Prevent Accidental Medication Overdoses in Kids — Keep Your Medicines Up and Away

Published March 21, 2023 (current as of December 31, 2024)

As a parent or caregiver, you may wish you could be everywhere at once — but we all know that’s impossible. When kids get into something they’re not supposed to, like medicines, vitamins, or supplements, there’s a good chance you’ll be in another room or distracted and unable to stop them. That’s why it’s so important to keep medicines out of the sight and reach of young children — and to put medicines away right after you use them, every time.

Here's what you can do:

✔Put medicines and vitamins up and away – out of reach and out of sight

• Children are curious and put all sorts of things in their mouths. Even if you turn your back for less than a minute, they can quickly get into things that could hurt them.
• Pick a storage place in your home that your child cannot reach or see. Different families will have different places. Walk around your house and decide on the safest place to keep your medicines and vitamins.

✔Put medicines and vitamins away every time

• This includes medicines and vitamins you use every day. Never leave them out on a kitchen counter or at a sick child’s bedside, even if you have to give the medicine again in a few hours.

✔Hear the click to make sure the safety cap is locked

• Always relock the cap on a medicine bottle. If the bottle has a locking cap that turns, twist it until you hear the click. Remember, even though many medicines have safety caps, children may be able to open them. Every medicine and vitamin must be stored up and away and out of children’s reach and sight.

✔Teach your children about medicine safety

• Teach your children what medicine is and why you must be the one to give it to them. Never tell children medicine is candy to get them to take it, even if your child doesn’t like to take his or her medicine.

✔Tell your guests about medicine safety

• Ask houseguests and visitors to keep purses, bags, or coats that have medicine in them up and away and out of sight when they are in your home.

✔Be prepared in case of an emergency

• Call your poison control center at 800.222.1222 right away if you think your child might have gotten into a medicine or vitamin.
• Program the Poison Control number into your home and cell phones so you will have it when you need it.

For more ways to learn how to keep medicines somewhere safe visit: UpAndAway.org.

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