Watch Those Medications!

While reading a recent issue of Parents magazine, I came across an article about the alarming increase (33% since 2000) in medication-related poisonings in children ages 5 and under (this study from Nationwide Children's Hospital was sited). It made me think about all the things we can do as parents to help decrease that number. 

So here are a few tips to help reduce the risk of your child suffering from a medication-related poisoning during this cold and flu season in your home: 

1. Always keep your medications out of reach of your little ones. High shelves may seem like a great choice when your little one isn't standing yet, but as soon as they start standing,they will soon be climbing, and that won't be a safe solution for long! The safest way to do this is to have ALL medications kept in a Medication Lock Box (pictured below). Most households have some degree of medications in them, and if you transfer yours into such a box, you may even find you have more than you really need to have on hand.

2. Consider natural alternatives to some medications:

• HONEY instead of cough medicine (Do not use honey for a child under 12 months old)
• APPLE CIDER VINEGAR (when mixed with honey and warm water) can be used to settle a toddler's (or older) upset tummy instead of Pepto Bismol
• WARM RICE SOCK can help break up gas pains in a baby. Fill an adult tube sock with uncooked rice and heat in microwave for no more than 20 second intervals until sock is warm (NOT HOT. Hot will burn your baby). Place sock over baby's clothes on his tummy. Hold sock in place while gently rocking baby back and forth. The movement and heat combined will help break up the gas bubbles causing him pain.
• PEPPERMINT or GINGER to ease motion sickness 
• SALINE SOLUTION NASAL SPRAY and HUMIDIFIER instead of cold medicine/decongestants when your child has a stuffy nose.
• WATER & REST instead of Tylenol when your preschooler complains of a headache. 
• BALTIC AMBER necklaces and PRESSURE POINTS located on the toes to help ease teething pains instead of pain relievers or numbing ointments.

3. Avoid purchasing vitamins or other medications that look like candy (ie. gummy bears and such). Children under age 5 have a difficult time discerning the slight differences between the gummy medications and the actual gummy candies they can eat.

4. When traveling, NEVER leave medications unattended...especially in your purse! According to Safe Kids Worldwide, about 67% of cases of children getting into harmful medications, they were left unattended in a purse or a on a nightstand. Scary! When traveling, I often carry medications in my purse (like my migraine medication), but I always make sure to not leave my purse unattended in the room while my kids are napping or while we are sleeping at night. When we travel, our routines have to be shifted somewhat, so don't forget to keep those medications that are harmful to your little ones out of reach.

5.Talk to your little ones from a young age. Let them know that medications are not toys or candy. The more you talk to them about it and the sooner, the less curiosity they will have and are more likely to remember the rule about those strange bottles- DON'T TOUCH!

Now while none of these 5 tips will ever replace being watchful & aware of your children, they certainly can help when your supermom powered "eyes in the back of your head" or your x-ray vision are on the fritz! 

SuperMom's "eyes in the back of her head" photo from: 

http://buzzmills.typepad.com/blog/2014/05/a-super-hero-birthday.html