Report: Child-resistant drug packaging doesn’t prevent accidental poisoning

Avoiding accidental poisoning in children under 6 might not be so simple as keeping the medication out of reach, in accordance with a brand new study. Safe Kids Worldwide report.

The report, “Safe Medication Storage: Latest Trends and Insights for Families and Health Educators,” was produced by Safe Kids with support from Johnson & Johnson. The report shows that each 29 minutes, toddlers and preschoolers are taken to hospital because of accidental poisoning, and each 12 days, one child dies after by accident taking a medication. Although most parents agree with the concept of keeping medications out of reach and out of storage, in accordance with Safe Kids, children still die from by accident consuming medications. Half of fogeys surveyed by Safe Kids imagine that the term “child-resistant” implies that children cannot access the medication, but research shows that about half of poisonings occur when children are placed in child-resistant packaging – in accordance with the report.

“Children are curious and will explore and taste everything they discover,” said Torine Creppy, president of Safe Kids Worldwide. “That’s why it’s so important for parents to practice safe medication storage from day one.”

Follow established recommendations to avoid poisoning

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends keeping medications out of the reach of youngsters – selecting a storage location in your private home that children cannot reach or see. Parents should walk across the house and select the safest place to store medications and vitamins. According to the CDC, children must also be taught about medication safety, and fogeys should explain why only they or one other trusted adult can administer medications. According to the CDC, parents must also never tell children that medicines are candy to encourage them to take them. The report says parents also must be mindful of other products that can’t be considered “medicines,” corresponding to diaper rash cream, vitamins, eye drops and even hand sanitizer. These kinds of items must also be kept out of sight and reach of youngsters. According to Safe Kids, only the device that comes with the medication needs to be used to manage medications to children. The report found that kitchen spoons and measuring cups used for cooking cannot measure the quantity of medication in the identical way as dosing devices. You must also prepare clear instructions for caregivers in case your child must be given medication, and Safe Kids recommends a medicine schedule to assist with communication between caregivers.

The opioid crisis is resulting in more accidental poisonings

The opioid crisis has made accidental poisonings an excellent larger problem. AND test published in December 2016 within the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics showed that between 1997 and 2012, the variety of hospitalizations because of opioid poisonings almost doubled. Although hospitalization rates were highest amongst older youth, the best percentage increase in hospitalizations occurred amongst toddlers and preschoolers. “These children are taking medications prescribed by their parents or grandparents,” said study creator Julie R. Gaither, an epidemiologist on the Yale School of Medicine Washington Post..

“Opioids are now ubiquitous in millions of homes in the United States. They are like weapons – you have these dangerous things and we have to avoid them. [them] at the hands of the most defenseless,” Gaither continued.

Safe Kids also reminds parents how quickly accidental ingestion of medicines can occur. The report found that one in three parents surveyed said that so long as their children were being watched, it didn’t matter much where medications were stored. However, the report found that folks whose children ended up in emergency rooms because of accidental drug poisoning often say they turned their backs just for a moment while their children got the drug. “Even in homes where medications are typically safely stored, children may quickly reach for medications left between doses,” the report said. “That’s why it’s so important to keep the medication out of sight immediately after each use.” Safe Kids recommends parents and guardians keep Poison Help – 1-800-222-1222 – on their phones. For more information visit SafeKids.org.

Courses related to “protecting children’s safety”

Computers, mobile devices and related technologies have grow to be the on a regular basis life of youngsters and young people. The Internet is a convenient technique of communication and provides access to a wealth of data, but it will possibly even have a detrimental impact on kid’s well-being because of quite a few online threats corresponding to cyberbullying, harassment, access to pornography, online predators, sexual harassment, identity theft and cyberstalking. This educational activity will provide up-to-date information on web safety to assist nurses educate the families they take care of. Nurses are in a great position to assist eliminate lead poisoning through preventive actions that reduce kid’s exposure. Meetings with a pediatrician, especially in public health facilities, emergency departments, and outpatient and inpatient settings, provide a possibility to acquire advance guidance and health education regarding the long-term effects of childhood lead exposure. Studies have shown that roughly 20% to twenty-eight% of American youth (middle and highschool age) report having experienced violence. Research has shown that people who find themselves chronically teased or bullied can suffer short- and long-term psychological consequences and physical problems. This educational activity will allow you to distinguish between teasing and bullying and supply effective strategies to assist youth, families, and faculty staff prevent or reply to severe teasing or bullying.