Back to school is almost here, and for pharmacies that can mean more parents with sick kids in need of medicine. There are many bugs out there, both bacterial and viral, that will be sending kids to the doctor's office in need of medicine once they head back to school including strep throat, ear infections, sinus infections, and the flu.
When a child gets sick, it's important that they take their medicine as prescribed. Missed doses or an unfinished regimen can cause a longer illness, which means more missed school and activities, higher likelihood of disease spread, and one unhappy kiddo. A study completed over 2018-2019 found that 58% of children missed between 1 and 6 days of school due to illness or injury.
Luckily, pharmacy professionals have an effective, easy solution up their sleeves to help kids take their medicine the way it needs to be taken. By adding a favorite flavor, they can help improve the taste of hundreds of medications and help kids feel better faster. We've put together this list to help you prepare for some of the most important medicines to flavor now that kids are back in school:
1. Amoxicillin - Amoxicillin is the number one flavored medicine for a reason! Prescribed for a wide range of bacterial infections, this antibiotic is the champion of getting kids feeling better. Even if the patient's Amoxicillin already comes flavored by the manufacturer, you can still give the family the option to change the flavor to one the child likes better. The best flavors for Amoxicillin include Apple, Bubblegum, Grape, Mango, Raspberry, Sour Apple, Strawberry, and Watermelon
2. Amox-Clav (Augmentin) - Like Amoxicillin, Augmentin is another antibiotic often prescribed for those common bacterial infections spread in schools, including harder to treat illnesses like sinus infections. Apple, Bubblegum, Grape, Mango, Strawberry are all great flavor choices for this medication.
3. Cefdinir (Omnicef) - Also used to treat many illnesses that commonly pop up during back-to-school time, Cefdinir is another medication on the commonly-flavored list. This antibiotic has many kid-friendly recommended flavor choices including Grape, Grape Bubblegum, Mango, and Strawberry.
4. Clindamycin (Cleocin) - Another antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections, Clindamycin can be extra difficult for kids to take due to its terrible taste and smell. The key ingredient we've found that can make this medicine more bearable? Lemon flavor! The recommended flavor recipes for Clindamycin include lemon to help mask the smell and taste. Grapeade and Watermelon are the best options to help children take Clindamycin.
5. Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) - We know, it's a little early to be thinking about flu season, but it always seems like it sneaks up on us quicker than expected. Tamiflu brand, as well as generic Oseltamivir are essential to flavor once the seasonal flu starts popping up. Plus, it's important that kids get better from the flu as quickly as possible, as the flu affects children the most in both frequency and severity. Antiviral drugs like Tamiflu can help prevent more serious complications from the flu like hospitalization and pneumonia. The best flavors for Tamiflu include Bubblegum, Cherry, Mango, Raspberry, and Sour Apple.
For a complete list of medications in our database and their recommended flavors, check out the Flavorbot.
When it's time to get back to school, no kid wants to get behind in their classes or miss out on their favorite activities while they're stuck at home feeling sick. Fortunately for families, pharmacy professionals can do their part in getting kids healthy and back to school. It's as easy as adding a favorite flavor to the medicines that kids need the most!
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