Medicines: Common Poisonings in Kids

June is National Safety Month. This includes the topic of medicine safety. Did you know more than 60,000 young children visit emergency rooms each year because of medication poisonings?

According to the National Safety Council, the most common poisons include prescription and over-the-counter medications, cleaning products and personal care products.

Eighty percent of incidents occur when a child eats or swallows over-the-counter and prescription medicines when an adult wasn’t watching.

Our Pediatrics Northwest providers recommend that parents and grandparents keep all medicines in their original containers and up high out of reach (preferably in a locked cabinet). It is best not to let your child watch you take medicines, because children tend to imitate their parents.

Call your poison control center at 1-800-222-1222 right away if you think your child might have gotten into a medicine or vitamin. It’s a good idea to also program the number into your home and cell phones so you will have it when you need it.

For more medicine safety tips visit the National Safety Council.