Drug treatment: factors contributing to high risks in institutions

Abstract

Because of the widerspread use of drugs in the treatment of exceptional children, investigators are currently studying the efficacy, suitability and safety of the drugs employed. This paper deals with an aspect of pharmacological management which has been largely neglected in the literature: the administration of prescribed drugs. Focusing on the institutional setting, the following three factors contributing to high risk of drug error or misuse, are delineated: (1) Staff training and sophistication, (2) Number and complexity of drugs employed and (3) Vulnerability of the exceptional child. An attempt is made to state and clarify these issues, to report some preliminary programs which appear to be effective, and to offer some concrete suggestions for persons who are involved in the pharmacological management of exceptional children.