Medicines Affect the Body

HEALTH EDUCATION - Lesson 15 - Week 1/8

Substance Abuse & Disease Prevention (4)

HPE Lesson Plans - Health - KHE, 1HE, 2HE, 3HE, 4HE, 5HE

Safety | Mental, Social & Emotional Health | Substance Abuse & Disease Prevention | Growing Up Healthy

Substance ABUSE & Disease Prevention

Medicines Affect the Body

See below for the following:

Standard(s), Essential Question(s), Big Idea(s)

LEARNING TARGET / SUCCESS CRITERIA

I will recognize that medicines are drugs that help the body.

I will distinguish between prescription and over-the-counter medicines.

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PRE-INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITY

Vocabulary

medicine - a drug used to treat or cure a health problem

drug - a substance other than food that changes the way the body works (all medicines are drugs, but NOT all drugs are medicines)

side effects - unwanted changes in the body caused by a medicine (e.g. adult take aspirin to relieve pain or reduce fever, but a possible side effect of aspirin is an irritated or upset stomach)

pharmacists - people trained to prepare medicines

prescription - a doctor's order for a medicine (it has information such as the name of the medicine, how much you should take, and how often you should take it)

prescription medicines - medicines that an adult can buy only with a doctor's order (each prescription medicine is meant for just one person / never take another person's prescription medicine as this can be dangerous to your health)

over-the-counter medicines - medicines adults can buy without prescriptions (also known as OTC medicines)

dose - the correct amount of the medicine that you should take every time you use it

OPENING (Engage)

Main Idea

Medicines can be helpful if they are used properly.

Why Learn This?

Learning to use medicines safely will help you stay healthy.

WORK PERIOD (Explore/Explain/Extend/Elaborate)

READ: Medicines Affect the Body

Has your parent(s)/guardian(s) ever given you medicine to bring down a high fever? Have they ever put first-aid cream on a cut to help it heal? Medicines can help you in these ways and in many other ways too.

What are medicines?

A medicine (MEH*duh*suhn) is a drug used to treat or cure a health problem. Pain relievers and cough syrups are types of medicines. A drug is a substance other than food that changes the way the body works. Marijuana and cocaine are types of drugs. All medicines are drugs, but not all drugs are medicines.

Medicines come in many forms -- pills, liquids, sprays, and creams. The way a medicine is used depends on its purpose. Creams and some sprays are put directly on the area being treated. Other sprays are breathed in. Liquids and pills are swallowed. Some are given as shots. They enter the bloodstream and then are carried throughout the body. All drugs can cause changes in many parts of the body.

Medicines are powerful drugs that should be used only if absolutely needed. Good health habits can help prevent the need to use medicines. Good health habits can help prevent the need to use medicines. If you eat well, exercise, and get enough rest, you probably will stay healthy. You seldom will need medicines.

When you do not feel well, medicine should no be the first choice to make you feel better. You might not need it. If you have a mild headache, for example, take a walk or relax for a few minutes before asking a parent or another adult for medicine.

If you do need medicine, it's important to use it carefully. When medicines are used correctly, they can make you feel better. But when medicines are not used correctly, they can harm you.

Even when used properly, all medicines have side effects. Side effects are unwanted changes in the body caused by a medicine. Adults take aspirin to relieve pain or reduce fever. But aspirin also can irritate or upset the stomach. That is one of its side effects. Doctors know the side effects of each medicine. So so pharmacists (FAR*muh*sists), people trained to prepare medicines. Most side effects are not harmful. But if you feel worse after taking a medicine, always tell an adult.

What are prescription medicines?

There are many kinds of medicines. Some medicines can be found on a store shelf. Other medicines are available only through a doctor's order.

A prescription (prih*SKRIP*shuhn) is a doctor's order for a medicine. It has information such as the name of the medicine, how much you should take, and how often you should take it. The doctor writes the prescription. Then an adult takes the prescription to a pharmacist. The pharmacist fills the order for the medicine.

Medicines that an adult can buy only with a doctor's order are called prescription medicines. Each prescription medicine is meant for just one person. Never take another person's prescription medicine. This can be dangerous to your health.

If you don't understand the directions for a medicine, ask your pharmacist or doctor.

CAREER - Pharmacy Technician

What They Do - Pharmacy technicians help pharmacists. They keep records. They package and label medicines. They also fill orders for medicines that don't need prescriptions. They usually work in places like pharmacies and hospitals.

Education & Training - Students who want to become pharmacy technicians must take a training program at a college or training school. The program lasts from six months to two years. It includes courses in math, health, chemistry, biology, and computers.

What are over-the-counter (OTC) medicines?

For some medicines you don't need to see a doctor. For a minor problem such as a slight sore throat or a rash, your parents or other adult family members may give you a medicine from the shelf of a pharmacy or supermarket. Medicines adults can buy without prescriptions are call over-the-counter medicines, or OTC medicines.

OTC medicines are used for minor problems. They are for short-term use. Cough medicines, laxatives, nose sprays, and some pain relievers are OTC medicines.

Labels on OTC medicines help people use them safely. They tell what health problems the medicine is supposed to treat. The label also gives information about the dose. A medicine's dose is the correct amount of the medicine that you should take every time you use it. The label also gives warnings to people who should not take the medicine. The label on aspirin may say "Children or teens should not use this medicine for chicken pox or flu."

OTC medicines must be used carefully. They contain drugs that can be harmful to your health if taken incorrectly. Never take an OTC medicine on your own. Tell a parent or another adult if you do not feel well.

How can you use medicine safely?

Medicines can help you only if you use them correctly. They don't follow the directions on the medicine label. They might take too much of the medicine, or they might take the wrong medicine. They might take medicine too often. Many people stop taking medicine before they should because they start to feel better. This practice can make a health problem worse.

Always use medicines safely. Whenever you take medicine, follow the rules on the Medicine Safety Checklist below.

Medicine Safety Checklist

Take medicines only with the help of an adult you trust.
Follow directions on the medicine label, and use the proper dose.
Do not take another person's prescription medicine.
Do not buy an OTC medicine with a broken or missing safety seal.
If a medicine makes you feel ill or has other side effects, tell an adult.
Do not take pills with juice or hot drinks. They can stop the medicine from working properly. Use water.
Do not crush or break capsules or pills without a doctor's permission.
Store medicines safely and out of the reach of small children.

An adult should always give medicine to a child. People your age should not take any medicine on their own.

Keep medicines in the packages they come in. Safety caps help keep small children from harming themselves by taking medicines without the help of a trusted adult.

Throw away any medicine that is too old to use (expired). Old medicines can change so that they make you ill. Other medicines no longer work when they get old.

Always follow label directions. This includes taking the proper dose and not taking the medicine more often than directed.

CLOSING (Evaluate)

Complete Lesson Checkup
Finished Early? (sign into BrainPOP using Clever)
- Watch BrainPOP Jr. - Medicine

Remember that knowing the parts of ourselves we can't change is an important exercise in acceptance. When we accept ourselves as we are, it is easier to accept other people as well.

Standard(s)

HE4.1a - recognize the relationship between healthy behavior and disease prevention

HE4.3a - identify the characteristics of valid health information, products, and services

HE4.3b - list resources from home, school, and community that provide valid health information

HE4.5b - describe the possible consequences of an unhealthy decision and healthy alternatives when making a health-related decision

Essential Question(s)

Why isn't it wise to take another person's prescription medicine?
Why is it dangerous to buy medicines with a broken or missing safety seal?
How would you make sure that small children could not get at medicines?

Big Idea(s)

Prescription medicines are meant to be taken only by the person for who they are prescribed. Unless you are a doctor or pharmacist, you can't be sure of the specific decisions that were involved in choosing a prescription medicine.
It is dangerous to buy medicines with a broken or missing safety seal because someone might have put something other than the medicine in the container.
Lock medicines in a medicine cabinet; put them on a high shelf in a locked container to make sure that small children can not get to medicines.

RESOURCES / INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

see below

DCSD Board-Approved Instruction Materials

Your Health: Teacher's Edition - Grade 4. Harcourt Brace & Company. 1999.

Technology

Google Sites - HPE website
Chromebook
large video screens for whole-class viewing
sound system for sharing of audio
BrainPOP Jr. - Medicine

Google Sites

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