Paediatric patients are unique, yet challenging patients to care for by pharmacists. Paediatric medicine use requires special consideration. Pharmacists play an important role in educating and counselling patients, carers, and healthcare workers. Further, pharmacists have the necessary knowledge and skills to optimise safe medicine use in paediatric patients. This article provides basic principles for safe practices in paediatric medicine by following the nine rights of medication administration.

In the pharmacy, colds and flu are commonly treated illnesses, and medicines that contain decongestants, antihistamines, analgesics, cough suppressants and expectorants are used alone, or in combination, to relieve typical symptoms. Combination cold and flu medicines can have certain adverse effects on the autonomic nervous system. This article provides an overview of the functioning of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), the pharmacological effects of the common ingredients in cold and flu medicines on the ANS, as well as the contraindications to consider when offering these medicines.