Safety Tips to Prevent Accidential Poisonings

Safety tips that every parent, caregiver, & grandparent should use to prevent accidental poisonings:

• Avoid taking medications in the presence of children, as they often try to imitate adults.
• Do not call medicine “candy.”
• Use child-resistant closures on medicine and other products. (Adults who have difficulty opening child-resistant closures may request traditional, easy to open packaging for their medicines).
• Keep all medications (both prescription and nonprescription) in their original containers.
• Always turn on the light when giving or taking medicine.
• Check your medications periodically for expiration dates. If the medication is not dated, consider it expired six months after purchase.
• Avoid putting medications in open rubbish bin containers in the kitchen or bathroom because many adult medications can be deadly to small children and pets.
• Be aware that vitamins, particularly those containing iron, can be poisonous if taken in large doses. Children are especially susceptible to adverse effects from vitamin overdosing.
• If a medicine container has no label or the label has been defaced so you are not absolutely sure what it says, do not use it.
• Make sure purses and bags-yours and guests-that could contain poisonous items such as medications are kept out of the reach of children at all times.
• Clean out the medicines cabinet regularly.