Beyond Locking Medicine Cabinets: What Parents Should Know About Medication And Poison Control

Nearly half of the 1.34 million calls US poison control receives each year about children are medication-related. In eight out of 10 of these cases, kids — often one to two years old — get into meds that weren't meant for them, with ibuprofen, diaper care products, rash creams, and multivitamins topping the list. 

It could happen to any parent, no matter how careful, in a split second. It happened to me, when my then toddler son took a generous chug of the Tylenol syrup meant for his slightly older sister, who was throwing up when the ordeal went down and I temporarily completely forgot that that bottle was sitting right on the kitchen counter. (It all ended well. My son is a big boy now.)

First things first: How to prevent babies, toddlers and preschoolers from reaching medications

Yes, keep your medications in a place your child can't reach, but don't just put them high up — toddlers and preschoolers are pretty inventive and can often reach things we never thought they would, by climbing or getting a chair out. Consider locking your medications, which should include over-the-counter drugs and nutritional supplements, in a secure cabinet with a key. 

And learn a lesson from me, too. When you're about to take a medication, or give it to your child or someone else like an elderly parent, put the remaining supply away right away. Do not leave any medication unattended, ever. 

While the very youngest children will not be able to understand, parents can start talking about the importance of not taking medication on their own even with toddlers. 

User error: An important reason to call poison control

Nineteen percent of medication-related calls to poison control for children are made because a child received too high a dose of a drug they were meant to be taking, or the wrong drug. To minimize the risk that this will happen to you:

• Always keep medications in their original packaging, clearly labeled. 
• Read the dosage instructions each time. Check that the name of the medication is correct.
• When using liquid medicines, use the dosage device that will come with the product. 
• If someone else, like a babysitter, has to give your child medicine, leave them with extremely clear instructions. 
• Only offer your child medications with your doctor's green light. 

Talking to older kids about safe medicine use

We should only take prescription medications if they were prescribed to us, and only in the appropriate dose. Over-the-counter-medications are, meanwhile, obviously available without a prescription — but that doesn't necessarily mean they are safe for us, and again, the recommended dosage and duration of use should never be exceeded. It's OK to ask for an ibuprofen if you have a fever, but not if you suffered a minor knee scrape. Medications can have side effects and become harmful in large amounts. 

These are just a few things to discuss with kids, and parents can also model these behaviors. 

Disposing of medicine in a safe way

Medications shouldn't just be stored out of reach, they should also be disposed of in a safe way — if you throw your expired medication in the bin, your child or someone else could still get into it. Ask your pharmacist about this in advance. Some meds need to be taken back to the pharmacy, while the advice for others is to flush them down the toilet. Some can be thrown in the trash, but a good bit of advice (courtesy of the American Association of Poison Control Centers) is to mix them with something so disgusting that nobody will want to get anywhere near it. Cat litter is an excellent example.

Needles and other sharp objects or biohazards should never simply be placed in the trash, as someone could hurt themselves. 

Children who take medications also need to be taught about safe ways to dispose of their drugs and its equipment.

Bonus tip: Keep activated charcoal around

Activated charcoal binds to many molecules to slow the rate at which the body absorbs them. Emergency rooms often use it when someone has taken the wrong medication or too high a dose of a drug. Never assume that giving your child activated charcoal is a good substitute for medical attention, but keep it around. The sooner it's given, the more likely it is to help. When your child has ingested a medication they shouldn't have or they have had too much of a medication they do need, call poison control immediately and administer activated charcoal if they tell you to do so.