Sharing OTC Literacy Facts With Tweens

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Last week, we shared some staggering statistics with you about the knowledge of tweens when it comes to OTC medications. This week, we wanted to share a little more information with you about the resources available from to help you improve the OTC Literacy “grade” for the children in your household. Tweens begin to self-medicate with over the counter medications at around age 11, so making sure that they have all the facts while still in elementary school is imperative.

Schools all over the country are participating in , but those lessons need to be supported and reinforced by parents. Scholastic and the American Association of Poison Control Centers have partnered to develop a fact filled printable resource packet for use in homes, as well. This packet includes a checklist to help ensure that your home is safe from and educated about the dangers of over the counter medications, plus four fact sheets covering the most important information about the top four areas that need to be discussed when it comes to OTC safety.

• Why the Label Matters – Labels can be tough to understand, so this breaks down all of the parts of a label and what they mean, helping you teach your children how to read them.
• Know the Dose – This resource page helps to explain active ingredients, proper dosage, measurement, and why these are important.
• Up and Away and Out of Sight –This page covers the proper storage of all medications, particularly over the counter, for the safety of the whole family.
• Misuse is Dangerous – As many tweens don’t realize that OTC medications can be very dangerous if misused, this resource sheet will help explain to your child some of the dangers of OTC medications and what to do if they overdose or expect someone else may have.

Be sure to brush up on the facts before sharing with your children! You might even learn something you didn’t realize. The program also has other resources for parents, teachers, and the community to help improve tweens’ understanding of the proper use of over the counter medications. Take some time to ask your children what they know about OTC medications and start this important conversation today!