Parents Knowledge, Perception, and Practices of Over-the-counter Medicines Used for Their Children

The purpose of this study is to evaluate parents’ knowledge, attitudes and common practices about using overthe-counter (OTC) medications for their children. This is a cross-sectional survey of parents attending outpatientpediatric clinic at King Abdullah University Hospital from March 2007 to June 2007. A total of 1490questionnaires were filled, mostly by mothers (71.9%). More than half of parents indicated that they used at leastone OTC medication for their child(ren) within the previous month. The main reasons for use were: convenienceand time savings. More than 90% of parents believed OTC medications were effective and safe. Most parentsreported asking their pharmacist for advice regarding the OTC. Many participants were unaware of informationneeded for safe medication use. Parents knowledge regarding OTC medication use is inadequate. Specificguidelines for appropriate use should be provided to parents to the prescribing physician, and dispensingpharmacist