What happens then?
The doctor caring for the patient, and
his or her team, will decide how
important the drug reaction is. For
example, some medicines cause
short term side effects; in this case it
may be okay for the child to carry on
using
this
medicine.
Some
medicines, however, may cause
worse side effects, which may mean
that the patient will not be able to
take that medicine in the future
The patient’s doctor can contact the
patient’s parent or carer and tell them
about the drug reaction. If they do
this they may ask if the patient and/or
the
parents/carers
would
be
interested in taking part in further
parts of the study. This would involve
talking to somebody about the
adverse drug reaction and answering
some questions about the reaction.
This will be explained in detail if it is
required.
This leaflet gives only general
information.
You must always
discuss the individual treatment of
your child with the appropriate
member of the hospital staff. Do not
rely on this leaflet alone for
information about
your child’s
treatment.
This leaflet has been prepared in
partnership with Alder Hey Children's
NHS Foundation Trust staff, parents
and carers of patients.
This information can be made
available in other languages and
formats if requested.
If you have any questions about this
leaflet, or its content, do not hesitate
to ask the ward staff to contact the:
ADRIC Team
Alder Hey Children's NHS
Foundation Trust
Eaton Road
Liverpool
L12 2AP
www.alderhey.com
0151 282 4751
Author; Kim Bird, Research Nurse.
(5)
Adverse Drug
Reactions In
Children
(6)
An Information Leaflet
for Young People,
Parents and Carers
What are Adverse Drug
Reactions?
All medicines are tested before they
are given to patients. This can show
problems with medicines before they
are prescribed for anyone. However,
some people can still have a side
effect to a medicine - also known as
“adverse drug reactions”.
Children and young people are very
different to adults in how their body
deals with medicines, so they can
have different adverse drug reactions
from adults.
Adverse drug reactions can be
reported, by doctors, pharmacists,
nurses and parents, to a government
agency, using something known as
the yellow card scheme. When any
reaction is reported the information is
totally confidential. Presently, this is
the main way we find out about
adverse drug reactions in children.
However, we think that not all side
effects are reported.
What are we doing?
Part of the National Health Service,
The National Institute of Health
Research, has funded Alder Hey
Children's NHS Foundation Trust to
look at children and young people
who have adverse drug reactions
over the next five years.
(2)
How will we do this?
Study Two
We will look at:
This study starts on the 1st August
2009 and will run for a year. It will
look at children and young people
who are in-patients at Alder Hey
Children's NHS Foundation Trust.
drug reactions among
children and young people admitted
to the hospital
drug reactions among
children and young people who are
inpatients in the hospital
information already known
about adverse drug reactions in
children
how children and their
parents feel about adverse drug
reactions.
The information we collect about the
patient and their medicines will be
looked at. We will be able to find
which patients have had an adverse
drug reaction. We will then look at the
best way to find drug reactions and
also the best way to deal with them
when they happen.
Information will be collected on:
why the child/young person is
admitted to hospital
what happens to the child or
young person during their stay in
hospital
any medicines the child/young
person has been prescribed while in
hospital.
Once this information has been
collected it will be used to see if the
patient has had an adverse drug
reaction. If it is still possible that the
patient has had an adverse drug
reaction then the doctor looking after
them will be informed.
The team is made up of a children’s
doctor, a pharmacist and a children’s
nurse.
(3)
(4)