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Poison Prevention Tips
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Locking up medications is key to preventing accidents in children. Did you know that where you store your vitamins, over-the-counter drugs and prescription medications is vital to your child’s health? Each year more than 53,000 children younger than 5 are treated in hospital emergency departments after swallowing medications not intended for them, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most children are 1 or 2 years old and most incidents occur in the home. These children are nearly four times more likely to be hospitalized or transferred to specialized care than children treated for other unintentional injuries. Even if your medications are in “childproof” containers or stored seemingly out of reach of little hands, that may not be enough protection, said Kristi Davis, RN, certified childbirth educator and child passenger safety instructor for Baptist Memorial Health Care. “Sometimes out of reach is not enough,” Davis said. “Out of reach and behind a lock is best. Keep medicine in a locked box for life.” Davis recommends that parents (or anyone who has children in their home) place all medications, including those for pets, in a fishing tackle box or other container that can be secured with a combination lock. Hide the combination number where children won’t find it. For medications taken on a daily basis, Davis suggests placing them in a small lock box placed high on a shelf. It’s also very important that women don’t keep medications in their purse, a place that children love to get into, Davis said. The most commonly ingested medications by children are over-the-counter pain relievers such as Tylenol and vitamins, Davis said. Overdosing on these substances can be fatal. In the event your child does take medications not intended for them and is in distress, call 911 immediately. If you suspect your child has taken something but is not in distress, call the Poison Control Center. The toll-free number is 1-800-222-1222. Look in your child’s mouth, smell her breath, look for loose medications and tell the person on the hotline exactly what you see. You may have to take your child to the local emergency department. Again, it’s very important to keep medications locked away. Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security. “Sometimes kids can open up medications better than you can,” Davis said.
Published: May 11, 2006
Sources: Kristi Davis, RN, certified childbirth educator and child passenger safety instructor for Baptist Memorial Health Care; Centers for Disease Control; American Association of Poison Control Centers Writer: Elizabeth Todd Bartholomew, MA, APR  Top of Page |
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