Medicine From Home
When You Are at Seattle Children’s
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To keep your child safe, do not give any medicine that you have brought from home. Talk to your child’s care team if your child needs a dose of medicine.
Is it OK to give my child medicine from home?
No, do not give your child anything without talking to us first, including:
- Prescription medicines
- Over-the-counter medicines (like Tylenol)
- Vitamins, natural or herbal medicines, or supplements
- Creams or lotions with medicine (like steroid or antibiotic creams)
If you believe a routine dose is due or there are other reasons for your child to take a medicine from home, ask your child’s healthcare provider.
Does this include all visits to Children’s?
This includes visits where your child receives care at Seattle Children’s from inpatient (overnight) stays.
Why can’t I give my child medicine from home?
While your child is in the hospital, we are responsible for providing all medicines your child may need. Work with us to make sure your child receives their medicines as scheduled. Giving medicines from home can be dangerous because they can:
- Interfere with the procedure or test we are doing
- Interact with other medicines
- Result in your child getting too much medicine (overdose)
To keep your child safe, keep all of the medicines from home stored away while you are here and ask your child’s healthcare provider if you have any questions.
Why might Children’s use a different medicine than we use at home?
We try to match the medicine you use at home. At times, we may use medicine that is different because:
- It is not possible or safe for Children’s to stock every medicine.
- It is common for there to be more than one medicine available that treats the same problem and works in the body the same way. When more than one safe and effective medicine is available to treat a medical condition, Children’s will choose only one of them for use in our facilities. These medicines are called “formulary medicines.”
- To avoid errors and confusion, your child’s home medicine may need to be changed to one on our formulary while they are in the hospital. This is an important part of providing safe care and avoiding errors.
- Herbal products and vitamins are not regulated like medicines. The labels may not list all ingredients and some of the ingredients may interact with the medicines or treatments that occur in the hospital. Therefore, use during hospital stays may not be approved.
- Vitamins are on the formulary. These can be ordered if your doctor thinks it is necessary to continue vitamins while in the hospital.
What if my child’s medicine does not have a similar drug on the formulary?
If the doctor decides it is medically necessary for your child to continue this medicine while in the hospital, your child’s home supply may be used. It will need to be evaluated by a pharmacist to ensure the medicine is identifiable, the dose is correct, and the medicine is not past the expiration date.
Your child’s healthcare provider will work closely with you to make sure your child gets the medicine they need, based on their current health needs.
To Learn More
- Ask your child's healthcare provider
- seattlechildrens.org/patient-education
Free Interpreter Services
- In the hospital, ask your nurse.
- From outside the hospital, call the toll-free Family Interpreting Line, 1-866-583-1527. Tell the interpreter the name or extension you need.
