Community Corner
More Kids Poisoned by Prescription Drugs
Study shows more kids are going to the ER after accidentally taking their parent's medicine. What you need to know.
To a child, prescription pills look just like candy.
So it’s extremely important that medications don’t get into their little hands. However, a recent study reveals there is an increase in the number of children taken to emergency rooms because of accidental prescription medication poisoning.
Researchers say ER visits for medicine poisoning in children age five and under were up 30 percent in an eight-year period. In the same time frame, the population of children five and under increased only eight percent.
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Most of the accidents were from a child getting into medicine themselves.
The Centers for Disease Control, the Food and Drug Administration and other interested groups have organized the PROTECT Initiative, a program to discuss medication safety and ways to design better prescription and over-the-counter drug packaging.
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While the medical community and drug companies are working on ways to better package medication, it’s important for parents to take precautions to prevent children from getting prescription and over-the-counter medications.
In Decatur, Safe Kids of DeKalb is led by the and is part of Safe Kids Worldwide, an organization that addresses unintentional injuries to children under age 14.
Safe Kids advises parents to keep all medications, including over the counter medications and vitamins, out of reach of children at all times. Store them in a cabinet with a lock and put them away immediately.
The organization suggests, if you are giving your child medication at night, turn on the light to make sure you give the correct medication as well as the correct dose.
Keep the number to Georgia Poison Center near your phone. If non-life-threatening symptoms occur call 404-616-9000 or the National Poison Center hotline at 1-800-222-1222. In case of more serious exposures, call 911.
Safe Kids of DeKalb County and Safe Kids USA are part of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations with a mission of preventing unintentional childhood injury.
Safe Kids of DeKalb County, located at 445 Winn Way, also provides tips, classes and information on child passenger safety, sports safety, burn prevention, playground safety, baby proofing and more.
