Medicine Is Only Taken With a Trusted Grown-Up
Medi the friendly nurse bear sits beside a young child at a kitchen table, holding a small medicine spoon while a parent watches closely and smiles with care.
- Identify what medicine is and why it helps our bodies when we are sick.
- Explain why medicine must only be given by a trusted grown-up.
- Name at least two trusted grown-ups who can safely give medicine.
- Identify the safe rule to follow if you ever find medicine on your own.
Key terms
- medicine
- A special pill or liquid made to help your body heal or feel better.
- dose
- The exact amount of medicine you are supposed to take at one time.
- trusted grown-up
- A safe adult you know, like a parent or nurse, in charge of caring for you.
- harmful
- Something that can hurt your body, like the wrong medicine or too much of it.
Why a Grown-Up Must Be in Charge
Medicine works because it gives your body the exact right amount of help it needs. A trusted grown-up knows which medicine is yours, how much to give, and when to give it. That is why they must always be the one in charge. Taking medicine on your own — even when you feel sick — can be dangerous, because too much or the wrong kind can harm your body instead of helping it heal.
What to Do If You Find Medicine
Sometimes you might spot a pill on the floor or a bottle on a table. It could even look colorful or smell sweet. No matter how it looks, the safe rule is the same: do not touch it and do not taste it. Walk away calmly and tell a trusted grown-up right away. You are not in trouble for finding it — you are being smart and keeping yourself and others safe.
Worked examples
You feel sick and find medicine on the table.
- Remember the rule: medicine is only safe when a trusted grown-up gives it.
- Do not take any of it on your own, even though you feel bad.
- Find a trusted grown-up and tell them how you feel and what you found.
Answer: Leave the medicine alone and tell a trusted grown-up, who can decide the safe way to help you feel better.
Activity
Sort each picture into the right pile: Safe or Not Safe Without a Grown-Up. Think: is a grown-up in charge and present?
Practice
You find a pill bottle on the floor at home — what should you do?
Name two trusted grown-ups who can safely give you medicine.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Sweet-tasting medicine is a kind of candy.Sweet flavor does not make medicine food; it is still medicine and can harm you if misused.
- You can take medicine alone if you feel really sick.Medicine is only safe when a trusted grown-up gives it, no matter how sick you feel.
Check your understanding
You feel sick and find some medicine on the table. What should you do?
Why is medicine NOT the same as candy or a snack, even when it tastes sweet?
Which of these people is a trusted grown-up who can safely give you medicine?
Recap
Medicine is made to help sick bodies, but it is only safe when a trusted grown-up gives it to you. Even sweet-tasting medicine is never a snack, and too much can be harmful. If you ever find medicine on your own, do not touch it — walk away and tell a trusted grown-up right away.
Reflect
Why do you think a grown-up needs to be in charge of giving medicine?