Keep Your Medication Out of Reach

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that 50,000 children four and younger were treated in emergency departments each year for swallowing medications meant for others in the household. Three fourths of these children were between 12 and 24 months. Seventy five percent of these incidents happened at home.

Almost half of these drugs were over the counter medications such as acetaminophen, cold medications, ibuprofen, antihistamines and vitamins. Prevent this from happening to your child by keeping all medicine out of reach and site. Keep all medications in their original containers. Many children are able to open “child proof” containers, so consider keeping your medication in a locked cabinet.