Keeping Kids Safe: Store Medicines Securely

As summer brings us fun times, it's also important to remember how to keep our kids safe. Sometimes, kids might swallow things like medicines or vitamins that they shouldn't. In this blog post, we'll talk about easy things you can do to make sure your kids stay safe by keeping medicines out of their reach.

If you think your child ate something they shouldn't, get help right away. Call Poison Help at 800-222-1222 or visit PoisonHelp.org.

The Hidden Danger

Kids like to explore, and that's great, but sometimes they might eat things that aren't food. Medicines, vitamins, and stuff like that can be dangerous if kids eat them. According to the Center for Disease Control, around 35,000 emergency department visits are caused by unintentional medication overdoses of children under 5 years old, and over 90% of those visits are the result of children getting into medication on their own, without adult supervision.

So, let's see how we can stop accidents from happening.

Quick Action After Using Medicines

After you use medicines, don't forget to put them away. It's a small thing that can help keep your kids safe.

Put Medicines Up High

To make sure kids can't get to medicines, keep them high up where kids can't see or reach. Cabinets or shelves high off the ground are good places to keep them.

When You Travel

If you're going on a trip, remember to pack medicines in containers that kids can't open easily. If you stay in a hotel, put medicines in the safe or a high spot in the closet.

Even Gummies Need Safekeeping

Gummy vitamins might look yummy, but they're not candy. Keep them away from kids just like other medicines.

Get More Safety Info

You can learn more about keeping medicines safe at UpAndAway.org. They have helpful tools to show you how.

Safe Disposal

Don’t flush your medication! Each year, Cortland Area Communities That Care and Cortland Prevention Resources work together to hold the Drug Take Back Event, where unused and/or expired prescription medications can be disposed of properly. On September 30, you can take advantage of the Drug Take Back Event by visiting participating drug disposal locations around the community. Follow Upstream Parent or Healing Cortland for more information.

Summer is awesome, and we want it to be safe too. By being careful where we keep medicines, we can make sure our kids don't accidentally eat things that could hurt them. Remember, if you think your child ate something they shouldn't, get help right away. Call Poison Help at 800-222-1222 or visit PoisonHelp.org.

You can also learn more and download great tip sheets and information at upandaway.org.