Prescription Pills May Be Putting Kids' Safety at Risk by Accidental Poisonings

One Pill Can Poison or Kill Unintended Child Users

"One pill can kill" young children is the strong message poison control centers are trying to send to parents and child care providers. A recent study from the nation's poison control centers shows a frightening trend in the number of accidental poisonings or deaths from young kids who somehow take the popular painkiller medicine. The report, published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, recorded nearly 10,0000 accidental ingestions of opiates like popular prescription drugs hydrocodone, oxycodone and methodone by children age 6 and under during a three-year period. Researchers speculate that the actual number of exposures is likely higher, since their child safety study only assessed a portion of U.S. poison control centers.

One pill can kill
The surge in poisonings are connected to the skyrocketing increases in prescription painkiller use. The report indicates that there were 119 million prescriptions written for hydrocodone in the U.S. alone in 2007, while people aged 12 and older used prescription pain killers for non-medicinal purposes as well. Deaths caused by unintentional drug poisonings soared by nearly 70 percent between 1999 and 2004, according to a report from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While other prescription drugs, including antidepressants and heart medicines are equally dangerous and potentially deadline for young children, they are not nearly as common as painkillers, resulting in lower numbers.

Exposure is an accident
About half of the painkiller drug exposure incidents occurred in households with many adults living together or with histories of drug use or child neglect. The other half occurred in households by families with no signs of neglect or abuse. Researchers point out that neglect is usually not the case; rather, it is due to curious kids and not properly-protected medications. Some of the kids in the report drank liquid methodone stored in refrigerators. Others encountered a dropped pill while crawling or walking around the home. Still others got into a grandparent's bag or purse and found untended bottles and were able to open the bottles.

Once ingested, painkillers typically act by depressing respiration, meaning a youngster may simply stop breathing. Parents should not only be vigilant of keeping of any medications locked up and out of harm's way of infants but make sure that any place they visit or where their children may stay during the day does the same. Parents should talk with their children's grandparents about locking up medications and sweeping the floor areas before bringing kids over for a visit if they are old enough to crawl or toddle around. If a family provider is used for child care, parents should not be afraid in asking what measures are taken in the home to lock up any medications, and ask to see the area. A professional care provider will be all-too-happy to show parents their procedure.

Emergency physicians offer these tips for restricting access to prescription medications:

• Hide all medications in a secure location, which may not be the bathroom medicine cabinet.
• Discard any prescription medications that are left over or expired.
• Alert grandparents who visit or host their grandchildren that their prescriptions should always be locked up and hidden away, including individual pills which curious toddlers may put into their mouths.
• Monitor your teenager's internet use for shopping on pharmaceutical websites.
• Discuss with neighbors and parents of your child's friends the importance of keeping prescription medications locked away.

America's poison centers are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help you in an emergency. The American Association of Poison Control Centers operates a Poison Help hotline at 1-800-222-1222 and serves as a key medical information resource. Post this number in a prominent place in your home and be sure to point it out to your child's babysitter.