Accepting OTC medication for one day
Summary of the rules for accepting over-the-counter medications for one day:
If a child other than an infant develops symptoms that indicate a need for over-the-counter medication while in care at the program, child day care providers who are authorized to administer medication must follow these instructions:
To give an over-the-counter medication to a child who is eighteen (18) months or older for one day only*:
- If the child day care provider is unable to get written or faxed permission and instructions from the parent and/or health care provider, she can give the medication with verbal permission from the parent. She does not need instructions from the health care provider.
- The child day care provider must get verbal instructions from the health care provider if the package states to consult a doctor or if the package directions do not match what the parent is asking the child day care provider to do.
- The child day care provider can only give the medication on the day she received the verbal permission.
- The child day care provider must get written permission from the parent and written instructions from the health care provider to continue to give the medication on subsequent days.
*Note: This exception only applies to programs that have the first waiver approved of OCFS Administration of Medication Regulations – 3 Waiver Requests. If your program does not have this waiver, refer to the regulations for additional information.
The child day care provider must document that the child’s health care provider gave verbal instructions and that the child’s health care provider was asked to send written instructions to the day care provider or caregiver. If the medication is to be administered on subsequent days, written instructions must have been given to the day care provider or caregiver from the health care provider.
When the child day care provider accepts medication for one day, she must complete a Verbal Medication Consent Form and Log of Administration.