Medication can be a life-saving tool, but when it’s taken incorrectly it can also be extremely dangerous. New research reveals why reviewing medicine safety for kids is an important precaution all parents should take.
A new research report, Medicine Safety: A Key Part of Child-Proofing Your Home, reveals that while most parents understand that storing medicine safely is important they might not be as aware as they think when it comes to all the places where medicine is kept in their homes.
Image: Courtesy of Safe Kids Worldwide
The report, published by Safe Kids Worldwide, noted that while educational initiatives have helped to decrease the risk of kids ending up in the emergency room from poisoning, the rates remain very high, with 142 kids under age 6 seen daily in the ER after getting into medicine.
So why are so many kids still getting their hands on medicine? The report suggests that while many parents do make an effort to store away medications, many that are used daily are still kept in more easy-to-access locations, such as purses and nightstands. The report also suggests that while parents are quick to baby-proof based on their child’s age, they often underestimate their progress developmentally.
photo: Keiko Zoll for Red Tricycle
In order to prevent more accidental poisonings, Safe Kids Worldwide suggests the following tips:
- Keep medicine and vitamins out of children’s reach and sight, even medicine you take every day.
- Add medicine safety to your initial child-proofing checklist.
- Save the Poison Control Help number in your phone and post it visibly at home: 1-800-222-1222.
- Share medicine safety information with family and friends.
For more medicine safety tips, check out SafeKids.org.
—Shahrzad Warkentin
Featured photo: Nosheep via Pixabay
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