Nonprescription medications and supplements dispensed to which age group must be included in the cumulative medication record?

• A. Under five years old
• B. Over five years old
• C. All ages
• D. None

Answer: (A)

Tracking all medicines given to a child in care helps ensure safety and continuity of care. Nonprescription medications and supplements can interact with each other and with any prescribed medicines, and dosing is often weight- or age-based. Children under five are more vulnerable to dosing errors and adverse effects because their bodies process drugs differently and tiny differences in dose can have a big impact. Because of this, any nonprescription product given to a child in this age group must be recorded in the cumulative medication record to keep a complete, safety-focused medication history.