Questions to Ask Your Doctor: Kids and Medicine

Don't leave the doctor's office without getting important answers

If a doctor prescribes a drug for your child, before you leave the doctor's office ask any questions you have about the drug. Some of these questions may be:

• What is the drug and what is it for?
  
  
• Will this drug cause a problem with other drugs my child is taking?
  
  
• How often does my child need to take this medicine?
  
  
• How many days or weeks does my child need to take this medicine?
  
  
• What if I miss giving my child a dose?
  
  
• How soon will the drug start working?
  
  
• What side effects does it have?
  
  
• What should I do if my child gets any of these side effects?
  
  
• Should I stop giving the medicine when my child gets better?
  
  
• Is there a less expensive generic version that I can use?

When you get the medicine, check to see if it's the color and size you expected from the doctor's description. If not, ask the pharmacist about it. When filling a prescription, the pharmacist will often give you printed information with the medicine. If you don't understand the information, or if you have questions, ask the pharmacist. If you still have questions, call your doctor.

Adapted in part from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration