--- title: Administering Medication to Children description: Best practices are discussed for giving medication to children in childcare and youth program settings. image: https://www.thesilverlining.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Culture_Of_Safety_Aug2016/Images/142789779_7d6a5ab8a7.jpg?width=350&height=263&name=142789779_7d6a5ab8a7.jpg --- [![West Bend Insurance](https://www.thesilverlining.com/hs-fs/hubfs/HS%20TEST%20LOGO.png?width=233&height=65&name=HS%20TEST%20LOGO.png "West Bend Insurance")](https://www.thesilverlining.com) ![toggle mobile navigation](https://www.thesilverlining.com/hs-fs/file-1692861603-png/images/nav-toggle.png) [![West Bend Insurance](https://www.thesilverlining.com/hs-fs/file-1696307430-png/images/logo-west-bend.png)](https://www.thesilverlining.com/) [Find An Agent](https://www.thesilverlining.com/find-an-insurance-agent) ![Safety Blog](https://www.thesilverlining.com/hubfs/images/safety-tips-blog-header.jpg) # Administering Medication to Children [![Share on facebook](https://www.thesilverlining.com/hubfs/social-icons/facebook-blue.svg) ](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/administering-medication-to-children?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook) [![Share on linkedin](https://www.thesilverlining.com/hubfs/social-icons/linkedin-blue.svg) ](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/administering-medication-to-children?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin) [![Share on twitter](https://www.thesilverlining.com/hubfs/social-icons/twitter-x-blue.svg) ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/administering-medication-to-children?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&url=https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/administering-medication-to-children?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&source=tweetbutton&text=) [![Share on pinterest](https://www.thesilverlining.com/hubfs/social-icons/pinterest-blue.svg) ](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thesilverlining.com%2Fsafety-tips%2Fadministering-medication-to-children%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dpinterest&media=) ## *Real Life Claims: A child at a home daycare facility was given aspirin after falling down, but the child suffered from an aspirin allergy which triggered an asthma attack. The child’s aspirin allergy was known by his parents, but undisclosed to the facility. The facility had permission to administer the child’s inhaler in case of an asthma attack. The aspirin induced a reaction so severe the inhaler was ineffective in stopping the attack and emergency personnel were required to treat and stop the child’s allergic reaction and asthma attack.* Each year more and more children are taking prescription medications in the United States. Children are prescribed medications for a wide variety of conditions including asthma, diabetes, attention deficit, psychological disorders, and many more. Attention to detail is required to ensure that medication for these conditions is given correctly. Methods of administering medication include oral, eye drops, ear drops, inhalers, and injections. As the amount of children taking medications rise, so does the number of accidents involving improper doses, mixed up prescriptions, and incorrect administration. The consequences of incorrectly administering medication can range from minor to life-threatening. ### Safety Precautions ![Administering Medicine to Kids](https://www.thesilverlining.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Culture_Of_Safety_Aug2016/Images/142789779_7d6a5ab8a7.jpg?width=300&name=142789779_7d6a5ab8a7.jpg "Administering Medicine to Kids") - No medication – including common over-the-counter medications – should be kept on-site for general use. Only medicine for use by a single child which was supplied by that child’s parent or guardian should be used. - All medication should be clearly labeled and stored in a locked cabinet or drawer. If the medication needs to be refrigerated make sure it is kept out of reach of children and kept secure. - **Inspect prescription medication** carefully. All prescription medications should be in their original, child-proof containers and include the following: - The child’s first and last name - The physician’s name and contact information - The filled date and expiration date on the container - Instructions for administering, storing, and disposing the medication - **Inspect over-the-counter medication**.  Over the counter medication should contain the following: - Label with the child’s first and last name - The date given to the facility and the expiration date - Instructions for administering, storing, and disposing the medication - Name and contact information of the health care professional who recommended the medication - Never give a child a medication that was prescribed for some one else. This policy applies for siblings and over-the-counter medications. - **Use proper measuring utensils** when administering medications and make sure to thoroughly clean them after every use. - Always **go over medication instructions with parents** before administering any medications to make sure they are administered properly. For example, some medications require being taken with meals and others are meant to be given at specific times of the day. - If you have any questions or concerns **consult the child’s parents**, guardians, doctor, or pharmacist. - If any medication requires injections make sure there is a trained professional capable of giving the medication. If no professional is available, inform the parents that the medication cannot be administered. ### Policies & Procedures for Administering Medicine to Children 1. Permission Form: Consent forms filled out and signed by parents detailing what specific medications can be given to children and when they can be given. 2. Medication Administration Form: These forms should be used to document every time a medication was administered and if the child showed any reactions to the medication 3. Medical Information Form: Filled out by parents when children are registered for programs. They should contain all pertinent medical information, known allergies, and contacts. Also, if the child has any diagnosed allergies they should be encouraged to wear medical ID bracelets as an extra precaution.   **Topics:** [Childcare](https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/tag/childcare), [Youth Programs](https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/tag/youth-programs) ### Safety Tips ### Latest Posts ### Posts by Topic - [Childcare (38)](https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/tag/childcare) - [Youth Programs (38)](https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/tag/youth-programs) - [YMCA (24)](https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/tag/ymca) - [Aquatics (20)](https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/tag/aquatics) - [Facility Maintenance (18)](https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/tag/facility-maintenance) - [Fitness (18)](https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/tag/fitness) - [Human Resources (13)](https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/tag/human-resources) - [Weather (12)](https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/tag/weather) - [Driving (6)](https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/tag/driving) - [Sports (4)](https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/tag/sports) - [Child Safety (3)](https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/tag/child-safety) - [Insurance (3)](https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/tag/insurance) - [Wildlife (2)](https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/tag/wildlife) - [Best Practices (1)](https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/tag/best-practices) - [Business (1)](https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/tag/business) - [Cybersecurity (1)](https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/tag/cybersecurity) - [Fire Safety (1)](https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/tag/fire-safety) - [Risk Management (1)](https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/tag/risk-management) - [Social Media (1)](https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/tag/social-media) [see all](https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/administering-medication-to-children#) [Find an Agent](https://www.thesilverlining.com/find-an-insurance-agent) [Report a Claim](https://www.thesilverlining.com/claims/how-to-report-a-claim) [Make a Payment](https://policyholder.westbendinsurance.com/policyholder/guest-quickpay) **©2026 West Bend Insurance Company** 1900 South 18th Ave., West Bend, WI 53095 P: 262-334-5571 F: 262-334-9109 [Privacy Policy](https://www.thesilverlining.com/privacy-policy) [Site Map](https://www.thesilverlining.com/site-map) ![West Bend logo reverse](https://www.thesilverlining.com/hs-fs/hubfs/LOGOS/WBLogoSHORT-877_Small.png?width=233&height=65&name=WBLogoSHORT-877_Small.png "West Bend logo reverse") 1900 South 18th Ave. West Bend, WI 53095 Main: 1-262-334-5571 Claims: 1-877-922-5246 [**](https://www.facebook.com/135899469764690) [**](https://twitter.com/WBsilverlining) [**](http://pinterest.com/westbendins/) [**](http://www.youtube.com/user/westbendinsurance) [**](https://www.instagram.com/wbsilverlining/) [**](https://www.linkedin.com/company/20844) ![testimonials-icon-test](https://www.thesilverlining.com/hubfs/Icons%20-%20home%20page/testimonials-icon.svg) **93.6%  OVERALL  CLAIMS  SATISFACTION** [*view testimonials*](https://www.thesilverlining.com/claims/testimonials) **POLICYHOLDERS** [Make a Payment](https://policyholder.westbendinsurance.com/policyholder/guest-quickpay) [Policyholder Login](https://policyholder.westbendinsurance.com) [Report A Claim](https://www.thesilverlining.com/claims/how-to-report-a-claim) [Download Our App](https://www.thesilverlining.com/resources/web-portal-mobile-app) [Billing FAQs](https://www.thesilverlining.com/resources/billing-faqs) **OTHER RESOURCES** [Agent Login](https://agent.mysilverlining.com) [Find An Agent](https://www.thesilverlining.com/find-an-insurance-agent) **OUR COMPANY** [About](https://www.thesilverlining.com/about-us) [Careers](https://www.thesilverlining.com/careers) [Discover](https://www.thesilverlining.com/discover) [Philanthropy](https://philanthropy.thesilverlining.com) [News](https://www.thesilverlining.com/news) **LEARN** [Insurance Moms](https://www.thesilverlining.com/insurance-moms) [Ergo At Your Fingertips](https://www.thesilverlining.com/ergo-at-your-fingertips) [Teen Driving Resources](https://www.thesilverlining.com/resources/teen-driving) [Distracted Driving](https://www.thesilverlining.com/focus) [Blog](https://www.thesilverlining.com/west-bend-blog) © West Bend Insurance Company 2026  |  [Privacy Policy](https://www.thesilverlining.com/privacy-policy)  |  [Terms of Use](https://www.thesilverlining.com/terms-of-use)  |  [Accessibility Statement](https://www.thesilverlining.com/accessibility)  |  [Site Map](https://www.thesilverlining.com/site-map)  |  [Contact Us](https://www.thesilverlining.com/contact-us) West Bend Insurance Group (“West Bend”), headquartered in West Bend, Wisconsin, provides property and casualty insurance products across the United States. 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Yes, I'll help We appreciate your feedback [Privacy Policy](https://www.thesilverlining.com/privacy-policy) Feedback [ { "key": "fid#1", "value": ["Children"] }, { "key": "fid#2", "value": ["Childcare","Community organizations and YMCA","Youth programs"] }, { "key": "fid#3", "value": ["Article"] } ] ![](https://dc.ads.linkedin.com/collect/?pid=24180&fmt=gif) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "West Bend Staff", "url" : "https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/author/west-bend-staff" }, "dateModified" : "2020-10-26T18:46:08.841Z", "datePublished" : "2020-10-26T18:46:08.000Z", "headline" : "Administering Medication to Children", "image" : [ "https://www.thesilverlining.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Culture_Of_Safety_Aug2016/Images/142789779_7d6a5ab8a7.jpg?width=350&height=263&name=142789779_7d6a5ab8a7.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/administering-medication-to-children", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.thesilverlining.com/hubfs/HS%20TEST%20LOGO.png" }, "name" : "West Bend Insurance Company" } } ```