Children are full of life, energy and the curiosity to try new things with a smile.

Bring a medicine bottle out of the cabinet though, and those smiles may turn to tears. Kids just don’t like medicine. Sometimes there’s nothing you can do about that: there’s nothing fun about being sick, and taking medicine just makes it worse.

While there’s no guarantee that taking medicine will ever become an entirely pleasurable experience, there are some ways to help.

One of the best involves contemporary pharmaceutical compounding.

Paediatric Compounding
Compounding is the art and science of preparing customized medications for patients. In recent years, compounding has experienced a resurgence, as many doctors are working with pharmacists to offer their patients the benefits of medicines tailored specifically for certain needs. Children are especially suited for custom compounded prescriptions, as commercially manufactured drug forms are often not the best solutions for kids.

Working closely with a compounding pharmacist, your child’s paediatrician can prescribe medications for pain relief, respiratory disorders, oral thrush, diabetes, head lice, nappy rash, skin disorders, cold sores/fever blisters and more. Compounding can benefit patients in a variety of ways.

Unique Dosage Forms
Many children have a very difficult time swallowing capsules or tablets, especially if they have to take more than one medication during the day. To solve this problem, your paediatrician and compounding pharmacist can develop and prepare medications in alternate dosage forms your child won’t mind taking. These include lollipops, chewable lozenges, syrups, suspensions, ice blocks, transdermal gels and even pacifier dosages for infants – and all can be administered in any number of great flavours.

Strength Variation
Your child is unique. Children vary in size and weight. Some have allergies and varying drug tolerances. As a result, it’s often a challenge to find a commercially available medication suitable for the individual needs of your child. A compounding pharmacist can be of help in formulating a medication which comes in the exact dose needed for a child of a certain age and size.

A caring paediatrician working closely with a compounding pharmacist can provide your child with the individualised specialty paediatric care he or she deserves.