Introduction to Arvs - Botswana Teen Club

For many patients is not easy to take
ARVs correctly.
� Sometimes it is hard to remember to
take the medicines twice a day,
every day
� Children may have problems
swallowing pills, especially around
other people.
� Children may not like the taste of the
liquid medicines
� Some children, especially older
ones, may hide their pills
What are some ways to overcome the
difficulties?
� Ask the doctor or pharmacist if there are
other options for a child who does not like
his medicines.
� If a child does not like to take liquid medicines,
there may be a pill form that the child can take
� If the pills are too big for the child to swallow
easily, there might be a liquid medicine that the
child can take
� Allow the child to take medicines with a
favorite food or drink if the medicines taste
bad
For some patients, it will be more difficult to
take medicines because of side effects.
� Side effects are problems that happen
because of the medicines.
� Most side effects are temporary and only
happen while the body is getting used to
the medicines.
� Side effects should always be reported to
the doctor or nurse so that appropriate
treatments can be given.
What are some ways to overcome the
difficulties?
� Use an alarm as a reminder (cell
phone alarm)
� Have another responsible adult help
remind the child
� Teach children how to take their
medicines so that they can remind
their caregivers if the caregivers
forget
� But remember, the caregiver must
watch the patient take the medicine
every time!
When children or their caregivers travel,
sometimes the medicines are not taken correctly.
It is important to
always plan
ahead to make
sure that the child
will continue to
take the ARVs
correctly even
during holidays.
This picture illustrates some common
side effects of ARVs
•Headache
•Diarrhea
•Vomiting
•Rash
4