Learn as much as you can:

• Learn about your child's illness, especially if he or she has a constant condition like asthma. Several sites that provide correct information include Healthfinder, the consumer site for the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Medical Home Portal, American Academy of Pediatrics.

• Find a healthcare provider you trust. Ask for recommendations from friends and coworkers who are on your health plan. Seek a second opinion on your child's diagnosis and treatment if you think your child isn't being cared for correctly. The second opinion can be from either another pediatrician or a specialist.

Be on top of your child’s medicines:

• Mention your child's drug allergies every time he or she is given a medication in a healthcare provider's office or hospital. Also mention your child's other medical problems. Ask if the medicine is OK to take with other prescription medicines, over-the-counter drugs (OTC), and other cures.

• Make sure all your child's healthcare providers know all the medicinesthe child takes. This includes prescription and OTC medicines, vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other cures.

• When you pick up your child's medicine from the pharmacy, ask, "Is this the medicine my child's healthcare provider prescribed?" Most medicine errors involve the wrong drug or the wrong dose.

• Ask that information about your child's medicines be given to you in words you can understand. Do this when the medicines are prescribed and when you receive them at the hospital or pharmacy. Know the name of the medicine, what it's for, how much your child should take, and how often. Also know the possible side effects. Is it safe for the child to take with other medicine? What food, drink, or activities should the child avoid while taking this medicine?

• If you have any questions about the directions on your child's medicine labels, ask. Medicine labels can be hard to understand. For example, ask if 4 doses daily means taking a dose every 6 hours around the clock or just during regular waking hours.

• Ask your pharmacist for the best way to measure your child's liquid medicine. You shouldn't use household teaspoons for measuring medicines because they often don't hold a true teaspoon of liquid.

Know why your child is receiving treatment or being hospitalized:

• Ask your child's healthcare provider if the treatment is based on the latest scientific evidence.

• Make sure you know who is in charge of your child's care. This is especially important if your child has many health problems or is in the hospital.

• If your child is having surgery, make sure you, the child's healthcare provider, and the surgeon all agree and are clear on exactly what will be done. And choose a hospital where many children have the same surgery. The healthcare providers and staff will have more experience with the specific needs of children. While in the hospital, make sure the child always wears an identification bracelet.

• When your child is let out of the hospital, ask the healthcare provider to explain how to care for him or her at home. This includes learning about your child's medicines and finding out when he or she can get back to regular activities.

• Make sure all health professionals involved in your child's care in the hospital have important information like whether the child has drug allergies or a chronic condition. Don't assume the healthcare provider or nurse knows everything he or she needs to know.