Mums Urgent Warning "Triple Check Medication Before You Give it to Kids"

Aussie mum of four is warning parents to check meds carefully before administering them to children after her twins ended up in hospital.

Sharing in a popular Facebook group the mum warned, “Please please please, I urge you parent’s, carers, grandparent to double check, triple check medication before you give it to kid’s. Ex mother in law accidentally gave both my twins the wrong medication this morning and ended up in hospital.”

The boys were accidentally given catapres instead of Ritalin.

Roberta told MoM that she understands accidents do happen, but people need to be vigilant of the dangers.

“We are all busy, run off our feet and rushing around and it take one thing and ur life is turned upside down.

“Unfortunately this is the second time it has happened to one of the boy’s, first time it was the same drug but a lot worse and was a matter of life or death. Dosage was super high and wasn’t looking great at all. It was administered by an educator at day care. This drug gives me nightmares.”

She added, “the dose was high enough to drop their bp and heart rate. They were given an adult dose.”

Ritalin sa is a small white tablet, and so is catapres, so it’s an easy mistake to make and it’s lucky the error was picked up and medical advice sought.

Roberta shared that thankfully the boy’s are fine with no lasting damage and made a full recovery once the drug was out of their system. Phew!

It certainly pays to check first and even get someone else to double check if you can.

Share your comments below.

41 Comments

- - meedee said
  - 24 May 2023
    10:44 am
I feel like i need more information here.
Do the boys also take the blood pressure med?
Why was there access to the Ritalin and BP Med by the same people on two occassions?

- - ThisIsMe said
  - 28 Nov 2019
    12:05 pm
Poor family! I always check anything before I give it to the kids, Luckily nothing looks the same from what we have had to date. Hope the kids recover quick xoxo

- - mom81879 said
  - 27 Oct 2019
    4:32 pm
I always checked, double checked and even triple checked before giving my kids medicine. I checked what it was and how much they’re should be given. Overdoses and wrong medicines can cause so much illness

- - celebrity said
  - 05 Oct 2019
    11:06 am
That is horrible hopefully the Companies can change one of the tablets so they don’t look the same. Of course be super careful but some responsibility belongs to the Pharmaceutical companies also.

- - mom385887 said
  - 09 Sep 2019
    10:24 am
I’m glad the boys are okay. I am a veterinary nurse and I will always read labels twice so I have the drug and dosage correct before administering, even if I am familiar with the drug because mistakes happen, even to the professionals and unfortunately, I have seen it happen and done it myself in the past.

- - tessie said
  - 20 Aug 2019
    3:11 pm
I’m so glad the twins are okay and no lasting damage has been done. It would have been a scary time for you and your ex MIL must feel so guilty.

- - mom93821 said
  - 17 Aug 2019
    6:14 am
Essential to check and recheck medications.

- - mum4107 said
  - 16 Aug 2019
    9:41 pm
Oh my goodness how terrifying
I always label everything clearly if caregivers need to medicate my child
I’m glad they are ok

- - rovermum said
  - 14 Aug 2019
    9:31 am
WOW! Care with medication for children MUST always been taken. This could have been far more tragic. Thank God everyone’s okay.

- - taynik46 said
  - 14 Aug 2019
    7:16 am
poor kids, such a shame that this has happened twice to one of them! – I hope the family get help in sorting out their medications so care givers don’t make this mistake a third time!

- - ~Loui~ said
  - 13 Aug 2019
    10:53 pm
Even over the counter medicines can be dangerous. It’s wise to leave very clear instructions for other carers too.

- - Mum2archer said
  - 13 Aug 2019
    2:12 pm
I always triple check everything I give to my son, as Im so worried this could happen one day. Glad they will be ok
- mom93821 replied
  
  19 Aug 2019 , 5:49 am
  I check and recheck all medications – it is a good habit to check and recheck medications for every member of the family.
- - sars_angelchik said
  - 13 Aug 2019
    12:46 pm
Wow that is so scary! You would think being careful about meds would go without saying.

- - ella12 said
  - 13 Aug 2019
    11:19 am
Oh dear, very worrying. Very glad the boys are ok.

- - mom376182 said
  - 13 Aug 2019
    11:04 am
This is so scary. A great reminder to check the label multiple times before giving medication. Maybe the medications should be put into two distinct containers so that they aren’t mixed up.

- - MisChip said
  - 12 Aug 2019
    11:00 pm
I don’t know that I would allow others to give my children their medication – esp if it is something other than just paracetemol

- - youngoldlady said
  - 12 Aug 2019
    10:47 pm
This why you should always becareful in what is given to any person. Yes check twice before givng anything.

- - nealsq said
  - 12 Aug 2019
    8:54 pm
I would have thought that after the mistake the first time they would have made a better label for their carers to be unable to confuse, fool me once shame on you fool me twice shame on me

- - musicmum said
  - 12 Aug 2019
    8:19 pm
Why are people even giving kids these dangerous pharmaceuticals, have they not done their research? I would never go down this road.
- Ellen replied
  
  13 Aug 2019 , 3:59 am
  Sometimes these medications are needed and can be helpful. I’m a psychiatric nurse myself and actually not keen on medication at all !! When all different remedies and therpies are tried and when there is a situation of significant and prolonged suffering for both the child and those around the child, then I see medication as a “necessary evil”
  - Ellen replied
    
    14 Aug 2019 , 9:15 am
    
    sorry typo, therapies I mean
- - mom152736 said
  - 12 Aug 2019
    1:34 pm
oh God!! so glad the kids are okay.