Keeping children safe around grandma’s medicine

Multi-generational parenting is becoming more common, as the number of children living with grandparents—or receiving regular care from them—continues to rise. And according to reports, this generation of seniors is healthier, better educated, living longer and more financially secure than those of the past. In other words, today’s Nana and Granddad are ready for the job. But, as shown in this report from Safe Kids Worldwide, when grandparents become more active in child care, it carries a safety concern: increasing kids’ access to the grandparents’ medication and pills, and potentially serious cases of medication poisoning. Safe Kids data shows that almost 64,000 emergency department (ED) visits in 2012 were related to a child swallowing medication not meant for her. That’s an ED visit once every 8 minutes, for an accident that is completely avoidable. These unintentional medicine poisonings are leading to more than pain and worry among families—about $34.4 million is spent every year treating improper medicine exposure in children. “Safe storage of medications is the key to preventing these unintentional ingestions. Even a small dose of a cardiac [heart] drug or muscle relaxant (like valium) can have large effects because of a young child’s small size,” says Lois Lee, MD, attending physician in Boston Children’s Hospital’s ED. “Grandparents—as well as parents—need to remember to keep these medications stored in a cabinet...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: All posts child safety medication toddler safety Source Type: news