Pediatric Compounding

Do you want a better way to give your child medicine?

It’s no secret that most kids don’t like taking medicine. There’s nothing fun about being sick, and taking medicine just seems to make it worse. But it doesn’t have to be that way. While there’s no guarantee that taking medicine ever will become an entirely pleasurable event, there are some ways to help.

One of the best involves contemporary pharmacy compounding, the art and science of preparing customized medications for patients. From flavoring medications to make them taste better, to providing individualized strengths and dosage forms, our compounding pharmacists can help make medication time easier and less stressful for your child – and you!

Pediatric Compounding - More effective than a spoonful of sugar

Children are especially suited for custom compounded prescriptions. For various reasons, commercially manufactured drug forms sometimes may not meet the needs of every child. Compounding can benefit young patients in a variety of ways.

Working closely with our compounding pharmacists, your child’s pediatrician can prescribe medications for:

Pain relief
Respiratory disorders
Oral thrush
Diabetes
Head lice

Diaper rash
Skin disorders
Cold sores/fever blisters
And much more!

Flavored Medicine

Many children refuse medication because of its texture or color, or simply because they know it is medicine. The child who refuses to take his or her medicine because of the taste is a prime candidate for compounded medication.

Many medications can be transformed into colorful, pleasantly flavored dosage forms, which are dispensed in childproof packaging. Dozens of enticing flavors are available to compounding pharmacists, who can enhance the taste and color of a medication without changing the medication’s effectiveness.

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 pediatrician and compounding pharmacist can develop and prepare medications in alternate dosage forms your child won’t mind taking. These include:

Oral liquids
Lollipops

Topical gels
Effervescent drinks

Gummy treats

Some compounded medications can be administered using special pacifiers or bottles for infants – and most can be administered in any number of great flavors.

Strength and Ingredient Variations

Each child is unique. Children differ in size and individual needs. Some have allergies and varying drug tolerances, requiring medications which are sugar-free, gluten-free, casein-free, soy-free, or dye-free. As a result, can be a challenge to find a commercially available medication suitable for your child’s individual needs. A compounding pharmacist working closely with a caring pediatrician can formulate a medication which meets all the child’s requirements.

YOUR CHILD DESERVES INDIVIDUALIZED PEDIATRIC CARE. ASK YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER OR OUR PHARMACISTS TODAY ABOUT PERSONALIZED COMPOUNDED PRESCRIPTIONS FOR CHILDREN.

Autism

Children affected by autism often have unique physical or psychological challenges that can be exacerbated by ingredients found in food and medicine – for instance casein, soy, sugars, gluten, dyes, carbohydrates, and heavy metals (such as aluminum). Parents must manage their child’s unique dietary restrictions, including the ingredients in the medications they take.

Because each child’s body has its own unique needs, commercially available medications sometimes may not provide the appropriate dosage form or ingredients needed. For these children, compounded medications are a critical tool.

Central Drug’s PCCA (Professional Compounding Centers of America) Pharmacy Consultant Tricia Heitman, PharmD, explained, “Most compounded medications for children with autism are for younger kids who can be especially finicky and can’t or won’t take capsules or pills. Compounded medications in different dosage forms and flavors are often the only way to administer key ingredients such as melatonin, amino acid and vitamin mixtures that are crucial in managing autism.

“Parents and practitioners working with children with autism must manage ingredients that can trigger reactions, such as hyperactivity, irritability, depression and acting-out, or serious gastrointestinal problems. As the largest supplier to compounding pharmacies in the U.S., we have a special obligation to develop unique products to serve the 1 in 68 children with autism.”

Central Drug utilizes several PCCA products that benefit the autism community including:

SuspendAll™: A suspension base for oral medications that is free of ingredients known to cause reactions in autistic children.
Anhydrous Lipoderm®: A quick-absorbing cream used to deliver medications transdermally. It does not use aluminum silicate – a common binding agent.
Effervescent Powder™ Base: A powder base for oral medications that effervesces when mixed with water and is used to help make medications more palatable.

PCCA received the Autism Hope Alliance’s (AHA) Autism Approved program seal for best practices in meeting needs in the autism community. The program highlights medical practices, materials and goods that meet strict criteria and are considered “autism-community friendly.” SuspendAll, Anhydrous Lipoderm and Effervescent Powder Base are only available from independent PCCA-affiliated compounding pharmacies such as Central Drug.