Parents Advised To Prevent Access To Medications
Medications taken accidentally by young children account for an estimated 53,517 nonfatal visits to emergency departments each year in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The report was published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Children ages four and younger are commonly treated for taking medications intended for others or given in error, although those ages one and two account for 72 percent of these accidents.
Seventy-five percent of these exposures occur in the home.
Of the children taken to emergency rooms, almost one in 10 were hospitalized or transferred for specialized care, according to the report.
"Medications are far and away the most common ingestions for which children are treated in the emergency department," says study co-author Dr. Dan Budnitz, from the CDC Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion.
"We found that from 2001 to 2003 there [were] about 53,000 young children treated in the emergency department after swallowing medications that were not intended for them," notes Dr. Budnitz.
To determine the extent of the problem, researchers used data from 3,600 sample cases. They found that about 42 percent of the cases resulted from ingesting common over-the-counter medications, including vitamins, and nearly 40 percent were from prescription medications.
The remaining cases involved ingesting a combination of medications or an unknown medication.
These poisonings are preventable, remarks Dr. Budnitz. There are three things that parents or caregivers can do to prevent such accidents, he says.
First, keep medication out of sight and reach of young children.
Second, do not assume that keeping medications in purses or pill boxes will keep them away from children.
Third, pay close attention when giving medication to children to ensure they are getting the right medication and the correct dose.
"Young children continue to swallow medications, or doses of medications, that were not intended for them," says Dr. Budnitz. "Parents should be vigilant, whether it's storing their own medications, or other medications, or properly administering medications to children."
One expert agrees that, with a little care, most of these cases can be avoided.
"Parents must recognize that any medicine is a potential poison when taken in high dose, or by the wrong person," says Dr. David L. Katz, director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine.
"The precautions we take with dangerous chemicals should also be applied to seemingly innocuous items, such as Tylenol®, cold remedies, and even vitamins," explains Dr. Katz.
"Pill vials should be securely closed, hidden away, and stored at a height young children can't reach," he says.
Dr. Katz notes that parents should view any type of medication as potentially harmful to children.
"When all pills and supplements are viewed by parents as a potential hazard to young children, we should be able to cut down significantly on the tragic and avoidable toll of unintended exposures and overdoses," he says.
Always consult your child's physician for more information.
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There are probably few things more important to you than your child's health and well-being. But even though you may try your best to keep your child healthy and safe, it is not always easy to know exactly what to do, especially when your child is injured.
Children's work is their play. Play includes many fun types of activities that also put them at risk for injury, such as running, climbing, swimming, biking, and sports. Minor accidents and injuries are part of childhood and growing up.
For parents and caregivers, knowing what to do when minor injuries occur is an important part of caring for a child.
To help avoid many common childhood injuries, parents and caregivers should consider learning how to care for many common childhood injuries; tell the difference between a minor problem and a true emergency and respond accordingly; learn what to keep in a first-aid kit; and complete a checklist and phone contact list for when emergencies occur.
Be a role model for your child - have regular check-ups, eat healthy, exercise, and do not smoke.
Know CPR, care for choking, and first-aid basics. Many organizations, such as the American Red Cross and American Heart Association, offer courses in child and infant CPR.
Make sure your child has regular check-ups and immunizations.
Put safety first. Know how to safety proof your home and your child's environment - the best treatment for injuries is prevention.
Provide a healthy diet and regular exercise for your child. Helping your child stay healthy and strong may help minimize problems when they do occur.
Install safety devices in your home such as smoke detectors, handrails, stairway gates, and fire extinguishers. Cover electrical outlets, as needed.
Teach your child to wash his/her hands well, especially before meals and after using the toilet.
Place medicines, cleaners, chemicals, and potential poisons out of your child's reach. Install safety locks on cabinets that contain dangerous or sharp items.
Never leave a baby or young child alone - not even for a moment.
Develop a fire escape plan and make sure each family member knows what to do in case of fire.
Put babies to sleep on their backs or sides until they can turn over by themselves.
If you must keep a gun in the home, make sure it is unloaded and store it in a locked cabinet. Lock ammunition in a separate place.
Supervise your child and make sure he/she takes part in age-appropriate activities.
Wear your seat belts and make sure your child uses an approved car safety seat or seat belt that has been installed properly.
Help your child to learn how to handle anger and stress in appropriate ways.
Keep a list of emergency phone numbers handy, including your local emergency medical services (EMS), your child's physician or healthcare provider, police, and fire departments, and your local poison center.
Always consult your child's physician for more information.
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