Prestige Brands solution to pediatric overdosing — unique squeezable, single-dose APAP packet
TARRYTOWN, N.Y. — Prestige Brands on Wednesday released PediaCare Single Dose Acetaminophen Fever Reducer/Pain Reliever — the only pre-measured acetaminophen in individual, squeezable packets perfect for anytime dosing, according to the company.
To help educate caregivers about the Single Dose product and offer tips on knowing when a child should be given acetaminophen, PediaCare has partnered with father and pediatrician, Dr. David Hill, author of Dad to Dad: Parenting like a Pro, to develop an informational video on the single dose product.
“Dosing instructions can be confusing for parents," Hill said. “This innovative product takes a trusted medicine and transforms it into an easy-to-use solution.”
PediaCare Single Dose contains the accurate dose for just one treatment and is available in two sizes. The 7.5 mL packet is for children 36-47 lbs. or ages 4 to 5 years, and a 10 mL packet is for children 48-59 lbs. or ages 6 to 8 years. PediaCare Single Dose is specially designed for little mouths to make taking medicine less intimidating, and the squeezable packet helps eliminate spills and creates less mess than a dosing cup. Each packet is child resistant with a fold-and-tear opening process. Caregivers then simply squeeze the medicine from the packet directly into the child’s mouth, similar to the squeezable yogurt and pureed fruit products to which most children have become accustomed.
Child safety was a driving force in the development of PediaCare Single Dose, Prestige Brands reported. Over the counter medications are involved in approximately one-third of emergency department visits among children under the age of 12. Of those visits, 80% of them are due to unsupervised children taking medications on their own and 10% of emergency department visits in this age group are due to medication errors. With only one dose included in each child-resistant packet, the threat of overdosing is greatly decreased.
PediaCare Single Dose Acetaminophen Fever Reducer/Pain Reliever will be available at major retail, mass merchandiser and drug store chains nationwide beginning September 2013.
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