Health Grade 5Medicine & Drugs

Mr. Vargas

Drugs and Your HealthYou’ve probably taken medicine

when you were ill. Medicines can improve your

health if you use them properly. They can harm

your health if you don’t use them in

safe ways.

Drugs Used as Medicine

•A medicine is a drug used to prevent, treat, or cure a health condition.•Over-the-counter drugs are medicines that can be bought without a doctor’s order•Prescription drugs are medicines that can be obtained ONLY with a doctor’s order

A drug is a substance

that changes how the mind or

body works.

Safety Rules for Medicines

Take medicine only from your parents or guardian

• or another adult they approve of. Your parent or guardian may give permission to someone else to give you medicine if he or she is unable to. Your parent or guardian will tell you who may give you medicine.

Safety Rules for Medicines

Take medicine only from your parents or guardian• that come with your medicine. Take the right dose. A dose is the amount of medicine you should take. Your doctor may tell you the dose. An OTC package may list a dose. The label also may tell you how to take the medicine. You may need to take it with food. You may need to drink lots of water with the medicine.Follow the instructions

Safety Rules for Medicines

Take medicine only from your parents or guardian• about any medicines you take. Sometimes drugs can change the action of other drugs when taken together. These changes can make the drugs not work properly. They can also harm you.

Follow the instructions

Tell your doctor and pharmacist

Safety Rules for Medicines

Take medicine only from your parents or guardian•not someone else’s. Other people’s medicines may be too strong for you. They may not be the right medicine for you.Follow the instructions

Tell your doctor and pharmacist about any medicines you take

Take only your own medicines,

Safety Rules for Medicines

Take medicine only from your parents or guardian• Tell your parents or guardians right away. A side effect is an unwanted reaction to a drug. A drug might make you sleepy. Another drug might upset your stomach.Follow the instructions

Tell your doctor and pharmacist about any medicines you take

Take only your own medicines

Stop taking the medicine if you have any side effects.

Safety Rules for MedicinesTake medicine only from your parents or guardian

• The containers have instructions for using the medicines safely. OTC medicines usually have a date stamped on the package. Don’t use the medicine after that date.

Follow the instructions

Tell your doctor and pharmacist about any medicines you take

Take only your own medicines

Stop taking the medicine if you have any side effects

Keep medicine in their containers.

Safety Rules for MedicinesTake medicine only from your parents or guardian

Follow the instructions

Tell your doctor and pharmacist about any medicines you take

Take only your own medicines

Stop taking the medicine if you have any side effects

Keep medicine in their containers

Check the seal on the packages of OTC medicine.• The seal protects the medicine. Do not buy OTC medicine if the

seal is broken.

Drug Misuse vs. Drug Abuse

Drug misuse is the accidental unsafe use of a medicine.•Ex.: You have an ear infection. A doctor prescribed medicine for you. You are supposed to take two pills each day. You take four pills by mistake.•If you misuse a drug, tell your parents or guardian right away. They can decide what to do.

Drug abuse is

•the use of an illegal drug, OR•the harmful use of a legal drug