Stop Telling Kids That Medicine Is Candy
別再跟孩子說藥物是糖果
We’ll say anything to bribe a kid to take their medicine, but telling them it’s candy has the potential to backfire. Each year, 70,000 kids show up at emergency rooms after overdosing on medicine, most because they helped themselves to meds that were left in reach. After all, who doesn’t want more candy?
為哄孩子吃藥,我們幾乎說盡一切好話,但是告訴他們藥物是糖果有可能會產(chǎn)生事與愿違的結(jié)果。每年有70000個孩子由于用藥過量而出現(xiàn)在急診室,其中大部分是因為他們自己服用了自己可以拿到的藥物。畢竟,誰不希望多吃點(diǎn)兒糖果呢?
Some kids understand that medicine helps you feel better, but then they apply toddler logic. If a little is good, more must be better, right? Kids also may not understand that there are different kinds of medicines, and so Grandma’s pills aren’t interchangeable with their Tylenol. My kids have even asked for medicine after skinning a knee.
一些孩子明白藥物可以幫他們變得舒服些,然后他們就用自己懵懂的邏輯去思考:如果吃一點(diǎn)是好的,那么吃更多就會更好,對吧?孩子也可能不知道藥物有不同的種類,同樣不知道奶奶的藥是不能和他們的泰諾互換的。我的孩子就曾在膝蓋破皮后要求吃藥。
All this argues in favor of explaining to kids what medicine really is—and until they’re old enough to understand, keep meds “up and away,” as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has named their campaign to prevent childhood poisoning. That means if you gave some medicine to a sick toddler, and plan to give them more in four hours, don’t leave the bottle at their bedside. And if you’re visiting friends or family, make sure they don’t have meds or vitamins in kid-accessible places like the kitchen counter.
所有這些關(guān)于向孩子解釋藥到底是什么的爭論——直到他們長得足夠大并能理解(藥物的實質(zhì)),請將藥物“拿走收好”——疾病控制與預(yù)防中心如此為他們發(fā)起的防止兒童(藥物)中毒活動命名。這意味著,如果你要給一個生病的孩子吃藥,并且計劃在四個小時后再次喂食,請不要將藥瓶留在床邊。如果你去拜訪朋友或家人,請確保他們家孩子能夠夠到的地方——例如廚房柜臺,沒有放置藥物或維生素。