Recognizing that children of the same age vary in development, experience, and capabilities, these Principles do not specify children's ages. Children, as users of medicines, have a right to appropriate information about their medicines that reflects the child's health status, capabilities, and culture. Children want to know. Health care providers and health educators should communicate directly with children about their medicines. Children's interest in medicines should be encouraged, and they should be taught how to ask questions of health care providers, parents, and other care givers about medicines and other therapies.
Children learn by example.
The actions of parents and other care givers should show children appropriate use of medicines. Children, their parents, and their health care providers should negotiate the gradual transfer of responsibility for medicine use in ways that respect parental responsibilities and the health status and capabilities of the child. Children's medicine education should take into account what children want to know about medicines, as well as what health professionals think children should know. Children should receive basic information about medicines and their proper use as a part of school health education. Children's medicine education should include information about the general use and misuse of medicines, as well as about the specific medicines the child is using.