SELF-MEDICATION IN CHILDREN

Abstract

Self-medication is the act of taking medication to relieve symptoms, without any medical guidance in diagnosing, prescribing or monitoring treatment. Every medicine has side effects and, when ingested incorrectly, can cause more harm than good to the body. Among the risks of self-medication, we can mention the intoxications and the difficulty of diagnosing certain diseases due to the fact that some medications can mask important symptoms. Currently, many of those responsible for children use self-medication to relief of symptoms such as headache, cold and pain, resorting to home pharmacies, which contain analgesics, anti-influenza and anti-inflammatories that may represent a risk for children.