Each year, approximately 500 children aged 5 and under attend emergency rooms to treat poisoning after obtaining ahold of medicines.
When you’re in need medications can make a difference and can even save lives. But , too much medicine could be harmful for a child, toddler or teen. This is the reason why prescription medicines and other over-the-counter medicines must be kept out of their reach.
Protecting children & teens
A variety of common medications, like opioids diabete and heart medications and even vitamins for prenatal use could be deadly for infants or young children when taken in small amounts, just one or two pills. Teenagers are prone to make bad decisions when it comes to pills, particularly prescriptions, and often have devastating outcomes.
Like you safeguard your child while driving with safety belts and car seat seats, it is important be sure to secure your children at home as well by keeping medicines in a safe place and other household poisons that are common. Here are some safe medicine suggestions for grandparents, parents and anyone else who has children or teens living at home:
Safe storage: away from the reach and sight
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Use containers for medicine with caps for safety and make sure they’re away from the view and reach for children. Keep in mind that safety caps are designed to be child-proof. It is therefore difficult for a toddler to lift the cap. There is no medicine container that is completely child-proof.
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Keep all prescription and over-the-counter medications in their original packaging in cabinets that are locked or in containers. Safety latches that secure when you shut doors to cabinets can protect children from dangerous products, however they do not always perform.
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You can consider purchasing a small safe, or lockbox that can be used to secure any drugs or medicines.
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Place medicines back into secure storage after you have used them. Don’t leave your children on their own when they are taking medicines. If you are in possession of a medicine and you have to perform something else, such as to answer the phone, you should take the medication with you.
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Parents, babysitters and other guests to keep bags, purses or jackets with medicine inside them out of children’s reach.
Give your child medication
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When you take medicine, make sure to do it on a bathroom vanity or away from the common areas of your house. If you spill your medicine and then clean it up, do so immediately. There are many opioids as well as potent painkillers, even just a tiny amount taken in or absorbed by your pores (liquid or patches) could be life-threatening.
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Don’t refer to medication in the form of “candy” or another appealing name. This could confuse or entice children to take other drugs when you’re not.
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Be sure to provide the right dose and take it in precisely. This involves reading the label every time you administer over-the-counter medicines such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen two commonly used fever and pain medications. In the majority of emergency visits that involve medication errors, as per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the young children were prescribed the wrong dosage of medication due to a mishap.
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Make use of a medicine syringe or dropper to determine the right amount. Do not use ordinary kitchen spoons because they’re not reliable to measure medicine. For example, 5 milliliters (mL) is equivalent one teaspoon (tsp) 15 milliliters (mL) is equivalent approximately 3 tablespoons (tsp) as well as equal one tablespoon (Tbsp). (See, ” How to Use Liquid Medicines for Children.”)
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Be aware that certain medicines available over the counter is strength for adults and should be administered to children. Talk to your pharmacist about safer options. your doctor or pharmacist.
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Take the medication when you are supposed to, in accordance with the prescription you received or on the advice of your doctor. If you miss giving the dose, do it as quickly as you can and the next dose at the appropriate timing following the missed dose.
Find the answers
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Answer questions. Many parents have difficulties understanding instructions for medicine. If you’re confused as to what to do with your child medication, it’s best to ask questions, rather than to administer the medicine incorrectly.
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Request your pharmacist or doctor to demonstrate the dosage of medication you need to give with the dose tool you’re planning to utilize. Also, tell your pharmacist or doctor the amount you intend to give. Then make sure that your statement is true.
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Request your doctor or pharmacist note down the directions on an article of paper to take to home.
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Request details in the language you like. Have an interpreter provide you with instructions in the language you prefer.
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Talk to your child’s doctor or pharmacist before mixing medication together with liquids or liquid.
Beware of unnecessary medications
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Treat symptoms with medications (such as chronic cough) only when your child requires it. The use of over-the-counter cough or cold medicine is not recommended for children who are not yet 6 years old and should not be prescribed to children less than two years of age.
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The cold medications usually contain several types of medicine contained in a bottle. Don’t give medicines for pain or fever in the event that you have already given the medicine for colds that contains an anti-inflammatory or fever medicine in it. It is generally recommended to only give one medication at one time.
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It is possible to administer medicine to reduce the fever of your child if your child’s fever is greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Be aware that fever indicates that your body is rid of infection. The treatment to reduce fever is more a matter of comfort for children. It’s not needed when your child is in good health.
Be sure to dispose of any medications in a safe manner.
Dispose of all non-useful medications, including powerful ones such as opioids. Check the label on your medicine for ways to secure rid of any old or unnecessary medicines. Patches of pain medication used for relief must be removed by folding them in half, then cleaned. Numerous pharmacies and poison control centers, public safety stations, and doctors’ offices will take old medications to be safely disposed of, but you must you must first call.
