8 Reasons Why Self-medicating Could Be Dangerous

ADESUA IYOYOJIE

Self medicating is the act of administering drugs without a doctor prescription. Illiteracy and ignorance is one of the reasons some carry out this act. Some parents run a pharmacy in their homes where they have all manner of drugs for all manner of ailment.

The dangers of self medication in kids cannot be overemphasized; here are some effect of self medication…

1. Liver damage

All the drugs that you take, go the liver as a part of our metabolism, so there is a huge load on liver to process these drugs. Paracetamol is one such drug that can cause severe liver damage. While processing this drug, metabolites are produced that invade the liver.

Some parents administer paracetamol as a cure for everything, this is a dangerous act.

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2. Kidney damage
Drugs go to the kidneys for their excretion through urine once they finish their action in the body. Many drugs when taken without the consultation of a doctor can cause kidney damage.

3. Anaphylactic shock

This is a severe allergic reaction to a drug. Some people react to drugs in a different manner than normal. They show severe reaction to some particular drugs resulting in drug allergy. Symptoms include increased heart rate, reduced blood pressure, severe weakness, shock and unconsciousness which can ultimately lead to death.

Giving a child drugs to a child without knowledge of the allergies the child suffers could lead to death.

4. Expired Medications

In a bid to give the child medication, some parents end up administering expired drugs. Medications have expiration dates that indicate when they should be taken to ensure safety and potency. Medications that have passed their expiration dates might not work as effectively or be safe to use. When you take prescription or over-the-counter medications that have expired, you are taking the risk of not receiving enough of a dose to relieve or manage your symptoms.

In some medications, chemical reactions can occur as they expire, making them dangerous to consume.

5. Undiagnosed Underlying Condition

Giving medicine to your child to treat ongoing symptoms without seeing a doctor could mean that you are letting an underlying condition go undiagnosed. Symptoms like persistent fever and rash could be associated with underlying medical conditions that require proper diagnosis to be effectively treated. In some cases, such as diabetes or heart disease, letting symptoms go unchecked could increase your child risk of developing serious complications.

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6. Antibiotic Misuse

Antibiotics have the ability to destroy harmful bacteria, but their misuse can have dangerous effects. Administering antibiotics to your child when they do not have a bacterial infection or illness can lead to the bacteria developing the ability to resist the effects of antibiotics, which prevents them from working effectively. The bacteria can then multiply, resulting in higher numbers of bacteria that are resistant to your medications.

Bacteria can also share this resistance with other types of bacteria, including harmful and beneficial ones. When your child have the common cold or another viral infection, for example, taking antibiotics for it will not get rid of the virus. Instead, it will cause beneficial bacteria to build up a resistance and share that resistance with any harmful bacteria that are present.

7. Mixing Medications

When you give your child multiple medications on your own, you run the risk of taking medications that should not be used together for safety reasons.

Some medications can affect the potency of other drugs when mixed together. This can put your health at risk by letting your symptoms go untreated due to lowered drug potency. Always ask your pharmacist about any possible negative drug reactions.

8. Inaccurate Dosages

The dangers of self-medication can be life-threatening when inaccurate dosages are taken. When you estimate your own dosage, you are at risk for taking enough to result in an accidental overdose.

Conversely, if you give your child a dosage that is too small, it is not likely to be effective and he/she may become sicker. This can result in taking additional dosages in order to manage or relieve their symptoms, which can also lead to an overdose.

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The practice of self-medication can result in death. Your pharmacist and your physician can help to ensure your child safety and maintain their health. No matter how little the compliant is when it becomes persistent it is time to take your child to the hospital

Self medication is dangerous!!!