Most parents worry about their children’s safety, especially when it comes to medication. But for parents of kids with unique learning needs, the worry is often compounded by the fact that their children may not be able to understand or follow traditional safety instructions.
Visual supports can be a powerful tool for teaching medication safety to these kids. By using pictures or symbols to represent different concepts, visual supports can help kids to understand and remember important safety information.
For example, a picture of a pill bottle with a red X over it can serve as a reminder not to take medication without an adult’s supervision.
By providing clear and concise visual reminders, parents can help their kids stay safe when taking medication – even if they don’t always understand the words.
Here’s what you need to know.
What Do You Need to Teach Your Child About Medication Safety?
There are a few things you need to teach your child about medication safety.
First, always follow the directions on the label. This means taking the correct dosage and never taking more or less than what is prescribed.
Second, always store medications out of reach of children and in a cool, dry place.
Third, never give medicine to another person, even if they have the same symptoms as you.
Furthermore, it is essential to teach your child about the potential side effects of medication. While many medications are safe when used as directed, some can cause serious problems if not taken correctly.
Finally, dispose of unused or expired medication properly by taking it to a designated drop-off location.
By teaching your child these simple safety measures, you can help ensure that they always use medication safely and effectively.
What Sorts of Visual Supports Should I Use?
Visual supports are photographs, diagrams, or charts that provide concrete representations of information. Students can use these supports to make sense of the world around them – particularly as they relate to medication safety.
Schedules
A visual schedule shows the order of activities across time periods, offering a student with unique learning needs predictability while decreasing anxiety. A mini schedule can be used when teaching medication safety so that your child knows exactly when (and when not) to take certain medications.
These visual supports help students learn key information, such as what medications do or where they need to be stored. They can use any combination of pictures, words, and objects, helping students understand clearly the ins and outs of each type of medication and how to safely use it.
These information-sharing visuals should have images that effectively communicate your message – they shouldn’t just be for decoration! You need to make sure your child understands the images well and that they are able to speak for themselves. There shouldn’t be much room for misinterpretation.
Checklists
Checklists are visual supports that are vital in increasing a student’s independence. You can organize a specific task into chunks or simply include safe medication instructions as part of your child’s daily routine checklist. This is something that may be helpful, for example, if your child needs to take a certain medication after a meal – and you don’t want him to forget to do so.
Behavioral Supports
If you have a child that takes prescribed medication as part of his daily routine, then you can even use visual supports to help reinforce desired behaviors – ie, taking medication at a certain time of the day. The visual support will provide the student with information about the expectations, the outcomes, and the potential consequences of not carrying forth the behavior.
Examples of Visual Supports
Visual support can be powerful tools when teaching children how to take medication. Some popular types of visual supports include:
- Graphics and infographics
- Picture cards
- Token board
- Rule cards
- Social stories
Tips for Using Visual Supports to Teach Medication Safety
Make Them Customized
The best tip for using visual supports to teach medication safety is to make sure these supports are as customized as possible to the individual child.
They should match the students’ level of comprehension – for instance, a student who struggles with reading might not be able to understand a diagram with lots of words. He would do better with one that has lots of pictures instead.
To come up with customized visual supports, consider what your child already knows and what he needs to learn. Also, think about their skills and interests. For an example of a daily medication log you can customize for your learner, check out our free .pdf fillable download.
Make Them Engaging
Some key tips for using visual supports effectively include choosing the right medium, incorporating engaging imagery, and focusing on clear, straightforward language.
For example, you could create a simple poster or infographic that outlines safe practices when taking medication.
Alternatively, you might set up an interactive display that allows kids to role-play different scenarios and learn what to do in each case.
Whatever approach you choose, using visual supports is an effective way to help kids learn about medication safety and practice important skills such as reading labels, keeping prescriptions organized, and properly disposing of expired medications.
Use Them To Address a Variety of Needs
The beauty of visual supports is that they can be used for a variety of subtasks. You can use them to provide organization (for example, where medications should be stored) or instructions (how to take a certain medication at the proper dose). Visuals can help increase independence and help your child understand rules.
Pair Them With Verbal Explanations
Finally, know that using visuals shouldn’t be a one-off approach to teaching medication safety. You need to pair the use of visuals with clear, verbal explanations of the ins and outs of medication safety.
Don’t rely on a one-time explanation, either. While you should give your child a thorough walkthrough of everything they need to know while you are showing them the visuals you’ve made, you should revisit these concepts often to make sure your child is retaining everything they’ve been taught.
Medication Safety Tips for Parents and Educators
In addition to using visual supports to teach medication safety, there are a few other things you should do to keep your child safe.
For example, use medicine containers that have safety caps and keep them out of reach and sight. No medicine container is fully childproof – even if it might be child-resistant. Store all medications in their original packages, ideally in locked cabinets.
When giving your child medicine, explain what it is – and avoid the temptation to refer to medicine as “candy” or another appealing name to entice your child to take it. While it’s an enticing short-term strategy, it can tempt your child to consume medication that they shouldn’t when you’re not paying attention.
Encourage your child to ask questions about medication and make sure there’s an open dialogue about how to stay safe at home with various medicines.
Medication safety is an important topic for kids of all ages and abilities, and using visual supports can be a fun and easy way to help them learn. These tips should give you a good starting point for getting started.
Further Reading
- MedlinePlus: Medicine safety and children
- Safe Kids Worldwide: Medication Safety Tips
- Rebekah Pierce: How to Write a Social Story (A Step By Step Guide)
- Rebekah Pierce: Time Management Skills: Long-Term Supports & Strategies For Diverse Learners