a patient, administering the wrong medication, or administering the medication via the wrong method (orally versus intravenously).

If your child has been admitted to the hospital, there are some things you can do to help reduce medication errors.

1. If your child’s attending physician has ordered medication, ask him/her to tell you what that medication is and how it is to be administered.
2. When the nurse arrives to administer the medication, ask him/her to tell you what they are giving to your child.

The medical malpractice team and attorneys at McEnery Price Messey & Sullivan remind you that you are your child’s medical advocate and that if you are questioning your child’s care while in the hospital to call our office immediately. There is a strict statute of limitations on cases like these (usually two years), however there can be exceptions.