Humans_Concept_4

Subject Facts

Non-prescription medicines

The availability and use of non-prescription (or 'over the counter) medicines needs to be discussed. Children should only ever take these under the direction of a responsible adult. They need to be aware of the occasions when it is appropriate to take such medicines, and the potential consequences of misuse. Most drugs of this type are either painkillers (aspirin, paracetamol) or antiseptics (Savlon@, TCP^TM), and are either intended for general use or have age-specific ('adult' and 'junior') versions.

Another important distinction is between medicines for oral use and those for external use (for example, painkillers and antiseptics respectively). External medicines are safe if they are only applied externally and key instructions (such as 'not to be used on broken skin) are followed. Oral medicines are designed to be taken in particular dosages: the maximum dosage and lower age limit are displayed on the container. For this reason, medicines should always be kept in their original containers. Where available, the 'child' version of a medicine should be used (for Calpol for parcetamol).

Most oral drugs have a stated maximum intake, both per dose and over a given period. These safety limits have to be very strict, and most types normally taken by children are not likely to cause more than drowsiness or an upset stomach if taken in excess. An important exception is paracetamol: a significant excess of this can cause irreparable damage to the liver.

Most painkillers work by interfering with pain reception or transmission, or by reducing inflammation around the painful area. Antiseptics work by killing the microbes that might cause infection.

Prescription medicines

The use of antibiotics to kill microbes that cause various inflammations (such as sore throats, earache and septic toes) makes them quite familiar. This familiarity can result in inappropriate use. Antibiotics should always be used for their full course, and any remaining unused doses should be disposed of. Only the person that they are prescribed for should ever use them: many people are allergic to some antibiotics, so exposure to the wrong antibiotic can do far more harm than good.

With the increased identification and treatment of childhood asthma, inhalant drugs are becoming more widely recognised in schools. The drugs used will either reduce the possibility of a spasm or inhibit inflammation of the bronchial tubes. if taken by another asthmatic, the medication may be delivered in the wrong dosage.

Immunisation

Treating children with a vaccine can now prevent many transmittable childhood illnesses such as rubella, chickenpox, polio and measles. A vaccine contains a weaker version of the disease-causing particles or antigens. The body can fight these off quite easily — and it then 'remembers' how to make the defence agents or antibodies required to fight off the illness without actually catching it, If the vaccinated child is exposed to the illness, the necessary antibodies will be reproduced in such numbers that the infection will not be developed. The child can then be said to be immune to that illness. Some diseases (such as chickenpox) leave the sufferer immune to the disease in the future.

If an unvaccinated child is infected with the illness, it will take some time for the body to develop the necessary antibodies, and so the illness will run its full course. In extreme cases, where the antibodies have not been produced, the illness can become more serious; for example, if the measles virus spreads to the brain, it may cause brain damage or even death. Although cases of adverse reaction to a vaccination have been noted, the risk of serious, lasting problems as a result of such a reaction is much less and much rarer than the risk from the illness itself.

Hormone deficiencies

The particular deficiency that children are most likely to come across is lack of insulin in the illness diabetes. Insulin controls the amount of glucose being absorbed by the body tissues for conversion to energy f glucose cannot be absorbed, it continues to build up in the blood and must be excreted in urine leading to excess urination and hence to dehydration and thirst A direct injection of insulin will allow the glucose to be absorbed by the body. A low blood sugar level, with symptoms of irritability and tiredness, requires the immediate intake of sugar-rich food An excess of insulin via an injection can have serious consequences: it causes the liver to convert glucose to glycogen (a form which cannot be absorbed by body tissue), resulting in symptoms of hunger, confusion and fainting.

Vitamin supplements

These only need to be taken where there is a clear and obvious deficiency — they should not be used as an alternative to a balanced diet. All vitamins have a recommended daily allowance (RDA) which should not normally be exceeded, although in most cases, an excess of particular vitamins will not cause any problems. If an excess of water-soluble vitamins are digested but are not used, they are simply excreted — so vitamin C and similar tablets are usually recommended to be taken one per day. Fat-soluble vitamins can build up in the fatty tissues of the body, but the effect of this is unclear.

Why you need to know these facts

All the ideas given above should be taught with the understanding that medicines are there to support the body's own systems for fighting pain and illness, or to take over where the body is deficient in particular aspects. With the increase in the number of childhood illnesses that can be treated with prescribed medicines, it is becoming much more common for medicines to be administered within the school (if not the classroom). The importance of using these medicines only as directed should be taught both for personal safety and for the understanding of other people's needs. Children should be encouraged to understand and respect the use of medicines.

Vocabulary

Immunisation (or vaccination) — the act of injecting a vaccine in order to provoke the body to develop antibodies against particular infections.

Non-prescription medicines — ones which can be bought from chemists and administered by a responsible adult.

Prescription medicines — ones which are prescribed for a particular person with a particular illness, and should not be taken by anyone else.

Amazing facts

Aspirin comes from the bark of the willow tree — before aspirin tablets were available, it was traditional to chew on willow bark for pain relief! NB Don't try this at home.

In 1981 , insulin became the first human hormone to be genetically engineered from bacteria.

Teaching ideas

Medical discussions (researching, questioning) Children with specific medicinal requirements (such as asthmatics) are often very aware of their illness and have a good understanding of lt. With both the child's and the parents' permission, a 'show and tell' session would probably be beneficial for all,

Research tasks (researching)

Each group of children can try to find out about a particular prescription or non-prescription medicine. information can be obtained from a variety of sources, including books, medical advice leaflets (obtainable from chemists and doctors' surgeries), government health leaflets and multimedia encyclopaedias. In this case, internet sources should be avoided (unless you are directed to one by a reputable source). The class may want to decide on a common set of questions first and record their findings in a standard format. The children could write letters of enquiry, or send emails to reputable suppliers of this kind of information (government agencies or drug companies).

Emotional support

Giving children emotional support is an issue that is best approached and delivered via personal, social and moral education as part of the schools overall ethos and within the school curriculum as a whole.