Medication Use in a Head Start Sample: Relevance for Practitioners

This study examined the prevalence of medicine used to treat medical illness and medicine used to treat behavior problems in a Head Start preschool sample, as well as patterns in medication use based on gender, ethnicity, and behavioral characteristics. The participants for this study included 1,544 parents of children ages 2 to 5 years old enrolled in a Head Start program during the 2008-2009 academic year in three diverse Michigan counties. According to parent report, fifteen percent of children in this sample (n =233) were taking medication on a regular basis. Medicine for medical illness accounted for 98.2% (n =306) of the medications in the sample. Sixty-nine percent (n =214) of medications reported were asthma related. The importance of educating parents about the lack of a research base and potential side effects of common medications given to preschool children is discussed.